Short stories | Lecturia

Richard Matheson: Old Haunts

Old Haunts is a short story by Richard Matheson, published in October 1957 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The story follows Bill Johnson, a middle-aged man who returns to the city where he spent his university years, driven by nostalgia and the desire to reconnect with his past. He visits old places, relives memories, and stays in his old room, seeking solace in the familiar. But as the journey progresses, the atmosphere becomes disturbing, and the past, far from offering refuge, begins to reveal itself as a more worrisome territory than he imagined.

Isaac Asimov: A Boy’s Best Friend

Isaac Asimov - El mejor amigo de un muchacho

A Boy’s Best Friend is a short story by Isaac Asimov, published in March 1975 in the magazine Boys’ Life. The story follows Jimmy, a boy who has grown up on the Moon and whose only playmate is Robutt, a robot dog designed to keep him company. Together, they explore the lunar surface, sharing a special connection. One day, his father has a surprise for him that has arrived from Earth, something that could change his life.

Gabriel García Márquez: The Woman Who Came at Six O’clock

The Woman Who Came at Six O’clock (La mujer que llegaba a las seis) is a short story by Gabriel García Márquez published in 1950 in El Espectador. The story takes place in a small restaurant where José, the owner, receives a woman every afternoon who always arrives at the same time. However, that afternoon, although her routine seems intact, she insists that she has arrived earlier. Through a tense dialogue full of innuendo, the woman gradually reveals the reason for her behavior.

Octavia E. Butler: Bloodchild

Bloodchild is a short story by Octavia E. Butler, published in June 1984 in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. The story follows Gan, a young Terran who lives on a reservation governed by the Tlic, an alien species whose well-being depends on humans. Gan has grown up protected by T’Gatoi, an influential Tlic leader linked to his family since birth. However, underlying this coexistence is a disturbing pact that will test Gan’s beliefs and will.

Katherine Mansfield: Bliss

“Bliss” is a short story by Katherine Mansfield published in August 1918 in the English Review. It recounts a day in the life of Bertha Young, a thirty-year-old woman who experiences overwhelming happiness and a deep sense of fulfillment. While organizing a dinner party at home, her joy is reflected in the small details of everyday life: her tenderness towards her daughter, her satisfaction with her marriage, and the beauty of her garden, where a pear tree in bloom seems to symbolize her state of mind. However, among the gestures and glances of the guests, an unexpected detail threatens to alter her harmony.

Ursula K. Le Guin: The White Donkey

The White Donkey is a short story by Ursula K. Le Guin, published in 1980 in the magazine TriQuarterly. The story follows Sita, a young woman who takes her goats to graze in the forest, where she discovers a mysterious white donkey with a horn on its forehead. Fascinated by its elegance and uniqueness, Sita visits it daily, offering flowers and sharing moments of silent companionship. As her bond with the animal grows stronger, at Sita’s home, her parents decide her fate.