Wade "The Biggest Loser"

Our final publication of 2024 has arrived!

Cullen Wade’s “The Biggest Loser” is the story of a character enticed by greed and the apparent ease of winning weight loss competitions—but he soon finds he’s has taken on far more than he can bear, a realization that comes at a dear cost. It is this aspect that moved me to choose this piece for the Ten of Wands theme for Dark Tales from the Tarot. The Ten of Wands is a card that represents “burden” in many respects, but most interesting are the burdens that come from our own making, like the extreme version depicted in this story. And there are more burdens in Wade’s story as well: the burdens of “ego, duplicity, and a culture’s pressure to be thin at all costs,” to quote the author. I will add to that the burden of society to always have “just a little more” than one currently has.

Thematic relevance aside, “The Biggest Loser” has the feel of a campfire classic about it—something we always support here. The writing is tight and fast-paced. The tension felt by the reader is carefully managed and ratcheted up until it all hits with the thud at the end. But enough rambling; go and read it for yourself. And if you haven’t already, go and read the other Dark Tales from the Tarot stories while you’re at it. They’re gems.

Read The Biggest Loser

Read Dark Tales from the Tarot

It’s been a long year here at Spindle House, and with a sigh of relief, Wade’s story is helping us bring it to a close. We still have a bit to do before the New Year as we get our website switched over to a new host, but the work is almost done. Soon we will rest.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the stories we’ve put out this year. If you celebrate any of the upcoming holidays, we wish you a cheerful holiday season and a period of rest and refreshment.

We’ll see you in the new year, where there are always more monsters than one expects.

BenVandersluis, Editor
Spindle House