Uncollected Stories 2003

‘A Most Unusual Thing’ – Chris Chelsey

‘Gone’

–

Chris Chelsey

‘They’ve Come’ – Chris Chelsey

‘I’m Falling’ – Stephen King (listed in contents, now lost)

‘The Cursed Expedition’ – Stephen King

‘The Other Side of the Fog’ – Stephen King

‘Scared’

–

Chris Chelsey

‘Curiosity Kills the Cat’ – Chris Chelsey

‘Never Look Behind You’ – Stephen King and Chris Chelsey

*Published in the Market Guide for Young Writers (4th Edition), by Writer’s Digest Books, this story was printed exactly as it originally appeared. In 1986, the story was slated to be published in Flip magazine, but the student literary magazine ceased publication before the story made it to press. It was finally published in 1993.

**Published in Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, No. 202, Spring ’94

under the title The Killer. The story was originally written from the main character’s point of view. In 1963, when he was 14, King rewrote the story in third person and submitted it to Spacemen magazine, a companion to Famous

Monsters, but it was rejected. It was finally published in Famous Monsters 31

years later.

5

THE HOTEL AT THE END OF THE ROAD

“Faster!” Tommy Riviera said. “Faster!”

“I’m hitting 85 now,” Kelso Black said.

“The cops are right behind us,” Riviera said. “Put it up to 90.” He leaned out the window. Behind the fleeing car was a police car, with siren wailing and red light flashing.

“I’m hitting the side road ahead,” Black grunted. He turned the wheel and the car turned into the winding road – spraying gravel.

The uniformed policeman scratched his head. “Where did they go?”.

His partner frowned. “I don’t know. They just – disappeared.”

“Look,” Black said. “Lights ahead.”

“It's a hotel,” Riviera said wonderingly. “Out on this wagon track, a hotel! If that don’t beat all! The police’ll never look for us there.”

Black, unheeding of the car's tires, stamped on the brake. Riviera reached into the back seat and got a black bag. They walked in.

The hotel looked just like a scene out of the early 1900s.

Riviera rang the bell impatiently. An old man shuffled out. “We want a room,” Black said.

The man stared at them silently.