Short stories | Lecturia

H. G. Wells: The Country of the Blind

“The Country of the Blind” is a short story by H. G. Wells, published in April 1904 in The Strand Magazine. It tells the story of a mountain guide who, during an expedition in the Andes, suffers an accident that leads him to a remote valley, isolated from the outside world. There, he discovers a population that has lived for centuries without the sense of sight and has developed its life, customs, and beliefs without any reference to the visible world. Convinced that his ability to see will give him an advantage, he tries to impose himself as a leader, unaware that he will face challenges for which he may not be prepared.

Jack London: Aloha Oe

“Aloha oe” is a short story by Jack London, initially published in December 1908 in Lady’s Realm magazine and later included in the collection The House of Pride (1912). On the Honolulu pier, an ocean liner prepares to set sail as a crowd bids farewell to a group of distinguished visitors on an official visit to the island. From the deck, Dorothea Sambrooke, the daughter of a senator, bids farewell to Stephen Knight, a young islander with whom she has shared weeks of adventure and friendship. The Royal Band plays the emotional melody “Aloha’ Oe,” enveloping the departure in a growing sense of melancholy at the impending separation.

Arthur Conan Doyle: Lot No. 249

“Lot No. 249” is a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle, published in September 1892 in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine. Set in Oxford, the story follows medical student Abercrombie Smith, whose academic routine is disrupted by disturbing news about his neighbor Edward Bellingham, an eccentric scholar, expert in Oriental languages, and fascinated by the mysteries of ancient Egypt. Gradually, inexplicable events disturb the quiet life at the university, and Smith begins to suspect that his neighbor is hiding more than just academic eccentricities.

Kate Chopin: A Respectable Woman

“A Respectable Woman” is a short story by American writer Kate Chopin, published on February 15, 1894, in Vogue magazine and later included in the collection A Night in Acadie (1897). The story begins when Mrs. Baroda learns, with some annoyance, that her husband has invited an old friend to spend a few days at their plantation, disrupting her plans to enjoy a season of peace. Although she initially imagines the visitor with antipathy, her attitude toward him soon begins to change, awakening an unexpected restlessness in her.

Edgar Allan Poe: Shadow—A Parable

“Shadow—A Parable” is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, published in September 1835 in The Southern Literary Messenger and later included in Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque (1840). Set in the fictional city of Ptoleméis during a devastating plague, the story begins with a group of seven men locked in a gloomy room, drinking wine beside the recent corpse of a friend. As they try to ignore the horror outside, an inexplicable shadow emerges from the draperies of the room, interrupting their forced revelry with a presence that seems to speak from a place beyond time.

Lisa Tuttle: The Horse Lord

“The Horse Lord” is a short story by American writer Lisa Tuttle, published in June 1977 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The story follows Marilyn, a suspense writer who moves with her husband and five children to an old family mansion in a remote area of upstate New York. As she adjusts to rural life, she discovers an old, abandoned barn linked to a tragic family history and ancient Native American legends. What begins as a new chapter away from the hustle and bustle of city life gradually turns into an increasingly oppressive and disturbing experience.