Name this S.K? story

"...I've read only one thing by Stephen King. A short story when I was in junior high.

At one point in the story, the deranged kid (a mainstay of King's work) takes two forks and shoves them into the opposite sides of his dog's head. King describes the dog jumping around and yelping in agony."

Found this on a talk group: www.librarything.com/talktopic.php?topic=6345 (Ah, what happened to the hyperlink thinky?), Message 15.

It sounds like something S.K. would do but don't think I know this one, do you??

It kind of sounds like the book Needful Things
to me since everyone in Castle Rock has to
play some kind of a Practical Joke or do some
kind of a deed to get the object they truly
desire.

Librarianwannabe

Oh yes, you're right Librarianwannabe!

Doesn't that kid who wants that sports collectors card kill that dog?

But Needful Things isn't a short story. Hm....

Yea he has to kill someone's dog and throw
rocks threw the windows. The brillant part
of the book is that it is done to make the
person think it is the most obvious choice.
No it's not a short story. Needful Things
is called The Last Castle Rock Story oh
but what an ending it is. And the Movie
with the dog that had been killed is really
gruesome. There is also a Movie based
on one of the Stories from Different Seasons
about where a boy finds out his neighbor
is actually an ex Nazi. That Story is called
Apt Pupil. I have the Movie on VHS even
though I haven't seen it in awhile.

Librarianwannabe

>4 beatles1964: Can you fix your formating so it doesn't make your posts so narrow? It's very distracting.

I thought a man kills the dog with a corkscrew.

Perhaps I'm mixing disturbing stories. But I'm not sure that it's Needful Things.

Maybe the Sun Dog? That was violent and also featured Castle Rock denizen, Pop Merrill. Can't remember exactly how the story turns out, but I remember the vehicle of terror. Frigging Polaroids.

Sorry about that Morphidae. In the Movie version
the dog gets cooked in the oven which is really gruesome. No it wasn't the Sun Dog because in
the Sun Dog with every picture that was taken
the dog was actually moving a little bit closer
to you until it looked like he was going to attack.
Go back and read Needful Things again or read if
it you've never read it before. I think you'll find
that I'm right. I know it's not the book CUJO
because that book deals with a dog that gets
rabies after being bitten by a bat. I've read
a lot of King so I think I know what I'm talking
about. I used to think that Stephen King, Anne
Rice and Clive Barker were like the Unholy Trio
of Horror you know the complete opposite of
the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Because those
three are my three favorite Horror Novelists.

Librarianwannabe

Dog's quite often come to an unfortunate end in Stephen King books and this is pretty much the only thing I don't like in his stories. I do try to skim the parts where dogs are involved in a bad way (except Cujo, where you can't avoid it).

It's been a long time since I reread Needful Things but I remember the young boy had to throw mud at one woman's clean washing to spark off a fued she was having with her neighbour. The neighbour had a dog which was stabbed by something (I thought a fork) but I can't remember if it was the boy, the washing woman or someone else who stabbed it. I seem to remember that the women then go looking for each other and fight in the street.

I'm disappointed now though, I thought this thread was a game (like the First Line and Quotes games) only just for Stephen King stories and characters. Perhaps we should start one?

Sure, would be fun!

In Needful Things, each character has one specific task. Killing Nipper falls to the older guy who "buys" the letterman jacket. The boy with the Sandy Koufax card is part of the same little "network" of cross-wirings, but he breaks the chicken farmer's windows. I don't remember there being forks involved, but there could have been. Actually, I'm pretty sure it wasn't particularly sadistic because he didn't want to do it. I think he just gets it over with.

Okay. You all want a game? Let's do it!

"Just one, he thought. Just one walking by herself, one who can tell me where ____ has gone if she's not here. If it's San Francisco, I'll follow her there. If it's Tokyo, I'll follow her there. And if it's hell, I'll follow her there. Why not? That's where we're going to wind up, anyway, and probably keeping house together."

What book? Who is he? Who is he talking about?

The husband of Rosie Madder, in the novel of the same title? Just a guess...

I second.

and I thought I was being soooooooo cool! O well. How about Sophie or Madcow299 trying one?

o yeah. should I even say it? yoiu both are right.

Sophie answered first so I will defer to her.

This sounds like Apt Pupil from Different Seasons (the same volume, by the way, that contains Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption). It's been a long time since I read it, so I'm not sure. Technically, it's not really a short story - it's a novella.

OK so no one has posted anything so I'm gonna throw one out there.

