The Cat from Hell

The Cat from Hell: Short story by Stephen KingIn this story from Stephen King, an aging industrialist hires a hitman to kill an unusual target… his cat. The old man believes the cat, a stray taken in by his sister, is responsible for her death and that of two other members of his household, and fears he will be next. The hitman accepts the job and takes the cat, which was purring peacefully on his lap as they talked, away. Unfortunately for him, the tables are soon turned in a most gruesome way. Themes include appearance vs. reality, fear, animal testing and suffering, demonic retribution, the supernatural.

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The Bloody Chamber

The Bloody Chamber: Short story by Angela CarterIn Angela Carter’s titillating re-telling of Charles Perrault’s Bluebeard, a wealthy, three-times widowed French nobleman marries a seventeen-year-old virtuoso pianist and rushes her away to his secluded castle for a “honeymoon”. When browsing the library, she is shocked to discover his penchant for sadistic pornography. After a passionless consummation that satisfies his desire to have married a virgin, he lays a deadly trap designed to end the marriage. While he is away on business, the woman’s dark newborn curiosity springs the trap, which leads her into his bloody chamber. Themes: manipulation, sexual awakening, depravity, loneliness, curiosity, violence, death.

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The Cask of Amontillado

The Cask of Amontillado: Short story by Edgar Allan PoeThere is not much one can add to what has already been written about this classic tale from Edgar Allan Poe. Widely regarded as one of the world’s greatest Gothic horror stories, it is yet another example of Poe’s ability to supplement situational horror with insights into the twisted minds of his protagonists. The horror aspect of this story about a wine-tasting gone wrong (or right, depending on how you look at it) is enhanced by the ambiguity about the seriousness of the “insult” that lead to the victim’s claustrophobic end. Themes: revenge, trust/deceit, pride, envy, mortality, confession.

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Three Skeleton Key

Three Skeleton Key: Short story by George ToudouzeLast year we featured Leiningen Versus the Ants, a story in which 400 men try to fight off an army of killer ants. In today’s tale by George Toudouze, three men are trapped inside an isolated lighthouse, surrounded by a horde of starving rats. One of the men is prone to panic and loses his mind when the rats break in to the lower part of the tower. The other two remain calm and, although a serious breach of duty, agree on a desperate course of action that saves the day. Themes: man vs. nature, fear, calmness under pressure.

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The Wendigo

The Wendigo: Short story by Algernon BlackwoodIn this story by Algernon Blackwood, a hunting party encounters a Wendigo, a malevolent being said by Algonquian folklore to haunt the wilds of Eastern Canada. While most stories associate the Wendigo with cannibalism, Blackwood’s version, though no less frightening, is a moss-eater. The creature’s presence is foreshadowed early and tension builds until one of their guides is taken and returned as a misshapen shadow of himself. He is taken again, and reappears with a mouth full of moss bereft of mind, memory and soul. Themes include friendship, isolation, superstition, the “Call of the Wild”, primal fear, hysteria, the supernatural.

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House Taken Over

House Taken Over: Short story by Julio CortázarSaid to be Julio Cortázar’s first published story, this suspenseful tale is about a middle-aged brother and sister who, having never married, live quiet but contented lives in their aging family mansion. One night, their solitude is interrupted by strange noises coming from a disused wing of the house. The brother locks and bolts the door leading to that part of the house. Unfortunately, the title foreshadows the final outcome. The brother and sister know the identity of the intruders (referred to only as “they”), but this is not shared with the reader. Themes: the idle rich, isolation, fear, change.

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Dharma

Dharma: Short story by Vikram ChandraThis story from Vikram Chandra focuses on the life of career soldier Jago Antia. In a twist on the ghost story genre, most of the action occurs in a house haunted not by the ghost of a dead inhabitant, but the “lost” spirit of Jago’s youth. A question raised by the story is Which of the many meanings of the word “dharma” does the title refer to? Superficially, it reflects Jago’s distinguished career (duty). On a deeper level, it represents the self-awareness (freedom) provided by confronting his personal ghost. Themes: modern vs. traditional beliefs, duty, self-discipline, courage, the supernatural, dharma.

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The Star

The Star: Short story by H. G. WellsThis apocalyptic story from H. G. Wells describes a near miss of Earth by a huge planetary fragment from outside the solar system. A somewhat disheartening theme is how insignificant the human race and its achievements are in the grand scheme of the universe. Part of the story’s appeal lies in questioning whether people would respond in a similar way if the same thing were to happen today. At first, people view the new “star” with excitement and anticipation. When a master mathematician makes dire predictions, many flee their cities in panic. But surprisingly, most do nothing until too late.

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