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Short stories

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A close-up of the nib of a ballpoint pen sitting on an examination paper

Approx. reading time: 6-7 minutes

In Henry Slesar's 'Examination Day', a young boy's routine intelligence test takes a dark turn in a dystopian society. As his parents anxiously await the results, the story reveals the chilling consequences of a government obsessed with controlling intelligence. A gripping tale about the cost of conformity and the suppression of potential.

A black-and-white photograph of a man in silhouette walking across a lit pavement.

Approx. reading time: 7-8 minutes

In Ray Bradbury's 'The Pedestrian', Leonard Mead wanders through a desolate city, a solitary figure in a world where everyone else is confined to their screens. His nightly walks defy societal norms, leading to a chilling encounter that underscores the dangers of conformity and the loss of individuality in a dystopian future.

An underwater shot of the sea.

Approx. reading time: 16-20 minutes

In Doris Lessing's 'Through the Tunnel', young Jerry embarks on a daring underwater journey to prove his independence. As he challenges his fears and physical limits, Jerry's quest for self-discovery and growth poignantly unfolds against the backdrop of a summer vacation by the sea.

A black-and-white photograph of prison gates creating a shadow on the ground.

Approx. reading time: 20-25 minutes

In Henry Slesar's 'The Test', attorney Vernon Wedge is pressured into defending Benjy Blesker - a seventeen-year-old boy accused of murdering a rival gang member. Benjy maintains he is innocent - but Vernon is not so sure. Can he get him off?

A woman walks through the trees in a wood. A shaft of light comes down from above.

Approx. reading time: 19-24 minutes

In Penelope Lively's 'The Darkness Out There', two teenagers, Sandra and Kerry, uncover unsettling truths about a seemingly idyllic countryside. As they confront the hidden darkness within their surroundings and an elderly woman's shocking past, their perceptions of good and evil are forever altered.

A view looking upwards at a spiral staircase in a tower.

coming soon

Approx. reading time: 12-15 minutes

In Marghanita Laski's 'The Tower', Caroline's solo visit to a remote Italian tower turns into a chilling ordeal. As she ascends, the ancient structure's eerie history intertwines with her growing fear, leading to a suspenseful and psychologically intense climax that explores themes of patriarchy, isolation and the supernatural.

A solitary chair in a room with bare floorboards. A shaft of light comes through a window.

coming soon

Approx. reading time: 9-11 minutes

In Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart', a man driven by madness meticulously plans and executes the murder of an old man with a haunting eye. As guilt consumes him, his descent into insanity is revealed through his obsessive fixation on the imagined sound of the dead man's beating heart.

A book lies open on a desk with a shrivelled monkey's paw sitting on top of it. A candelabra lights the scene.

Approx. reading time: 16-20 minutes

In W.W. Jacobs' The Monkey's Paw, the White family receives a mystical paw that grants three wishes, each with unforeseen and tragic consequences. As their desires lead to unimaginable horror, the story explores themes of fate, greed, and the peril of tampering with the supernatural.

Silhouette of a young girl looks out of a screen door.

coming soon

Approx. reading time: 24-30 minutes

'Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?' by Joyce Carol Oates is a haunting short story that explores themes of adolescence, identity, and vulnerability. It follows Connie, a teenage girl whose encounter with a mysterious stranger, Arnold Friend, takes a dark and unsettling turn, revealing the dangers lurking beneath seemingly ordinary life.

A close-up of a pile of stones in the middle of a street.

Approx. reading time: 13-17 minutes

Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' is a chilling short story that reveals the dark side of human nature and the dangers of blindly following tradition. Set in a small town, the annual lottery takes a sinister turn, exposing the unsettling consequences of conformity and the potential for violence in ordinary communities.

A 1950s housewife prepares a joint of meat in front of an oven.

Approx. reading time: 12-16 minutes

'Lamb to the Slaughter' by Roald Dahl is a darkly humorous short story about Mary Maloney, a devoted wife who snaps when her husband reveals shocking news. In a moment of rage, she murders him with a frozen leg of lamb and cleverly covers up the crime, leaving readers stunned by the twist.

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