I started a book of H.P. Lovecraft short stories a couple nights ago. Here's the thing about Lovecraft: his stories are really scary! Seriously, seriously scary! I somehow didn't expect it, even though I know he's known for being such a great horror writer.
I read "The Rats in the Walls" right before I went to sleep, or rather right before I intended to go to sleep. It's about an American man who decides to go to Britain and live in the house his ancestors had. The man is older, and his son died in WWI, and since he can afford it, he wants to completely redo the house to look as it did in the past (although with modern conveniences). His family, the de la Poers, had apparently frightened the townspeople quite a bit in the past, as people seem to think his last name implicates him in the hinted-at crimes of ancestors living hundreds of years ago. Despite the rumors that terrible things happened in the house, he has the renovations finished and moves in.
So far, fine. I read that bit earlier. Then, nighttime, I start up again. And he's just one night in the house when his cats start acting weird. Acting like they see something. And then the man himself can see it. The walls are moving, as if filled with hundreds of rats all running in the same direction. He can hear them, too. They seem to be moving towards his cellar...
I don't want to spoil it. I'll leave you with my reaction upon finishing the story, which was basically "well, shoot. Now I'm terrified. Not going to sleep right now..."
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YEAH PHYSICS!!!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE horror books but i think i need to be in the right mood for them..Are these just plain horror or do they have a element of sadness or hopelessness attached to them (like Stephen King)?
ReplyDeleteBTW you can tell from all my comments that i am catching up on all of your blog entries today :) All i have done in the past few months is gardening. Thought it was a passing thing but apparently not. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it :) May be i should start a small blog with pictures or something.. :)
ReplyDeleteSo far the Lovecraft stories seem like just plain horror. Like, I'm not sad because of relating to the main characters, I'm just scared.
ReplyDeleteYou should TOTALLY start a blog about your gardening! I would definitely love to read it. I'm growing some herbs in pots on my deck, and that alone feels like a big achievement (Chris still has to remind me every day that they need to be watered).