Unhinged: A Story of Love and Self-Hatred

Title: Unhinged
Author: uroboros
Type: Original Fiction
Genre: Drabble | Romance
Rating: R

“Always crashing in the same car.”

The phrase is repeated often in Unhinged, the incredible story by uroboros that tackles the frustration and anguish of Ryland and William growing from friends to something much more whilst battling the intense inner conflicts that Ryland faces.

Ryland is fierce, full of self-hatred and constantly on the brink of horrific self-destruction. He’s angry at the world, lashing out at the only person who has the patience to stand by his side; William. William is collected, caring, and the safety harness that stops Ryland from propelling from the car he’s always crashing. But he struggles. He’s the first-hand witness to Ryland’s bad driving and no matter how often he tries to bring Ryland back to a safe place, Ryland is somehow almost eager to take the dangerous routes again, unaware of no-one but himself as he sends his life spiralling.

The characters of Ryland and William are fantastically human. They’re selfish, vulnerable, and confusing, yet the way those characteristics take shape in Ryland and William are completely different. That is what makes uroboros such an incredible writer, he takes those human components that make up everyone and shows that they’re more than just words. Every single living person fits into those traits, some more than others, but all in different ways nonetheless, and uroboros creates characters in Unhinged that show that selfishness, vulnerability, and confusion without even needing to direct you those words in his writing.

Unhinged is a tour de force of the human condition in regards to love and mental illness; a must read that challenges you to take the time to think of what impact your behaviour has on the ones who love you.