The Town That Smiles

THE TOWN THAT SMILES

When seventeen-year-old Dasha Kalancheva arrives with her volleyball team in the seemingly idyllic town of S., she expects a routine training trip. But from the moment she steps off the bus, something feels off. The residents never stop smiling-unnaturally wide, eerie grins that seem to hide something sinister lurking just beneath the surface. Posters of missing teenagers plastered across shop windows proclaim them as "OUR HEROES," and the townspeople whisper about traditions that go back centuries, their eyes never losing that unsettling smile.

When Dasha meets Max, a mysterious local boy with his own hidden past, she feels an instant connection. But as the threads of the town's deadly ritual tighten around them, Dasha realizes that escaping the smiling faces will be far more dangerous than she ever imagined.

Now, caught between the ancient traditions of a town trapped in time and her desperate need to survive, Dasha must confront the horrors that lie beneath. With every passing moment, the lines between friend and foe blur, and Dasha must decide how far she's willing to go to uncover the truth-and if she can save herself from becoming the town's next sacrifice.

**In this chilling, fast-paced novella, the perfect small town hides a grotesque secret that will haunt you long after the last page. Welcome to S., where the smiles never fade and no one ever truly leaves.**