Identify a horror story please.

sconhome

I'm stuck on a story and wasn't sure whether ot post here or creative writing for help.

I read a series of short horror stories many years ago and for some reason a particular story sticks in my mind. For the life of me I am struggling to find it or identify it, I can't even think of the author. I'm wondering did I read it or have I the bones of a decent story in my head?

The sense I get of the story is that it is either Poe or Arthur Clarke that wrote it or at least the sense that it would be attributed to their kind of writing.

It was about a tooth abscess that was ignored and got out of hand. An agressive little bugger that wouldn't let go and burrowed deeper into the guys jaw as the dentist worked on it.

Anyone any ideas or am I just dreaming?

roboshatner

Sit down quite room and lit some sage insence.

Take your pen and paper and just start writing....and stop giving away all your ideas on a online site.

Write it and you never know where it might lead.

Kilgore__Trout

Does sound a bit Poe-ish. Haven't read anywhere near all his stories, but haven't encountered anything with the plot you described. Could be an interesting one to write assuming it isn't an existing story. Great way to tap into people's fears of having a drill in their mouth.

sconhome

Really starting to get under my skin now as I can place the idea or concept for the story at a time when I was reading a short story collection that had "The Pit & the Pendulum" in it. Also a story about a man being tracked through the wilderness by an unrelenting mechanical sphere. Some HP Lovecraft in there too.

The recollection and placing of the story has me believing I read it and another part of me is hoping my subconscious is trying to push an idea up for me to write. Of course, these story memories are from 25/30 years ago so anything is possible.

Kilgore__Trout

Yeah, can understand that. It's almost starting to get to me too : )

Have read majority of Lovecraft's stories, and it's definitely none I've encountered. Strikes as being less his style of story than Poe's too.

http://open.salon.com/blog/n_kimura/2013/03/01/short_story_the_evil_tooth

sconhome

I'm hoping my mother has a trunk in the attic with some of my old books in there. I reckon the library is the next stop for me.

sconhome

bluewolf wrote: »

http://open.salon.com/blog/n_kimura/2013/03/01/short_story_the_evil_tooth

Hmm, that is very interesting.

Definitely onto something with that one. This is older, much older and there were no Japanese in the story but you're jogging the memory banks with that thanks.

Kilgore__Trout

Haven't read, but maybe this is it:

http://poestories.com/read/berenice

sconhome

Kilgore__Trout wrote: »

Haven't read, but maybe this is it:

http://poestories.com/read/berenice

Not the one. Honestly I struggled with that story. A quick scan through there has me asking is it about a guy jealous of his cousin's vampire teeth? Or a guy struggling with being a vampire and removing his teeth to prevent an attack on his cousin? Vegetarian vampire?

roboshatner

I still say

dark room and a candle lit and sage smell in the room a pen and just start writing andit will all come to you.

Hermy

It's not Kafka by any chance?

Miss.Mayhem

I remember reading something similar to that when I was a kid. I think it was one of the Goosebump books.