Although not one of Stephen King‘s best-known short stories, The Boogeyman explores one of the greatest fears of many young children as they go to bed: the fact that some sort of evil creature may be hiding under their bed, behind the curtains, or in their closet. In the story, a man with serious mental problems blames himself for the death of his three children. He thinks a monster from his childhood killed them, and that it is now coming after him. At the end of this story, readers are left to wonder who or what this boogeyman really is. More…
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The Man in the Black Suit
This story from Stephen King builds on a common legend in folklore in which an unsuspecting protagonist is tempted by the devil. King made two changes to the standard plot that result in a truly frightening the tale. First, the devil’s target is an innocent nine-year-old boy. Second, instead of the devil’s usual objective of offering an earthly reward in exchange for the boy’s soul, this devil is hungry and plans to give the poor lad a heavenly reward by eating him. Themes: isolation, innocence, the supernatural, deception, fear, religious belief, life-long trauma, aging and death. More…
Strawberry Spring
This horror story from Stephen King is one where the twist at the end sticks in your mind, even though nine gruesome murders remain unsolved. A serial killer stalks a small college community. The victims are all women. The murders, which always take place at night, become increasingly vicious. Set in a rare false (strawberry) spring, thick fog provides perfect cover for the killer. The police have no leads. Panic sets in as students realize the killer could be anyone on campus. When the weather breaks, the murders stop. Eight years later, during the next strawberry spring, they begin anew. More…
Children of the Corn
Combine a boy with his throat cut who runs out onto a country road, a seemingly deserted town where the only community building still in use is a desecrated church, a hoard of murderous children, and a mysterious presence living in the surrounding cornfields, and you have a typical Stephen King horror/thriller. You get the feeling that King deliberately set out to make sure that readers wouldn’t be too upset when the main characters (a bickering couple driving through the American Midwest) meet their inevitable gruesome end. Themes: cultism, exploited religion, human sacrifice, the supernatural. More…
The Last Rung on the Ladder
If you are expecting to be frightened by this Stephen King story, you are in for a disappointment. However, if you are the emotional type, the heart-breaking conclusion could move you to tears. The protagonist and his younger sister were once very close and shared a life-threatening adventure involving a broken ladder. The girl’s comment afterwards: I knew you must have been doing something to fix it. You’re my big brother. I knew you’d take care of me. Later in life, as the man is busy climbing a different ladder, he is not there to take care of her. More…