Stephen King

Jerusalem’s Lot, a short story by Stephen King published in the collection Night Shift (1978), is a gothic horror story set in 1850. We follow Charles Boone, a man who inherits the Chapelwaite mansion on a remote cliff in Maine, through letters and diaries. Accompanied by his servant, Calvin McCann, Charles discovers that the house and the nearby abandoned village, Jerusalem’s Lot, hide a dark past linked to his family. As they explore the history of the place, they become embroiled in an increasingly disturbing mystery, where ancient superstitions and strange manifestations threaten to reveal a terrifying truth.

“The Monkey,” a chilling short story by Stephen King, was first published in Gallery magazine in 1980 and later included in Skeleton Crew. It tells the story of Hal Shelburn, a man haunted by a sinister toy monkey from childhood. With its haunting smile and brass cymbals, the monkey seems to bring death with it. When he reappears years later, Hal’s quiet life with his family is turned upside down. As old memories resurface, he must confront the dark connection between the toy and a series of tragic events.