The Monkey
"The Monkey" is a short story by Stephen King, first published in Gallery magazine in 1980. It was significantly revised and published in King's collection Skeleton Crew in 1985.
Plot summary
The story centers on a cymbal-banging monkey toy with supernatural powers. Every time the monkey claps its little cymbals together, a nearby living thing dies. The monkey is found in a family's attic in an old toy chest by two young brothers, Petey and Dennis, unknowing that their father, Hal, had been tormented by the monkey years ago, when it worked its lethal enchantment on his family and friends, until Hal had chucked it down the old well at the home of his uncle and aunt. The monkey had belonged to Hal's unnamed father, a merchant mariner who disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and Hal found the monkey among the various trinkets and junk left behind by him. Hal takes the monkey and throws it in Crystal Lake, hoping that it won't be able to escape from it. The story ends with an excerpt of a newspaper article which reports on a mysterious die-off of fish in the lake.
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The Drop
by: Howards AliasThese buildings are dead, I watched as they crumbled around me,
And things that I thought were important all fell from my head.
I stumbled, fell back, then pretty much stared in amazement,
Whilst feeling the long lost caress of a past that's come back.
Will you stop me when it's done?
The picture's blurred out, a wishy-washy reflection that's frayed
At the edges, And burned to a cinder is all I've made out.
So, just how could you tell? 'Cause I so thought my teary-eyed mask had you
Fooled for a second but we're dead on our feet in this spell.
Will you stop me when it's done? I'm falling apart.
Falling apart, I'm falling apart.
Falling apart, I'm falling apart.
Falling apart, I'm falling apart.
Falling apart.
Is it the windows I've hid behind covered in sheets;
Or songs sung in tongues about you and me?
Old memories sacred that have faded to black?
That hence so far, this feeling can never grow back.
This blueprint worked out to be everything we didn't want,
From beginning to end all we're left with is signs of self doubt.
And now we can see; with clear heads, and open eyes.
Horizons are laced with the poisons of all that can and can't be.
Will you stop me? Oh. Will you stop me? Oh.
Please can somebody stop me when I'm done? I'm falling apart.
Falling apart, I'm falling apart.
Falling apart, I'm falling apart.
Falling apart, I'm falling apart.
Falling apart.