Short stories | Lecturia

Angela Carter: The Kiss

The Kiss is a story by Angela Carter, published in 1985 in the collection Black Venus. Set in the magical city of Samarkand, the story intertwines myth and history to narrate an episode in the life of Tamerlane’s wife. Against a backdrop of vivid colors and exotic landscapes, the wife tries to surprise the famous warrior, returning from his conquests, by erecting a mosque in his honor. However, the cunning architect sets an unexpected condition for finishing the job on time.

Charles Dickens: The Signal-Man

Synopsis: “The Signal-Man” is a short story by Charles Dickens, published in 1866 in All the Year Round magazine. It tells the story of a man who meets a lonely signalman working in a gloomy railway post. Through a disturbing conversation, the visitor discovers that the signalman is haunted by strange apparitions next to a … Read more

Isaac Asimov: The Two-Centimeter Demon

Synopsis: The Two-Centimeter Demon is a short story by Isaac Asimov, published in 1988 as part of the Azazel collection. In it, a writer (Asimov’s alter ego) tells how he met George Bitternut, an eccentric man who claims to possess a little demon named Azazel. This tiny being, barely two centimeters tall, has supernatural powers that George uses, he argues, to help others. With a humorous and satirical tone, Asimov weaves a plot where attempts to “improve” the lives of others through magic trigger unexpected and often ironic results.

Sheridan Le Fanu: The White Cat of Drumgunniol

Sheridan Le Fanu - El gato blanco de Drumgunniol

The White Cat of Drumgunniol is a short story by Sheridan Le Fanu, published on 2 April 1870 in All the Year Round magazine. The story centers on a tale told by an Irish schoolmaster who recounts the legends and superstitions surrounding an old farmhouse in an isolated region of Ireland. His childhood memories include the appearance of a spectral female figure and a mysterious white cat, which are associated with omens of death in his family.

Harlan Ellison: “Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman

“Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman is a short story by Harlan Ellison, published in December 1965 in Galaxy Magazine, and winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards in 1966. Set in a society obsessed with punctuality and the control of time, the story follows the Harlequin, an eccentric rebel who challenges the rigid system imposed by the Time Keeper, also known as Mr. Tick-Tock. Through his jokes and chaotic acts, the Harlequin upsets the established order and defies the rules of a world where tardiness is severely punished. The narrative combines humor and social criticism and explores the consequences of disobedience in a totalitarian system.

Edgar Allan Poe: The Premature Burial

The Premature Burial is a story by Edgar Allan Poe, published on July 31, 1844, in the Dollar Newspaper, in which he reflects on the terror provoked by the idea of being buried alive. In a somber and captivating style, the protagonist describes a series of cases of people who have suffered this terrible experience while relating his own experiences and the methods he employs to avoid such a tragedy. With a style halfway between fiction and journalistic account, Poe addresses one of the oldest atavistic fears while immersing the reader in an atmosphere of macabre fascination.