I snapped, killed my counselor and I died with a rifle in my hand. It took the police hours to take me down. Who am I?

Todd in Apt Pupil.

Hmm. Look back at that clue it wasn't that clever was it? Well done, Bentley. You may throw out the next clue if you wish.

This is one of my absolute favorite King passages--very insightful. Sorry it's taken so long:

"The fright went deep now. Before marrying...she had been a librarian in the Westchester school system, and her own private nightmare had always been telling the kids for the third time--in her loudest speaking voice--to quiet down _at once_, please. When she did that, they always had--enough for her to get through the period, at least--but what if they wouldn't? What did that leave? The question scared her. It scared her that such a question should ever have to be asked, even to oneself, in the dark of night. She had been afraid to use her loudest voice, and had done so only when it became absolutely necessary. Because that was where civilization came to an abrupt, screeching halt. That was the place where the tar turned to dirt. If they wouldn't listen when you used your very loudest voice, a scream became your only recourse."

Maybe Adelia Loretz in "The Library Policeman" from the "Four Past Midnight" book?

Is it? Huh? Is it? Huh?

Nope. Going back and reading it, I realize it's a pretty tough clue. I would know it instantly only because I have always loved the passage. It really captures something about King's understanding of real people in unbelievable situations. We aren't used to real crisis, and we don't really know how to handle it.

Since it's a tough clue, I'll give you hint: Rule out the short stories. This is from one of the novels. And it's not an obscure or minor character. If you read the book, you'll definitely remember the character.

Stab in the dark here, but it sounds like it might be from Misery. It's been a loooong time since I read that one, so I'm really just guessing.

That's a pretty good guess, but no. Misery, in fact, remains the only Stephen King book I haven't read (except for Blaze, which I just haven't gotten around to yet).

Is it Jessie from Gerald's Game?

Nope. Gerald's Game is still my least favorite King book ever.

I really am sorry, y'all. I didn't pick it because I thought it would be really hard. I figured this was the only shot I'd get in the game, and I wanted it to be a passage I really liked and not be so obvious that somebody would get it immediately.

More people have gotten into the game, at least...

Is the passage from It?

I thought about that also. There are some very distinct passages that take place in the library, but I can't think who the character would be that it's referring to.

Rose Daniels from Rose Madder then? I can't remember what job she had or even if she had one before she was married.

If not then my second guess is Salem's Lot. Im running out of ideas.

...is it from Cujo?

Insomnia?

Very nice, alynnk. The name that belongs in the elipses is "Vic," but silly me, I thought that would make it too easy. The passage takes place when Donna breaks up with Steve and he refuses to leave.

The next clue is yours...

Oh, yay. Not bad for having read that one ages and ages ago.

How about...

"Sorry is the Kool-Aid of human emotions. It's what you say when you spill a cup of coffee or throw a gutterball when you're bowling with the girls in the league. True sorrow is as rare as true love."

Oh, wow, maybe not? Quick, someone else come up with something. :)

umm..that's from Carrie

Just to keep things going, I'm going to guess and say Delores Claiborne maybe?

no...it's from Carrie

ahh, sorry, didn't mean to abandon the thread... but beeg's right, it's from Carrie. :)

Sorry. It sounded right to me when it was first posted, but nothing else happened...

Sorry, that's my fault. I had some... family stuff... and wasn't around for a while and lost the thread.

beeg, you're up then, if you'd like to try and stump us.

It wasn't me, I always close dat door. If I forgot, old Sarge woulda torn me a new asshole. Maybe Curt, too. Dey wanted dat place closed up tight.

Dey was strong on dat.

From a Buick 8?

rock on :)

Let's try one that's a little easier...

"Almost everyone thought the man and the boy were father and son."

By the way, beeg, how do you do italics? I've been trying to figure that out for a year. I had finally given up figuring that it's just not an option, but you obviously know how. Do you have to type the html code?

'Salem's Lot ?

yes, you have to key in the html code

46> The Gunslinger?

it's Salem's Lot, but The Gunslinger is a good guess

Okay. Here's the next challenge chosen at random from my shelves:

He felt her in his head, then, a strange ticklish sensation like bare feet so light they barely touched down. Tickly, but not unpleasant. She was trying to make out if what he'd said about his father was the truth or a lie.

The Shining?

Man, you guys are amazing. I can't remember passages like these to save my life.

Oh, and by the way, the italics thing has had me stumped too.

type what's between the quotes "" to begin and then "" to close the italics, but no spaces, I added then so you could see the key strokes

No, not The Shining.

