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| + | [[File:Night Surf poster.jpg|thumb|250px|Poster for the short adaptation]] |
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| − | '''Night Surf''' is the third story in 1977's short story compilation ''[[Night Shift]]''. It chronicles an evening in the life of several teenagers in a post-apocalyptic New England. |
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| + | '''Night Surf''' is a [[wikipedia:Short story|short story]] written by [[Stephen King]]. The story was originally published in the Spring 1969 issue of [[Ubris]], then in August 1974 issue of ''[[Cavalier]]'' magazine, and was later included in King's own 1978 collection ''[[Night Shift]]''. |
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==Plot Summary== |
==Plot Summary== |
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| + | The story follows one evening on a place called Anson Beach, New Hampshire, with a group of teens, survivors of a catastrophic virus called A6, or "[[Captain Trips]]", that has wiped out virtually the entire population. The virus was said to have spread out of Southeast Asia. The teenagers are shown to have a rather sinister nature in that they abduct a man and burn him on a pyre, believing such a human sacrifice to their gods would grant them protection against A6. The main character of the story, named Bernie, reflects upon this new world and frequently daydreams about "the time before" when he went to Anson Beach in his younger years before the A6 outbreak. A reference is made to a previous virus called A2, which the teens had all survived, leading them to think they were immune to A6's lethal effect. Toward the end of the story, one of them begins to show symptoms of A6, and they realize that perhaps their exposure to A2 did not in fact grant them immunity to this deadlier virus. While Bernie's companion Susie accepts his explanation that maybe some teenagers lied about having A2 in order to join their group, Bernie realizes A2 is no guarantee against A6, and starts to accept his eventual death. |
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| − | Six teenagers, survivors of a deadly flu virus that has ravaged the world, socialize on a beach after burning a middle-age man who has succumbed to the virus. |
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| + | ==Connections to other works== |
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| − | ==Notes== |
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| + | [[Captain Trips]] is the name of the super virus from ''[[The Stand]], ''and was the first appearance in the King universe. Although not mentioned, it is strongly implied the events of this story possibly take place in parallel to the some of the events in ''The Stand''. Unlike Stand, however, this world is shown is to survive a bit longer, as it has been months since the outbreak and two radio stations can still be heard run (haphazardly) by survivors. There is also no mention of an earlier, less deadly disease in ''The Stand''. |
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| − | The "superflu" in this story (referred to as [[Captain Trips]] or A6) is a clear predecessor of the virus released at the beginning of ''[[The Stand]]''; the story itself could easily be taken as a vignette from that work. |
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| − | == |
+ | ==Publications History== |
| + | *''[[Ubris]]'' (Spring 1969) |
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| − | *[ |
+ | *''[[wikipedia:Cavalier (magazine)|Cavalier]]'' (August 1974) |
| + | *''[[Night Shift]]'' (February 1978) |
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| + | [[Category:Short stories]] |
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| + | [[Category:1960s short stories]] |
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| + | [[Category:Apocalyptic]] |
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| + | [[Category:Diseases]] |
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Revision as of 21:46, 30 September 2021
Poster for the short adaptation
Night Surf is a short story written by Stephen King. The story was originally published in the Spring 1969 issue of Ubris, then in August 1974 issue of Cavalier magazine, and was later included in King's own 1978 collection Night Shift.
Plot Summary
The story follows one evening on a place called Anson Beach, New Hampshire, with a group of teens, survivors of a catastrophic virus called A6, or "Captain Trips", that has wiped out virtually the entire population. The virus was said to have spread out of Southeast Asia. The teenagers are shown to have a rather sinister nature in that they abduct a man and burn him on a pyre, believing such a human sacrifice to their gods would grant them protection against A6. The main character of the story, named Bernie, reflects upon this new world and frequently daydreams about "the time before" when he went to Anson Beach in his younger years before the A6 outbreak. A reference is made to a previous virus called A2, which the teens had all survived, leading them to think they were immune to A6's lethal effect. Toward the end of the story, one of them begins to show symptoms of A6, and they realize that perhaps their exposure to A2 did not in fact grant them immunity to this deadlier virus. While Bernie's companion Susie accepts his explanation that maybe some teenagers lied about having A2 in order to join their group, Bernie realizes A2 is no guarantee against A6, and starts to accept his eventual death.
Connections to other works
Captain Trips is the name of the super virus from The Stand, and was the first appearance in the King universe. Although not mentioned, it is strongly implied the events of this story possibly take place in parallel to the some of the events in The Stand. Unlike Stand, however, this world is shown is to survive a bit longer, as it has been months since the outbreak and two radio stations can still be heard run (haphazardly) by survivors. There is also no mention of an earlier, less deadly disease in The Stand.
Publications History
- Ubris (Spring 1969)
- Cavalier (August 1974)
- Night Shift (February 1978)