Eneh Akpan Writes: 20 Final Lines From Horror Novels

It was a trifle easier coming by grabbing first lines for my article Explosive First Lines of 30 Great Books which I posted on this blog in 2012 than it was finding equally absorbing and memorable last lines albeit, from horror literature for this post.

Because reading a final line could be a little bit like trying for Egyptian hieroglyphics 'specially, if you've never read the quoted novel before, you will find that some paragraphs are a little on the lengthy side. It's meant to give you a whiff on events leading up to the final scene. So you won't be kept too deep in the dark. And don't think because these are collected from horror stories, there would be an excessive gilding of dark matter. There is a hiatus from all the madness, you see.

1. Desperation by Stephen King

"Do you understand the reference, David?"
David took the blue pass. "Of course. First John, chapter four, verse eight. 'God is love.' "
She looked at him for a long time. "Is he, David? Is he love?"
"Oh, yes," David said. He folded the pass along its crease. "I guess he's sort of . . . everything."
Cynthia waved. Mary waved back and gave her a thumbs-up. Steve pulled out and Mary followed him, the Acura's wheels rolling reluctantly through the first ridge of sand and then picking up speed.
David put his head back against the seat, closed his eyes, and began to pray.

2. Dark Mountain by Richard Laymon

He went for the stairs, took them three at a time, and reached for the door handle. The door swung away from him. "Sorry it took so long," Smeltzer said. "Had to use the john." "No problem." Jake turned away, not even trying for a glimpse of the wife, and trotted down the stairs. From behind him came her voice. "This really is the pits." "Better safe than sorry," Smeltzer said. "Of course."

3. Girl of My Dreams by Richard Matheson (from The Unexplained)

It was the arm of a dead woman that he clutched. With a gagging sound, he jerked his hand away. He gaped at her, unable to speak or think. Then, as he backed away, his eyes were drawn to the calendar on the wall and a phrase crept leadenly across his mind: one of these days. Quite suddenly, he began to laugh and cry. And before he fled, he stood at the window for an hour and twenty minutes, staring out, wondering who the man was, where he was right now and just what he was doing.

4. Vittorio The Vampire by Anne Rice

Pray it never takes a slaughter or a rape for you to see this light in those around you. God forbid it that it should demand such a price. Let me pay the price for you instead.

5. Strangers by Dean Koontz

Soon, when Dom had passed the gift to her, as she would ask him to, she'd be able to heal with her touch. More important, with only her touch, she would be able to pass unto others the power to heal themselves. The human life-span would increase dramatically overnight-three hundred, four hundred, even five hundred years. Except for accidents, the specter of death would be banished to a distant horizon. No more would the Annas and Jacobs be wrenched away from the children who loved them. No more would husbands have to sit in mourning at the deathbeds of young wives. No more, Baruch ha-Shem, no more.

6. Hannibal by Thomas Harris

We'll withdraw now, while they are dancing on the terrace-the wise Barney has already left town and we must follow his example. For either of them to discover us would be fatal. We can only learn so much and live.

7. Mr. X by Peter Straub

But since you have put a question to me, I can ask one in return. Are you sure-really sure-you know who told you this story?

8. The Great and Secret Show by Clive Barker

It would not be long before dawn, and at the first sign of the sun they'd have to go to sleep. But until the light came-until the real insisted upon their imaginations-they stood watching the darkness, waiting, half in hope and half in fear, for that other sea to rise from dreams and claim them from the shore.

9. Shadows by John Saul

From the first time since she'd brought him home from the Academy, Brenda MacCallum knew that her son was going to be alright.

10. The Host by Stephenie Meyer

"It's a strange world," I murmured, more to myself than to the other native soul. "The strangest," he agreed.

11. Dr. Death by Jonathan Kellerman

"So no way you'll stop."She played with her hair. "Who knows what I'll do?"

12. Bloodline by Jill Jones

Jonathan rolled over on the bed and tugged her into his arms. "It doesn't matter," he said, grinning and running his hands through her hair. "I have all I want in my arms right now."

13. The Reapers by John Connolly

After a time, he nodded, both to himself and at the man who he knew was following his progress: Louis, the killer, the burning man. Louis, the last of the Reapers.

14. Shadow Prey by John Sandford

The thing called Stephanie Bekker heard the words "Jesus Christ," and then it was gone forever, leaving a single bloody handprint six inches below the Princess phone.

15. Covenant with the Vampire by Jeanne Kalogridis

The overwhelmingness of it (the perfume on the other character's body) offended my predatory senses, but the spicy fragrance could not hide for me, the scent of one undead; a non-odour, born of absences-the absence of warmth, of the strong animal smell of the living.

16. Others by James Herbert

Me? I'm enjoying the short time I have left. When the pain eventually gets too bad, then that's when I'll use drugs again, but only those prescribed by the medics. I'm still nervous of death, of course, but I'm no longer afraid. I've glimpsed it, remember? Besides, I've got someone waiting.
Metaphorically speaking, of course.

17. Killer Dreams by Iris Johansen

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as the water flowed over her. She'd tell Joe about Montalvo's call over dinner, but right now she wanted to relax and forget about everything but Joe . . .

18. Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

"Your bag," the boy said. "You might need something in it."Alinger smiled fondly, went back up the steps, took it from the boy's cold fingers."Thank you," he said. "I just might."

19. The Shadow Out of Time by H. P. Lovecraft

No eye had seen, no hand had touched that book since the advent of man to this planet. And yet, when I flashed my torch upon it in that frightful abyss, I saw that the queerly pigmented letters on the brittle, aeon-browned cellulose pages were not indeed any nameless hieroglyphs of earth's youth. They were, instead, the letters of our familiar alphabet, spelling out the words of the English language in my own handwriting.

20. Dracula by Bram Stoker

"We want no proofs. We ask none to believe us! This boy will some day know what a brave and gallant woman his mother is. Already he knows her sweetness and loving care. Later on he will understand how some men so loved her, that they did dare much for her sake."

Akpan