When Roman's wife Gabby disappears on a routine hike in the woods near their home, a huge effort immediately gets underway to find her. Nothing is found, however, not a trace of her or any clues as to what may have happened. The mystery deepens when days later Gabby emerges from the forest on her own, seemingly unscathed...except that her hair has turned completely white. While Gabby claims to have no memory of what happened to her or where she's been, once back at home, Roman begins to notice strange things about his wife that go beyond her new altered appearance. Every night, Gabby leaves home and wanders the town as if in a trance. In addition, she has moments that can only be described as predatory and unnerving. She simply isn't herself, and when doctors fail to offer any real solutions, Roman desperately turns to Boyce, a mysterious local clairvoyant.

As darkness falls and a snowstorm descends, Boyce arrives at their home. The cold and snowy winter night deepens, and despite Gabby's opposition, they delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. But in order to uncover the truth, they soon learn they must return to the forest, to the icy darkness between the trees, and confront the terrifying secret still hiding there.

A new, original, never-before-published nightmare from Greg F. Gifune, THE STANDING DEAD is loosely based on a short story of his published many years ago, reimagined and expanded into an intense, harrowing, strangely haunting novella.

There's something out there...and it wants us back.