Body Horror

Two student anatomists purchase the remains of humanity in the small hours of the morning. The shadowy men who bring the bodies seldom speak, and the suspicions of the students are never spoken aloud. Until one morning when the drapery is lifted from the face of a new acquisition, and one student recognizes it as the face of a dear friend, alive and well only yesterday.

This is a story from the The Body Snatcher and Other Stories collection.

The following story is my take on the old Invasion of the Body Snatchers tale. Although changes have been made to the plot, hopefully it will do the original story justice.

A pair of casual paranormal researchers are experimenting with the idea of astral projection. One night, one of them inadvertently succeeds in projecting his spirit from his body, which is then taken possession of by a malevolent entity in his absence.

"The Stolen Body." Howard Phillips Lovecraft (1890-1937) is a novelist famous for his horror stories, fantasy and science fiction. Although he was not famous during his lifetime, his work is now considered a classic of literature. Lovecraft's work has influenced many authors, including Stephen King, who considers him "the greatest craftsman of the classic horror story of the 20th century."

Bill and Karen Stevens were so excited to get to spend a weekend away from their children. Bill was the top salesman of his company that year and was awarded a weekend trip to any four-star hotel of his choice, compliments of the company he works for. Bill and Karen packed their belongings and said goodbye to their children and headed to the airport, to their destination. The plane finally landed and they were ready for a fun-filled weekend without their kids. Bill and Karen held hands as they approached the front desk of the beautiful four-star hotel....

The time is the American Civil War. The place is Louisville, Kentucky, where a notable physician and professor at a medical school becomes in need of cadavers for student studies. Offering high wages for acceptable corpses, Doctor Theodore Finch hires an old ignorant and destitute man, Johnathan Brooks, and his young Christian wife, Theda, to remove the enemy dead from local battle fields. Upon the 31st of October, and during a full moon, the body snatchers, the doctor, and his students learn that the dead are not always at peace.

Todas las noches cuatro amigos se reúnen en una posada de Debenham. Fettes es el más reservado, poco saben de su vida pasada de la que nunca quiere hablar. Una noche, llega a la posada un reputado médico venido de Londres, el Dr. Macfarlane. El médico y Fettes parecen conocerse, pero éste se muestra arisco con el doctor y rechaza sus amables ofrecimientos.