When you were in high school, did you ever wonder if your teacher was thinking of graphic ways to kill you?
For teenagers studying at the European schools in Brussels, that fear may have just become much more real. Inspired by his pupils from the European School in Laeken, Belgian teacher Alan Shivers (a pen name) has been writing slashers set in an international school.
What started as a way to distract himself after a breakup during the Covid-19 pandemic quickly turned into a full-time occupation. Over the past three years, Shivers has written and published six slasher books for young adults (YA), three of which are set in 'Europea' – a fictionalised version of his workplace, the European School in the Belgian capital.
"The story is about six girls from all over Europe, studying at an international boarding school in Brussels," Shivers tells The Brussels Times. When creating his characters, he looked to his surroundings and drew inspiration from his students at the European School.
He assures me that this is not because he regularly wants to kill them, but mainly because they come from such international backgrounds – allowing Shivers to write about the different subcultures in Europe (the girls in his books are from Poland, Spain, Czechia, the Netherlands, Norway and Croatia) and revisit some of the countries where he has lived.
Start 'em young, hook 'em early?
But no matter who they are or where they come from, they are all soaked in blood by the end. For Shivers and his love for '90s horror, there was no other way of doing it. His pen name is a tribute to Helen Shivers, the character played by Sarah Michelle Gellar in the iconic slasher film 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' (1997).
"She is in one of the best chase scenes I have ever seen in a horror movie to date," he says. "I have always been a huge fan of the genre."
In that sense, writing 'Europea Halls' was a bit of a selfish endeavour for the author. "There were so many elements of those '90s films that I no longer saw in the 2000s. Long chase scenes are definitely part of that. I really missed those. So I just wrote it myself."
The author with one of his books. Credit: Maïthé Chini/The Brussels Times
The books are infused with references to Brussels' EU bubble and the diplomatic elements that run through the city. "The wealth aspect is definitely highlighted – it is quite the elitist boarding school they are attending, after all – but with some self-deprecation. In real life, I am teaching the 1%, but I am certainly not part of that 1% myself."
Shivers' protagonists are a well-educated group of tightly-knit friends who all have at least one geeky hobby or interest – a far cry from the stereotypical backstabbing 'Mean Girl' protagonists you often see in slashers. "It is all about female friendships and support, instead of the typical tearing each other down," he says.
When he initially published the story, he hoped 200 people would read it. Three years on, he has sold thousands of copies of what turned into 'Europea Halls: A Slasher Trilogy'. The first book is being translated into French, and the entire series is in development to become a television series.
Brussels as a main character
While slashers are usually set in a summer camp somewhere in the United States or a small, sleepy Midwestern town, this one is set in the middle of the city, and a European one at that – something that rarely happens.
"I really wanted to play with that. Brussels is sometimes known as a boring EU city, but the idea is to really highlight and showcase the city's heritage," Shivers says. "I am very into Art Nouveau, so there is a lot of that in there."
While the first book is set in Brussels, the storyline – apart from a brief interlude on the Grand Place – does not take the girls through the city. "They talk about places, but they do not actually go there. But when I found out that the readers really enjoyed that city aspect of my work, I tried to include more of it. By the third book, Brussels itself is a protagonist."
The European Commission's Charlemagne building in the European quarter of Schuman in Brussels. Credit: Belga / Herwig Vergult
However, as the books are quite short, he was delighted when he heard the plans to turn 'Europea Halls' into an eight-episode television series. "I saw it as a chance to highlight the city even more, to dig into Brussels a little deeper, with more side characters and locations. We may even have the chance to film in the Madame Moustache nightclub – a true Brussels staple."
The second book takes the survivor(s) to Budapest and deals with more personal issues, such as PTSD and LGBTQ themes. He acknowledges that it might feel counterintuitive, but Shivers explained that horror is very popular among readers (and viewers) who have had to deal with trauma in their lives.
"I myself have been in treatment for PTSD for a few years now, and it was something I really wanted to include. In life, horror has often been a tool in working through certain things and releasing them in a safe way for me. So I really wanted to include that," he says. "On top of that, the story also became more queer. Not to tick a box, but because it felt organic, being gay myself."
In the last book of the trilogy, the story ends where it started: in Brussels. Back home, it focuses more heavily on found family – themes that you do not usually see in slashers, Shivers admits. "Usually, it's just fun and rollercoaster-y. And in the first book, that is true. But the story goes a bit deeper, without completely straying from the genre."
Big budgets, big dreams
Now, the television series is officially in production, as are several other adaptations and film projects. For 'Europea Halls,' the aim is to create three seasons (one for each book), all of eight episodes of around 30 minutes. "Slashers are in. So, the time is now," says Shivers.
"Best-case scenario, if I can dream a little bit, is that the series becomes very successful and could expand to other cities, or could produce spin-offs, for example," he says.
The books are set to be adapted into an eight-part series for television. Credit: Maïthé Chini/The Brussels Times
Shivers is not only the author of the source material, but he will also be screenwriter of the series, alongside co-screenwriter Paul de Vrijer (Meat Kills, Silent Hill 2). In the meantime, he has also started work on several horror films in Belgium (with Douglas Boswell) and in the United States.
Even with a big budget, he wants to keep the story centred in Brussels – including for the casting. "Brussels is not Paris or London, but that is exactly what I like about it. It is a bit of an underdog city."
While he used to work as a full-time teacher, he has reduced his hours to allow himself more time to work on his slasher universe. "Some pupils know what I do and they think it is cool. Some of them are curious about my work, but I think the biggest shock is that their teacher has an entire other life outside of school.”
More information about the 'Europea Halls' trilogy and Shivers’ other works can be found on his social media.
