Case Files: Unease by Ryan Dyer

Case Files: Unease is a collection of  narratives that map the fragile terrain where identity, corporeality, and psyche intersect under extreme duress. These stories do not seek to entertain or provide relief; instead, they document the precise moments when the human experience fractures—when control slips, boundaries dissolve, and the self is exposed to internal and external forces that challenge its coherence.

The work operates with clinical precision, presenting encounters with violation, desire, and alienation through a detached, deliberate lens. Violence and discomfort are rendered with stark clarity but without excess; each detail is chosen, measured, and placed to evoke a sustained atmosphere of disquiet rather than shock. The reader is positioned as an observer.

Within these pages, bodies become sites of tension, psychological states unravel in silence, and power dynamics unfold in unsettling intimacy. The collection interrogates consent, control, and the porousness of identity, exposing the mechanisms through which the human form and mind are both resilient and vulnerable.

Case Files: Unease invites a sober reflection on the conditions of unease—those liminal spaces where stability wavers and the familiar becomes strange. 

— Diaper Folder
Two boys find a folder on a laptop that should have been kept secret.

— Silent Train
A woman wanting peace and quiet on her daily train commute finally snaps when the noise pollution becomes too much.

— The Gimp
In a town with no fetish club in sight, a gimp stalks and terrorizes its citizens.

— Pervert: The Smartschoolboy Encounter
A cat and mouse game with the dreaded internet creep Smartschoolboy9.

— Marketplace
When trying to sell a camera online, a man starts receiving bizarre messages.

— Clench
Can Jake hold in his bodily functions while waiting in line for a ride with his date at the carnival?

— The Unforgiven
A Metallica-obsessed man must babysit his daughter on the same day he is set to attend a meet and greet with the band.

— The Snoring Car
On a train ride from Beijing to Hong Kong, the sound of snoring is the enemy.

— The Hard Rock Cruise
A narcissistic rocker plans to meet up with a "fan" before setting off on a metal cruise ship.

— WIPE
A man’s bathroom routine becomes a waking nightmare when no amount of wiping can make him clean again — because something inside him doesn’t want to leave.

— The Cinephile
A look at one man's lonely, though typical week as a socially awkward film addict.

— GAME
Five strangers download an app promising a $50,000 prize. The only rule? Eliminate the others. Track the dots. Kill to win. No one logs out.

— BATMAN Tape
In the ’90s, a teenager and his mom’s boyfriend bond over NHL ‘96 in the basement.
When the boyfriend heads out for smokes, the boy finds an unmarked VHS labeled BATMAN. What he finds isn’t Bruce Wayne.

— The Party Boat
What happened to Cameron Robbins? This X-Files-esque story tries to put the floating chunks back together.

— The Last Conquest
A lone missionary enters forbidden jungle territory, Bible and crucifix in hand.
No one leaves a record — except the land.

— Final Boss
After 27 years of grinding, Takashi finally reaches the last battle in his favorite video game. But when his father shuts it off, something in Takashi snaps — and the game of life ends with a kill screen.
— Normal Mode
A man talks to an AI program for advice. The program seems to know a lot more about the man than what he’s comfortable with.

— Based Life Moments
An influencer live-streams his wedding entrance from a hot air balloon, but vanity and gravity are cruel companions. It’s all fun and bubbles until the fall.

— Aurora
When the northern lights appear, people vanish. One man searches for his brother beneath the glowing sky — and finds a horror more disturbing than any myth.
— The Gore Channels
YouTubers chasing clout discover footage they shouldn’t — and become the next tragic story in their own playlist.
When tragedy trends, someone profits.

Content Warning

Case Files: Unease contains intense, unsettling material including graphic depictions of violence, gore, and disturbing imagery inspired by real-world cases and extreme footage circulating online. Readers should be aware that some stories explore the darker sides of human nature and media obsession, and may be distressing. This collection is not suited for those sensitive to graphic violence or trauma-related content. Please take care of your mental health while engaging with these narratives.