Time And Again by Breece D’J Pancake, 1983
The magic trick:
Using a big reveal at the end to unveil the full scope of the story’s horror
This one reminds me of the kind of ghost story they tell you at summer camp. It’s ominous and spooky from the start, but you don’t totally comprehend the sheer horror of it all until the big reveal at story’s end.
And that’s quite a trick on Pancake’s part.
The selection:
“They haven’t found any in years,” I say. This snow makes me think of France. It was snowing like this when they dropped us over France. I yawn.
“I don’t know,” he says. “Maybe the guy who done them all in is dead.”
“I figure so,” I say.
The hill bottoms out slowly, and we drive on to Gauley, clearing the stretch beside New River. The boy is smoking and taking in the snow.
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