Author Language English Publication type Magazine | Country United States Genre(s) Horror short story | |
Published in Midnight Graffiti (1st release),
Nightmares & Dreamscapes | ||
Rainy Season is a short horror story by Stephen King, first published in the Spring 1989 issue of Midnight Graffiti magazine, and later included in King's Nightmares & Dreamscapes collection. It ended a bout of writer's block from which King had been suffering.
Contents
Plot summary
A young husband and wife on summer vacation rent a house in a small town called Willow, Maine, only to be warned repeatedly (if vaguely) to leave by the local inhabitants. They do not comply and, having purchased groceries, return to the house. They never learn the price for prosperity the citizens of Willow must pay: every seven years a husband and wife will go there from outside and will stay, despite protests, to become sacrifices during the rainy season. When the "rain" starts, the couple learns the nature of the precipitation: an army of grotesque black toads the size of footballs, armed with needle-sharp teeth and able to chew through doors and walls.
Film, TV, theatrical, or other adaptations
"Rainy Season" has been adapted by artist for the book "The Secretary of Dreams" a collection of comics based on King's short fiction released by Cemetery Dance Publications in December 2006.
The audiobook version of this story was narrated by actress Yeardley Smith.
Reception
Wiater et al. compared it to Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery". Writing at Tor.com, Grady Hendrix called it a "time passer" that was likely expanded from a single surreal image.