like a fever that just won't break.

Autumn is imminent in the northern hemisphere! Which means Halloween is imminent! Sort of… In any case, here are a collection of six dark/horror recs to tide you over until the S9 premiere on 8 October, and the hopefully spooky times to follow. Three of these deal with Purgatory, two with Hell, and the first with… many different horrors. ;)

All of these fanworks were chosen for their distinct sense of style, uncompromising attention to the details and emotions that perpetuate horror, and their incisiveness as regards Dean and those around him:

01. Title: a consummation devoutly to be wished [the el to be jazz remix]
Author: losttheirbones
Tags: alcoholism, fire, jail/prison, substance abuse (alcohol), supernatural powers, hallucinations, sexual abuse (non-con)
Characters: Dean, Sam, Kubrick, Castiel, Gordon, Ben, Lisa, Crowley, John, Mary, Victor, Rufus.
Genre/pairing: Dean/Sam. Dean/Kubrick. Dean/Castiel.
Rating: NC-17
Word-count: 9,894
Spoilers: N/A
Warnings: rape. murder. abuse of haiku.
Summary: stop. breathe. hold back the fire. your name is dean winchester. you are alone in the world. breathe. clutch the bottle tighter. the only company you have is the hallucination of your dead brother. the fire is coming -- STOP.
Reccer’s comments: I adore the macabre twist to a canon that is already, arguably, fairly macabre and twisted. The haiku were a touch of brilliance, too--my favorite was the one with the line about mangoes (confused as to why there are mangoes? read on!). Beautifully and uncompromisingly written--I love the tone that's evoked here, and carried through to the very last line.

02. Title: it had to be you
Artist: badbastion
Tags: blood, hell/post-hell issues, torture
Characters: Alastair, Dean
Genre/pairing: Alastair/Dean, horror
Type/medium: digital
Rating: NSFW for graphic gore
Spoilers: N/A
Warnings: gore/guro, blood, body horror, violence, torture, disturbing imagery, evisceration, discordant slow dancing, guts
Description: The first time Alastair saw Dean Winchester on his rack, he was already drenched with blood and sweat, and the smell of singed flesh hung around him. Dean sneered at him, the gesture pointless, brave, cocky, beautiful through his busted lip and bloody teeth. As Alastair strolled toward him, he realized he’d been humming something under his breath since he'd first walked in. Some of the bravado went out of Dean's sneer at hearing it, and Alastair’s smile widened. For nobody else gave me a thrill, he sang, and with all your faults, I love you still, he sang, and he shoved his narrow hand deep into Dean’s mouth and cracked the hinges of Dean’s jaw, obliterating his lovely mouth.

It had to be you, he crooned, and just like that, it was their song.
Reccer’s comments: The colors are perfect--I love the cool tones Alistair's shirt adds to the warmer shades of the rest. And all that intestinal detail! I feel odd saying that, haha, but it's true.

03. Title: Dean/Purgatory Teaser
Vidder: volta1228
Tags: purgatory/post-purgatory issues
Characters: Dean
Genre/pairing: gen, horror
Type/medium: video/digital imaging
Rating: NSFW for graphic goe
Spoilers: Nothing past the end of 7x23, really.
Warnings: N/A
Description: Because Purgatory Dean is one BAMF... Mock teaser for Supernatural's Dean/Purgatory storyline in season 8.
Reccer’s comments: This is such a treat. I really like how this vid works with typography. And the additional animation in the middle segment is just sublime. I adore how this vid folds minute visual/aural references back to earlier seasons even it's constructed around Purgatory.

( 3 more fics behind the cut - hell/post hell issues, anesthesia awareness, purgatory/post-purgatory issues, soul injury, torture, torturer!Dean )

Don't see you favorite? Tell us all about it! Reccing is 100% open to all comm members, so let us know what you're in love with these days. The more, the merrier! :D