Night Surf
| "Night Surf" | |
|---|---|
| Short story by Stephen King | |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Post-apocalyptic, horror, short story |
| Publication | |
| Published in | Ubris Night Shift |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Publication date | 1969 |
"Night Surf" is a post-apocalyptic short story by Stephen King, first published in the spring 1969 issue of Ubris magazine and revised significantly for the August 1974 issue of Cavalier magazine.[1] It later appeared in King's 1978 collection Night Shift.[2] Eight pages long, it is one of his shortest short stories.[3]
Plot summary[edit]
On an August night on Anson Beach, New Hampshire, a group of former college students have survived a plague caused by a virus called A6, or "Captain Trips". They believe the virus spread out of Southeast Asia and wiped out most of humanity.
The characters' outlook is grim. They encounter a delirious man dying of the plague and burn him alive on a pyre as a half-serious black magic human sacrifice. The protagonist, Bernie, reflects upon this new world and reminisces about "the time before" when he went to Anson Beach in his youth, years before the plague. All the members of Bernie's group had survived a virus called A2, which supposedly made them immune to A6. But Needles reveals to Bernie that he has contracted A6. Bernie admits to himself that deep down they know that A2 is not a guarantee against A6 and that they will probably all be dead by Christmas. Bernie's girlfriend keeps up the pretense, accepting Bernie's explanation that Needles must have lied about having A2 so the others would not leave him behind.
Film adaptation[edit]
Writer-director Peter Sullivan adapted "Night Surf" as a short film, produced in 2002.[4][1] Optioned from King for a dollar, the film is part of the Dollar Baby collection of similar short films.[1]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Wood, Rocky (2011). Stephen King: A literary companion. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co. p. 132. ISBN 9780786458509.
- ^ De Fiuppo, Marsha (1990). "Stephen King: Bibliography". Fantasy & Science Fiction. 79 (6): 56–62. Retrieved June 1, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Reino, Joseph (1988). Stephen King: The first decade, Carrie to Pet Sematary. Boston: Twayne. pp. 50, 104–109. ISBN 0-8057-7512-9.
- ^ Bannan, Karen J. (2000). "HOT SHOTS". Hollywood Reporter. Vol. 363, no. 34 (International ed.) – via EBSCOHost.
External links[edit]
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