Short stories | Lecturia

Guy de Maupassant: The Apparition

The Apparition is a short story by Guy de Maupassant, published in Le Gaulois on April 4, 1883. It tells the disturbing experience of an elderly marquis who, at a social gathering, decides to share an event that has tormented him for more than fifty years. In his youth, an old friend asks him to retrieve some documents from his former home. On arrival, the marquis finds an atmosphere of abandonment and a gloomy environment that will be the setting for a terrifying experience that will leave an indelible mark of fear.

Clark Ashton Smith: The Enchantress of Sylaire

“The Enchantress of Sylaire” is a fantasy story by Clark Ashton Smith, published in Weird Tales in July 1941. Anselme, a young dreamer, retires to live as a hermit in the forests of Averoigne after being rejected by his beloved Dorothée. One day, while trying to bathe in a pond, he meets Sephora, a sorceress of extraordinary beauty. Attracted to her, he accompanies her to her enigmatic abode, where he discovers an enchanted world full of mysteries. However, Sephora’s former lover, Malachie, warns Anselme about the true nature of the sorceress and the dangers that lurk in Sylaire. Anselme must decide who to trust and how to face the dark secrets of the place.

Clark Ashton Smith: The Return of the Sorcerer

“The Return of the Sorcerer” is a short story by Clark Ashton Smith, published in 1931, which forms part of the Cthulhu Mythos cycle. The story follows an unemployed man who accepts a job as secretary to John Carnby, a solitary scholar specializing in demonology and witchcraft. Carnby asks him to use his knowledge of Arabic to help him decipher passages from the Necronomicon, an ancient and obscure book. As he progresses with his work, the protagonist begins to suspect that his employer’s interest goes beyond pure erudition and that dark and diabolical secrets lie behind his facade.

Clark Ashton Smith: The Charnel God

In “The Charnel God,” Clark Ashton Smith transports us to the sinister city of Zul-Bha-Sair, where the god Mordiggian rules over the dead. Phariom, a desperate young man, struggles to save his wife Elaith, who, mistakenly thought to be dead, has been claimed by the priests of this dark god. In an attempt to rescue her, Phariom enters the dark temple of Mordiggian, where he discovers a world of necromantic horrors and supernatural creatures. It is a story full of gothic atmosphere and a deep sense of cosmic terror, which immerses us in a universe where death and black magic are law.

Clark Ashton Smith: The Master of the Crabs

“The Master of the Crabs” is a short story by Clark Ashton Smith published in Weird Tales in 1948. On the shadowy shores of Zothique, an apprentice is swept away by his master, the sorcerer Mior Lumivix, in a desperate race against the dreaded Sarcand. Their goal: a treasure hidden on the mysterious island of Iribos. As they sail west, they face storms, bewitched calm, and the horrors that lurk in the depths. On the island, betrayal, ancient magic, and sea creatures become the protagonists of a struggle for power and survival.

Jack London: To Build a Fire (Early Version)

To Build a Fire is a short story by Jack London, published in May 1902 in The Youth’s Companion. It tells the story of Tom Vincent’s solitary journey through the frozen landscape of the Yukon in the middle of winter. Confident in his strength and experience, the protagonist ignores the warnings about the dangers of traveling alone. However, the extreme cold soon reveals itself as a ruthless enemy, and what seems like a routine journey becomes a desperate struggle for survival. This is the story’s first version, which London would rewrite and publish under the same title in 1908.