Stephen King‘s The Road Virus Heads North is part of the Everything’s Eventual collection of short stories and stood out to me as something I would enjoy. Though not without flaws, this short story delivered a few frightening moments and proved to be a solid read.
One of the dark, eerie tales that can only come from Stephen King. The Road Virus Heads North tracks an author who buys a creepy painting at a yard sale which was painted by a metal-head neighbor just before he committed suicide.
The haunted painting is a common in horror stories, but was interesting to see King’s take on the classic trope in The Road Virus Heads North. King brings a fresh and chilling experience to the table through his signature storytelling. The King of Horror weaves an atmospheric tale that doesn’t really rely on twists to deliver a sense of fear and dread. Despite the linear structure, the story still manages to evoke a terrifying tale.
The Road Virus Heads North is not a work of perfection, but accomplishes what it set out to do. It offers some moments of unease and delivered an unsettling read. The story, as intended, almost felt as an anthology episode of a television show – which it ended up being during the one season of Nightmares & Dreamscapes on TNT in 2006. It was a solid read to enjoy in-between longer novels.
The Road Virus Heads North is available as part of the Everything’s Eventual: 14 Dark Tales collection available at bookstores everywhere. The standalone audiobook, narrated by Jay O. Sanders, is available at Libro.fm!