And trust me that is not from memory; I had to look for something to post :)

Firestarter?

You guys make me more humble. (which is good; I need it).

No, not Firestarter.

I'll guess Misery.

Wizard and Glass? Roland talking as Will Dearborn to Rhea of the Coos?

Good guesses, but still not there.

The Talisman? random, I know, but I'm just trying to guess father-son storylines.

The Dark Tower? I think it's Susannah and Roland, but I don't know which book.

Duma Key?

Why am I doing that?

</i> Fixed. someone didn't close their italics?

That would be me. Sorry. I'm still trying to get this italics thing down. I had no idea it would carry over into other posts. You learn something new every day, I guess.

no worries. It happens to everyone at some point.

BTW quartzite any of these last guesses good?

Actually I used italics in another post and they didn't close either. I thought they were closed by but without the spaces. So I know how to open them but not close them. How do you close them properly?

And since I am here, Bag of Bones?

closing italics is . :)

ooh, so close, just the wrong way around. Thank you alynnk.

Sorry, our power was out for three days so I have been off-line.

The right book has still not been guessed.

Everythings Eventual? In the Little Sisters of Eluria story.

Nope. Not Everything's Eventual . I will say it is a novel and not a story or story collection.

Song of Susannah?

Not Song of Susannah. I will add it is not from the Dark Tower series.

Gonna take a stab in the dark, just because this is driving me crazy, and throw out The Stand. I just keep thinking maybe it's referring to Mother Abigail.

not The Stand

I'm just gathering the quote and guesses so far together. I keep checking back to see what's been said so this might make it easier.

The Quote:

He felt her in his head, then, a strange ticklish sensation like bare feet so light they barely touched down. Tickly, but not unpleasant. She was trying to make out if what he'd said about his father was the truth or a lie.

The Guesses:

The Shining, Firestarter, Misery, Wizard and Glass, The Talisman, The Dark Tower, Duma Key, Bag of Bones, Everything's Eventual, The Song of Susannah, The Stand

The Clues: It is not from any of the seven Dark Tower books and not a story or from a short story collection.

And now I am going to guess The Tommyknockers.

Sooner or later by sheer process of elimination.... but not The Tommyknockers. Interesting how many it theoretically could be.

Next Clue: It's one of the books set in Derry.

No, not It.

Insomnia?

Nope, not Insomnia

Oh! Hearts in Atlantis

I can't believe I got so hung up on the Dark Tower books that I didn't think of it. I think it's from one of my favorites--Bag of Bones, right?

#86 - I guessed Bag of Bones earlier and quartzite said it's not that.

#85 - I'm not sure about Hearts in Atlantis because quartzite said not a short story or part of a short story collection and I think HiA might fall into that group.

It's driving me slowly crazy now.

What about Eyes of the Dragon? No one has mentioned that one yet. It's been a very long time since I read that, and I know the wizard was male (Randall Flagg right?) not female, but I'm running out of books to guess.

#87 even though Hearts in Atlantis is like a group of novellas, I'm pretty sure it still qualifies as a novel because all the stories are intertwined.

I can't think of anything else set in Derry. Is The Regulators set there? I think I'll guess it anyway.

#88 - you might be right about Hearts in Atlantis, it could go either way.

Gosh. Not Hearts in Atlantis, not Regulators and not Eyes of the Dragon. We must be nearing eliminating most everything but the right book.

Okay one more hint: That's Owen with the woman in his head.

I can't think of an Owen in the books. I can think of so many characters but can't scrape up the name Owen from my memory of them.

From a Buick 8? I can't think where it is set or why a woman would be in anyones head but I'm getting desperate now.

Nope not From a Buick 8

Duh! Missed the Derry clue. even so, I still can't think of any of the Derry books with an Owen in them. Perhaps The Dark Half? Was that in Derry? If that's not it I'll just give up and wait for the answer even though it's slowly killing me.

Not The Dark Half

And we have winner, ladies and gentlemen. It is indeed Dreamcatcher.

Thank goodness!

Oh hallelujah! Thank you beeg! I'll admit it's been years since I've read that, but still I would have never guessed it. Hopefully you'll come up with one just as interesting.

Dunno, the one I posted got solved immediately. I think I suck at picking. But I'll look for one tomorrow.

I'm so glad someone guessed it, but who was the she and whose head was she in, I can't remember?

What woke her up was a single drop of blood, no larger than a dime.

