Spoiler Warning for the Horror Anthology Series
The following is a behind-the-scenes look at each of my horror short stories from my anthology series. I aim to provide a fun and deeper dive into what went into creating the works. Read or listen to the stories first, then come back to learn more about the process and inspirations behind your favorite story.
Only proceed to the following section below if you have already experienced The Trophy.
Urochok concept art by Phitoe Art (@wahyukriting)
It all started with blood. For my first story, I knew I wanted to explore the concept of a reptilian blood god. One idea I found fascinating is a now-debunked but once-popular model for the evolution of the vertebrate brain known as the triune brain. Proposed by American physician and neuroscientist Paul D. Maclean in the 1960s, the hypothesis claimed that three independently conscious regions of the brain were sequentially added during the course of evolution. The triune brain consisted of the reptilian complex (in charge of primal instincts), the paleomammalian complex (regulating emotions), and the neomammalian complex (responsible for rational or objective thoughts). Starting in the 1970s, the model was already subject to much criticism and is now regarded as fiction. However, the hypothesis gained much notoriety due to its inclusion in Carl Sagan's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1977 book The Dragons of Eden. Although flawed, I was enraptured by the concept of an aggressive, bloodthirsty reptile living inside our heads. I knew the idea would be fun to explore in a horror short story.
Additionally, the tabletop war game Warhammer 40K and its lore inspired the creation of Urochok. The songs "Blood for the Blood God" by Death Valley Knights, "Blood for the Blood God" by Gunship and HEALTH, and "Gats" by Susumu Hirasawa were on repeat during my brainstorming process while creating the work.
Enjoy these behind-the-scenes images of concept art of Urochok by Phitoe Art (@wahyukriting). They were terrific to work with, so give them some support if you enjoy their artistic style. Help human artists, not AI slop. If you have any fun art/sketches/or paintings inspired by the story, please send them my way! I would love to show off more interpretations of the mighty Urochok from others.
CTE: chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Although Mickey's tragic tale is fiction, the condition the character struggles with is not. CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head injuries, leading to symptoms like memory loss, aggression, depression, confusion, mood swings, anxiety, paranoia, increased impulsivity, and difficulties with speech or balance. The condition is characterized by the buildup of abnormal Tau proteins in the brain. I was shocked in my research to learn that currently, it can only be definitely diagnosed through a post-mortem dissection of the victim's brain. I believe better detection methods should be developed to help those affected manage and treat the symptoms before they lead to deadly consequences.
In 2025, a meta-study by Qi et al. was published, aiming to examine the prevalence of CTE among various athletes. Their results found that 53.7% of contact sport athletes suffered from some form of the condition, with higher rates in elite athletes (72.8%) compared to amateur athletes (44.1%). Although rare, late-stage CTE can appear in younger athletes. In my research, I learned about the heartbreaking suicide of 18-year-old Wyatt Bramwell, who took his own life in 2019 after he shot himself in the heart. One of his wishes in his suicide video was for his brain to be donated to medical science for research. Researchers found that he was the first case of stage 2 CTE to be diagnosed in a high school football player.
CTE can also be deadly for others. In 2007, over a three-day period, Canadian professional wrestler Chris Benoit murdered his wife and seven-year-old son before hanging himself. In July of 2025, Shane Tamura opened fire in the New York headquarters for the NFL, killing four, before taking his own life. Medical examiners confirmed he also showed unambiguous diagnostic evidence of having CTE. I hope that medical professionals will develop better detection methods to prevent such horrific incidents from occurring in the future.
Phillip Mainländer
Quotes:
“God has died and His death was the life of the world.” Philosophie der Erlösung.
“Life is hell, and the sweet still night of absolute death is the annihilation of hell.” Philosophie der Erlösung.
“The kingdom of heaven after death, nirvana and absolute nothingness are one and the same.” Philosophie der Erlösung.
Philipp Mainländer and the Philosophy Within The Trophy
In our current age of algorithmically enhanced instant gratification and our seemingly post-truth society, I feel as if we have collectively lost many aspects of human nature that help us connect with others. Social media and short-form video platforms like YouTube and TikTok continually rely on maintaining our attention at the cost of authentic human connection. Political divides continue to grow, further exacerbated by the internet echo chambers in which people often find themselves trapped.
I wanted to create something that was not only an interesting piece of horror fiction, but also explores the ideas and writings of various philosophers to help ground the stories in more profound existential questions. In essence, I want to challenge the reader to confront suffering as it relates to the human condition and reveal the importance of empathy to our own survival. My passion for philosophical ideals stems from my own personal struggles.
In 2016, I was clinically diagnosed with major depressive disorder after my second attempt on my life. The exploration of philosophy has aided in managing my depression. It was only when I was able to confront my condition that I was able to understand it better. For me, the study of philosophy has significantly aided my personal growth. I hope that by infusing my work with some more profound questions or ideals from some of history's greatest minds, it will add something more meaningful to the work than the contemporary, fast-paced internet media we are often inundated with, especially in the age of AI-saturated content slop farms.
The work of German poet and philosopher Philipp Mainländer caught my attention in 2024. I found many of his writings to be hauntingly beautiful, and many of his sentiments echoed with my own self-destructive thoughts, which I attribute to my depression. Tragically, Mainländer would take his own life at only 35 years old. He is known for creating a highly radical form of pessimism, in which he viewed life as having a net negative value, and that the state of "not being" is preferable to being. To me, this sounded similar to the thoughts depression can create. Inspired by Mainländer's works, I sought to express similar views, but infusing them with a more scientific basis, as opposed to Mainländer's more metaphysical ideas on existence.