This story relies on our own fear of commonplace addictions like smoking and the toll it takes on our loved ones around us.įrom his collection Nightmares & Dreamscapes. The company “Quitters, Inc.” is a completely plausible company that might exist-although extremely far-fetched. This short story is effective because unlike many of King’s stories, the premise does not rely on any supernatural elements. The man eventually follows up with the company and learns they can help you quit smoking, but at a terrible price. His friend credits a company called “Quitters, Inc.” and hands him the business card. This short story is about a man who meets an old friend who has quit smoking and “looks great.” The man-a smoker himself-wonders how his friend quit such an aggravating addiction like smoking. Quitters, Inc.įrom his collection Night Shift. The ending notwithstanding, the story is an excellent example of what King is best at: taking a simple idea-a group of people trapped in a grocery store surrounded by monsters-and turning it into a horrifying narrative. King himself admits in the preface that he-despite being a master storyteller-was unable to bring the conflict to a satisfying conclusion. Despite the careful balancing of narrative and horror, the ending of the story can leave a bitter taste in the mouth of a reader. The story ambles through the conflicts of those trapped in the store, the rapidly depleting food supplies, and the monsters that lurk in the mist. As wonderful and macabre as the story is, the story has an abrupt and dissatisfying ending. As they leave for town to collect supplies to repair their home, they find themselves trapped in a grocery store as the mist has spread to the town and seemingly swallowed up those who venture into it. After a particularly nasty thunderstorm, the two notice a curious mist hanging over the lake. The story centers around a man and his son, who live next to a lake in a small town in Maine. This counts more as a novella, as it really is too long to be considered a short story, but it is included in this short story collection. Here are five of his best: The Mistįrom his collection Skeleton Crew. While he has more than a few collections of short stories published, his best horror short stories were in his first few publications released. While he is primarily known for his novels, Stephen King’s best work might be done in the form of the short story. Stephen King is one of the greatest writers of his generation-not necessarily because of his scintillating prose, but because of his masterful ability to tell a story.
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