Short stories | Lecturia

Ray Bradbury: Time Intervening

In “Time Intervening,” a short story by Ray Bradbury published in 1952 in Ray Bradbury Review, an old man leaves his house in the early morning and finds some children playing in his garden. Although he tries to talk to them, he gets no response. Back at home, he sits in the dark, restless. Suddenly, a young man and a girl enter, surprised to see him, and throw him out, claiming that it is their house. The old man, perplexed and ignored, ends up on the street. During the night, he watches in bewilderment as several people enter and leave his home, with no one seemingly paying any attention to him.

Guy de Maupassant: A Mother of Monsters

In “The Mother of Monsters,” a story by Guy de Maupassant, a man recounts a creepy tale while walking along the beach, where he spots an elegant and enigmatic woman. Years before, during a visit to the countryside, his friend took him to meet a robust and sinister woman residing in an idyllic country house. Nicknamed “Devil,” this woman was infamous in the area for a horrifying reason: all her children were born with monstrous deformities. Infused with an atmosphere of mystery and terror, the story gradually unveils the dreadful secret of the “Mother of Monsters.”

Charles Dickens: The Convict’s Return

“The Convict’s Return” is a short story by Charles Dickens published in 1837 in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. It tells the harsh story of a family in England. The father, Edmunds, is a man despised by the community because of his violent nature and dissolute life. His wife, despite constant abuse, remains devoted to her son, whom she cares for with love and dedication. The boy, growing up in an abusive environment, becomes a rebellious young man, a true reflection of his father. As the years pass, the boy strays from the straight and narrow and falls into disgrace, while his mother, steadfast in her love, tries to support him with faith and sacrifice.

Ray Bradbury: The Veldt

The Veldt is a short story by Ray Bradbury, first published in September 1950 in The Saturday Evening Post and later included in the collection The Illustrated Man (1951). Set in a future where technical progress dominates everyday life, it tells the story of the Hadleys, a wealthy family living in a fully automated house designed to meet their every need. Its greatest innovation is a virtual reality nursery capable of materializing any imagined environment. As the children’s obsession with this technological marvel grows, the Hadleys begin to question the impact of excessive technology on their family.

Edgar Allan Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart

“The Tell-Tale Heart” is a story by Edgar Allan Poe, published in 1843, that delves into the dark recesses of the human mind. The tale follows a protagonist who insists on his sanity as he narrates the events surrounding his cohabitation with an older man. The story centers on the narrator’s obsession with a particular … Read more

Bram Stoker: The Judge’s House

In the short story “The Judge’s House” by Bram Stoker, a college student named Malcolm Malcolmson is looking for a quiet place to study, so he decides to settle in an old, uninhabited house in the village of Benchurch, known as The Judge’s House. The house has imposing Jacobean architecture and a sinister reputation, making it seem perfect for his purposes. Despite the locals’ warnings, Malcolmson begins his routine study but is soon disrupted by strange noises and the appearance of a sinister-looking rat. As unsettling events unfold, Malcolmson realizes that the house conceals dark secrets that threaten his safety.