Short stories | Lecturia

Rudyard Kipling: The Cat That Walked by Himself

“The Cat That Walked by Himself” is a short story by Rudyard Kipling, published in July 1902 in Ladies’ Home Journal. A long time ago, when all animals and humans were still wild, a woman decided to leave her nomadic life behind and build a home. Little by little, various animals approach her cave and seal pacts that make them domesticated. Only one of them remains apart: the proud and solitary cat watches from a distance and cunningly plots his own way of approaching the fire without giving up his independence.

H. G. Wells: In the Avu Observatory

“In the Avu Observatory” is a short story by H. G. Wells, published on August 9, 1894, in the Pall Mall Budget magazine. Set in a remote astronomical station in the jungles of Borneo, it narrates the disturbing experience of Woodhouse, a young assistant who is left alone in the observatory while he makes stellar observations. The tranquility of the tropical night, with its distant sounds and the vast darkness of the forest, is transformed into an atmosphere charged with tension and uncertainty when an unknown presence bursts into the enclosure.

H. P. Lovecraft: Polaris

“Polaris” is a story by H. P. Lovecraft, written in 1918 and published in December 1920 in the magazine Philosopher. It narrates the disturbing visions of a man who, under the motionless light of the North Star, begins to have strange dreams in which he contemplates an ancient marble city set among unknown mountains. Fascinated by the beauty and mystery, the protagonist, as he is submerged in this dream world, finds himself increasingly trapped between two realities: sleep and wakefulness.

Juan Rulfo: Paso del Norte

“Paso del Norte” is a story by Juan Rulfo published in 1953 in the El llano en llamas collection. It tells of a man’s determination to abandon his impoverished life in Mexico to seek better opportunities in El Norte. Despite the risks and family opposition, his desperation to escape misery drives him to set out on a dangerous journey, symbolizing the universal struggle for survival and the search for a dignified life.

Bram Stoker: The Burial of the Rats

“The Burial of the Rats” is a short story by Bram Stoker, included in the collection Dracula’s Guest and Other Weird Stories, published in 1914. Set in the slums of Paris in the mid-19th century, it narrates the disturbing experience of a young Englishman who, driven by melancholy and tedium, decides to explore the dark sectors where those who live off the garbage do so. Fascinated by this marginal world, he enters a labyrinth of waste, shacks, and sinister figures. What starts as a curious excursion soon becomes a disturbing experience of danger and suspense.

Richard Connell: The Most Dangerous Game

“The Most Dangerous Game” is a short story by Richard Connell, published on January 19, 1924 in Collier’s magazine. The story follows Sanger Rainsford, an experienced hunter who falls into the sea near a mysterious island in the Caribbean. After reaching land, he discovers a mansion inhabited by the sophisticated and enigmatic General Zaroff, who shares his passion for hunting. However, the rules of the game on the island are different. As Rainsford explores the place, he begins to perceive a disturbing change in the role he has traditionally played as a hunter.