#99 It was Duddits's mother and she was trying to see if Owen was telling the truth when he claimed he would be able to take care of the ailing Duddits because he had nursed his father during a similar illness before his death.

#102 - Thank you, I completely forgot her! I still don't think I would have guessed it though, even if I had remembered her.

Jody wins!

Thank you and sorry for the delay. My ISP has temporarily disconnected my broadband and I have been away from my bookshelves.

I have just grabbed a random SK book from my shelves and will be posting a line or two very shortly now.

Okay, I found a few lines but have taken out the name of the character mentioned:

'HELP! HELP! THEY'RE KILLING HIM, HELP, PLEASE, FOR GOD'S SAKE!'
'Help,' a small voice whispered from ___ _______'_ left...and then there was a giggle.

Children of the Corn?

No, it's not that one.

Is it from The Body? when they go in the river and get covered with leeches?

No, not The Body either.

I'm going to say It

That's the one!

It's when Adrian Mellon is being attacked by the three boys at the start of the book and his partner, Don Hegarty is shouting for help. The little voice is Pennywise right before he murders Adrian.

And the reason I chose it is that the whisper and the giggle never fail to give me the creeps when I read that part.

I'm shocked! I finally got one right. Okay here's mine. It may be on the easy side, but here goes...

There was an echo in here, too, one he liked even less than the one outside. The echo made it sound like someone was behind him...stalking him. He stopped several times, head cocked, eyes wide (but blind), listening until the echo had died off. After a bit he began to shuffle along, not lifting his heels from the concrete, so the echo wouldn't recur.

Is that Larry in the Lincoln Tunnel in The Stand?

Oh, beeg, you beat me to the punch and posted while I was typing! If we're right, congratulations! :-)

well if we're right, then you pick the next one. :)

Yes, you're both right. Guess that was too easy. It's one of my favorite parts in any of his books. I'll try something a bit more challenging if I get to do this again.

Beeg, you won fair and square. The next one is to you.

And I don't think it was too easy, klarsen. It's just so distinctive. You're right. It's one of his best passages. I haven't read The Stand in over ten years, but, man, I remember that little quiet moment. It's so perfect.

"I am a recent resident of your lovely town, yes. Do you shoot may rats?"

I'm new to the group, but I think your quote is from the wonderful Salem's Lot. If I win I have a great quote I'd love to put out there.

I think rachel is right. Welcome BTW :). However, it reminds me of Needful Things although it's been probably 8-9 years since I read that one.

and Rachel is right! so hit us with your great quote and welcome to the group.

come, come now Rachel, let hear the great quote :).

psssst Rachel, yer on.

Mea culpa! Mea culpa maxima! My only excuse for my tardy reply is that my youngest daughter had oral surgery a few days ago (to have all 4 of her wisdom teeth extracted) and I was kept busy applying ice packs and administering comfort (and ice cream, and soda pop, and . . .). But here goes:

"She offers her hand, and Morrison shakes it. There is something odd about her grip, and halfway through the second act, he realizes what it was. The little finger on her right hand is missing."

Quitters, Inc.

Whatever... your child's health should not come before putting up a good quote! :P

Hmm, that's a good one though.

I have been justly chided (chidden?). I'll pass Madcow299's remark on to my daughter -- I don't think she owns any weapons, so not to worry.

beeg -- you were right on the money. Jodyreadseverything thinks I should have gone with my original idea for a quote -- which was vetoed by yet another daughter. Oh, the hardships of having children!

Anyway, it's been fun!

beeg, how do you get these so fast? Photographic memory?

kami

I'm a constance reader. that one was really easy, the story was also in the movie "Cat's eye".

So who's up now? I only just discovered this thread and I'm huuuunnnngreeeee!

Ya'll I have to dust off these books and it's making my nose pack up. I've re-read so many of them and plan to re-read them in order. (some day) So here is the next quote.

His eyes lit up. "Exactly! Only the texture of brain-matter is more like calves' liver than water."

The Dark Half? Where the doc is explaining the 'left-behind-bits-of-twins' thing?

good guess, but that's not it.

Am I allowed to ask novel or short story?

Dead Zone?

Firestarter?

I'm thinking both have bits in them with a doctor explaining about brains falling to bits?

nope and nope, and it's from a novel.

I'm thinking maybe it has to do with the breakers or something along that line as opposed to a doctor. Perhaps from one of the Dark Tower books although I don't know which. I really am useless at this!

It's not from a Dark Tower book.

Insomnia where he keeps going to doctors? Been so long since I read that book.

