What was this book of short horror stories?
April 15, 2013 3:03 AM Subscribe
Help me find a short story collection I read maybe 20 years ago.
I vaguely remember two general stories:
1) Two kids are in a vacant lot next to a church; the church is struck by lighting, and one of them suddenly finds himself in a vacant wasteland with no apparently way out or back.
2) People are disappearing on an island, and upon investigation, they seem to have been eaten by giant slugs.
I believe it was Alfred Hitchcock-branded, but I might be mistaken.
I vaguely remember two general stories:
1) Two kids are in a vacant lot next to a church; the church is struck by lighting, and one of them suddenly finds himself in a vacant wasteland with no apparently way out or back.
2) People are disappearing on an island, and upon investigation, they seem to have been eaten by giant slugs.
I believe it was Alfred Hitchcock-branded, but I might be mistaken.
Oh my god the slugs. Are you sure they're not snails, and did you read it at school, aged about 10? if so, I HAVE to know as I have been wondering about the snails book for years. Is there a vile description of one creeping up the person?
posted by LyzzyBee at 6:07 AM on April 15, 2013
posted by LyzzyBee at 6:07 AM on April 15, 2013
Best answer: The second story could be The Quest for Blank Claveringi (1967) by Patricia Highsmith, which tells the story of a Scientist who explores a tropical island to investigate man-eating snails.
This story appeared in several anthologies, including Alfred Hitchcock's Supernatural Tales of Terror and Suspense (1983). I looked up this book (link has a list of synopses further down the page), but none of the stories have a plot line of the boys in a vacant lot and a church struck by lightning.
The Highsmith tale also appears in a collection called Masterpieces of Terror and the Supernatural, ed. Marvin Kaye, originally a 1983 pub, but re-issued in 1992. The collection has over 50 short stories, listed here, so maybe the story of the boys is within that. I haven't been able to look through the plots of every one of them to find out.
Could this be the one?
posted by MeatheadBrokeMyChair at 6:30 AM on April 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
This story appeared in several anthologies, including Alfred Hitchcock's Supernatural Tales of Terror and Suspense (1983). I looked up this book (link has a list of synopses further down the page), but none of the stories have a plot line of the boys in a vacant lot and a church struck by lightning.
The Highsmith tale also appears in a collection called Masterpieces of Terror and the Supernatural, ed. Marvin Kaye, originally a 1983 pub, but re-issued in 1992. The collection has over 50 short stories, listed here, so maybe the story of the boys is within that. I haven't been able to look through the plots of every one of them to find out.
Could this be the one?
posted by MeatheadBrokeMyChair at 6:30 AM on April 15, 2013 [4 favorites]
Oh wow, I've had that church story stuck at the back of my mind for at least the last 20 years! Needless to say I'm ordering a copy of the Oxford Book of Scary Tales right now.
posted by Merzbau at 8:29 AM on April 15, 2013
posted by Merzbau at 8:29 AM on April 15, 2013
You can read at least some of "The Quest for Blank Claveringi" on Google Books to see if that's the giant slug story.
posted by El Sabor Asiatico at 10:54 AM on April 15, 2013
posted by El Sabor Asiatico at 10:54 AM on April 15, 2013
Response by poster: You know, it could be that the church story was in a different book- the absolute latest I read this was 1989 or so, so my memories are very fuzzy.
posted by Pope Guilty at 2:54 PM on April 15, 2013
posted by Pope Guilty at 2:54 PM on April 15, 2013
Oh yeah, and re: Highsmith, this makes a lot more sense to me now. Man I am learning so much stuff today
posted by Merzbau at 5:10 PM on April 15, 2013
posted by Merzbau at 5:10 PM on April 15, 2013
Best answer: I just checked the Oxford book and it looks like "Exit" was reprinted from The Methuen Book of Strange Tales, published 1980. (That book doesn't include "The Quest for Blank Claveringi," though.) Any chance you read that book as well? The story fits what you described closely (typing it here since I can't find it online):
"They went on towards the chapel. Most of its grey stones had been carted away years ago, but the foundations and one wall remained. The thunder sounded again, but it seemed further off now.
'Well, this is it.' There was a quaver in Hawkins's voice, and he jumped when a spatter of rain fell on him. A raindrop ran like a tear down his glasses. And then he disappeared.
Suddenly, and with great completeness, Hawkins was no longer there. Carter had been staring right at him, even noticing the yellow streak of light reflected in his glasses and the splosh of rain. The light had touched the wall too, just above his friend's head.
Wait. It was at this point that the blood in Carter's veins chilled to ice water, and that each hair rose separately on his head and arms.
There was no wall. He turned round. There were no trees, no electric pylons, no cottages, no road. The lie of the land was not the same. There was no storm. The sky was clear, a curious pale mauve colour. There was no sun. He was standing alone in a rocky place, and a small wind was blowing. A wild facetiousness swept over him. He started to laugh. He was the one who had disappeared. Exit. Finis. Out goes he.
Then he burst into tears. 'That Hawkins, when I get hold of him, I'll kill him. I'll duff him up. I'll make him wish he'd never been born.'
Of course, he was never able to do any of these things."
posted by thetortoise at 9:36 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
"They went on towards the chapel. Most of its grey stones had been carted away years ago, but the foundations and one wall remained. The thunder sounded again, but it seemed further off now.
'Well, this is it.' There was a quaver in Hawkins's voice, and he jumped when a spatter of rain fell on him. A raindrop ran like a tear down his glasses. And then he disappeared.
Suddenly, and with great completeness, Hawkins was no longer there. Carter had been staring right at him, even noticing the yellow streak of light reflected in his glasses and the splosh of rain. The light had touched the wall too, just above his friend's head.
Wait. It was at this point that the blood in Carter's veins chilled to ice water, and that each hair rose separately on his head and arms.
There was no wall. He turned round. There were no trees, no electric pylons, no cottages, no road. The lie of the land was not the same. There was no storm. The sky was clear, a curious pale mauve colour. There was no sun. He was standing alone in a rocky place, and a small wind was blowing. A wild facetiousness swept over him. He started to laugh. He was the one who had disappeared. Exit. Finis. Out goes he.
Then he burst into tears. 'That Hawkins, when I get hold of him, I'll kill him. I'll duff him up. I'll make him wish he'd never been born.'
Of course, he was never able to do any of these things."
posted by thetortoise at 9:36 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Then he burst into tears. 'That Hawkins, when I get hold of him, I'll kill him. I'll duff him up. I'll make him wish he'd never been born.'
Holy shit, thetortoise, that's it exactly! I must've conflated multiple books- easy to do in the fog of childhood, I suppose.
Thanks, everybody!
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:26 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
Holy shit, thetortoise, that's it exactly! I must've conflated multiple books- easy to do in the fog of childhood, I suppose.
Thanks, everybody!
posted by Pope Guilty at 11:26 PM on April 15, 2013 [1 favorite]
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posted by thetortoise at 5:31 AM on April 15, 2013