Cell maybe?

nope and nope, but it is a newer book.

Is it from Lisey's Story?

no, that's not it either

I haven't read Blaze yet, but is that it? Your quote seems to have a Richard Bachman flavor to it.

Stephen King book (Blaze was good)

Hearts in Atlantis?

Or The Colorado Kid? (Haven't read that one yet.)

nope and nope, LOL this is the first time I've stumped y'all.

Oh! It's Duma Key isn't it? I believe it's when he's learning about his traumatic brain injury.

woot! and Klarsenmd is the winner!

Should have known! Still waiting for the p/b on that one.

Dang, I just read that!

I can't believe I didn't have it sooner. I just read it last fall. damn, nowI have to come up with something.

Jeez! I'm reading Duma Key right now and I didn't remember that line. Duh!

OK. Here's the new one. Also probably fairly easy, but I always seem to go back to my favorite passages. They're the only one I can rember to look up again. So without further adeu...

"He had, in fact, no thoughts at all. The fever had descended over his mind and he burned with it like a torch inside a glass sleeve."

I'd give you more, but that'd give it away for sure.

OK, gonna make a stab at it---- The Dark Half...

Is it The Stand?

Misery? (Though really I think it's The Stand, but CandiBelle beat me to it!)

Nope not The Stand (that was my last one) and not Misery although both good guesses.

I'm going to de-lurk to guess The Drawing of the Three...

#162 Oh, that's a good one and I bet you're right!

#162 So very close, but not quite...

The Waste lands?

The Dark Tower then?

You're all on the right track, just haven't hit the right one.

What about The Dark Half?

So, not The Stand, not Misery, not The Dark Half, not The Waste Lands, not The Drawing of the Three, not The Dark Tower (book 7 of the series) but you seem to be hinting at it being a Dark Tower series book.

So I am going to guess at The song of Susannah.

I think Jody is probably right (a Dark Tower book) but I'm going to make a fun guess....Needful Things

Yes, it is a dark tower book, but not Song of Susannah.

Wizard and Glass

It's Wolves of the Calla, isn't it? The fever refers to the black sphere?

Well, just to make sure the whole series is represented...is it The Gunslinger?

Actually, beckylynn got it. It's from Wizard and Glass. It's one of my favorites. It's describing Roland, aka Will Dearborn, as he, Alain and Cuthbert ride down the posse of men into the thinny, slaughtering them as they go. Man, it's a great passage.

Yeah!!! I'm at work right now so when I get home I'll ponder my options......

Okay found one....
"The scream that welled from the sounding chamber of that gaping mouth came from all the subcellars of the deepest race memory and beyond that, to the moist darkness of the human soul."
Hope it isn't too easy...

It?

Cell

Nope...not It or Cell, Let me know if you guys want a hint or to guess some more...

Hmm... I thought for sure Madcow299 was right. I'll throw out Bag of Bones just for the hell of it.

From a buick 8?

Not Bag of Bones or From a Buick 8

Is it Lisey's Story?

Nope.........okay a hint, it's one of his early novels.

The Stand?

Good guesses, but sorry that's not it either.

Is it from The Shining?

I wanna say The Shining, but since that's been taken, how about Desperation?

This is kind of a shot in the dark, since I haven't read the book in years and I don't have it on my shelves. But I'm thinking that passage sounds a lot like the death of a vampire. I'm gonna guess Salem's Lot.

Ding Ding Ding, we have a winner!!!
Yes, Salem's Lot is the correct answer and I believe your even right about the connotation of the text as well..... it's been awhile for me, but I think it was the young pretty girl in the story that the main character had a thing for.

Anyways, TheBentley it's your turn...

Before I post a quote, might I offer a suggestion? This thread has grown very large. I know many of us have high-speed connections, so it's no big deal, but not everyone on the site does, and I'm guessing the load-time for this thread is getting onerous if you're on dial-up.

Plus, newbies to the group don't look to this thread for this game. If they do, they start at the top and find what this thread started out as--a request for assistance in finding a particular story.

Might I suggest that we scuttle over to "Stephen King Game: Guess the character/story/book"? It currently has only 14 posts, and even though I know we'll fill it up fast, at least we won't be starting with nearly 200 posts like we are now.

Genuinely asking for suggestions here. I don't want to do anything to hurt the game, which is going great...

good idea, post your quote, we'll find you.

Next quote is on the thread "Stephen King Game: Guess the character/story/book"

I tried to make it one worth going there for. Good luck!