Story Amnesia....need help....inside.... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

guthmund · 05-31-2003, 09:57 PM

I need help in finding the name of a story I read years ago.

It had something to do with a cabin in the woods. The main character was a male aging writer?

Some of it's set in a supermarket where a misty fog is enveloping the store and killing all those who venture outside. I want to say there is a pregnant lady....maybe a little girl in it as well. They've lost power. There is a scene in the back store room with some tentacle thing. I know they eventually get to the SUV that the writer? is driving and while trying to get back to his cabin they travel backwards in time?

It seems like I know quite a bit about this story, and it's amazing that I haven't put it together yet. Help my TFP, you're my only hope.....

I think it might have been written by Stephen King, but I've been to his website and read the synopsis of about a dozen stories that "could be it" and haven't found anything.

Reese · 06-01-2003, 05:31 AM

wow that sounds really familiar. I'm searching but I haven't turned up anything. I'll look some more tomorrow.

vermin · 06-01-2003, 06:39 PM

It sounds a lot like something I read by Dean Koontz. Try searching there.

edit: Phantoms? maybe?

Kadath · 06-01-2003, 07:18 PM

Dean Koontz' Phantoms does seem likely. He tends to recycle themes, too, so there could be others that match this general theme. I've read a fair amount of his stuff, but nothing aside from Phantoms rings a bell.

guthmund · 06-01-2003, 09:06 PM

Nope. Not phantoms. Good try though.

The main character is for certain a man and he's recently unattached. There is a big scene in the back of the storeroom of the supermarket. It's really dark so they're using flashlights. A couple of the "dunderheads" (they have them every book) are trying to escape out the back loading dock. They get the door halfway up when the big confrontation between the dunderheads and our hero's group (in which I remember an old man) the flashlights get lost; the fog starts creeping in; and before they get the door closed tentacles (I'm pretty sure) come through the bottom, kill some folks, and drag the head dunderhead under the loading dock door kicking and screaming. It's a dangerous mist.....there are lots of things in it.....no one sees anything in particular, but there are lots of strange noises....and of course the tentacles.

This is driving me crazy.

I also think at the end when they travel back in time they drive under a brontosaurus or something like that....then the story ends.

I know so much about the story, but can't find a name or even a mental picture of the book....this is driving me batshit

As for the Koontz connection

I've only read a handful of Dean Koontz novels. (I really don't like the way he ends his stuff) I coincidentally still have them and have looked through them all to no avail.

I'm about 70% sure it was a Stephen King thing....but then again I've no idea what I'm talking about

Unknown Poster · 06-02-2003, 07:17 AM

Was is a short story, or a novel?

Hal Incandenza · 06-02-2003, 11:12 AM

Sounds like Stephen King's novella "The Mist," from the collection Skeleton Crew. I think there was some ambiguity re whether they traveled back in time or whether the mysterious army base opened up a breach in the space-time continuum (as mysterious army bases are wont to do) or what. Fun story, in any case; I'm surprised no one ever made a movie out of it.

guthmund · 06-02-2003, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hal Incandenza
Sounds like Stephen King's novella "The Mist," from the collection Skeleton Crew. I think there was some ambiguity re whether they traveled back in time or whether the mysterious army base opened up a breach in the space-time continuum (as mysterious army bases are wont to do) or what. Fun story, in any case; I'm surprised no one ever made a movie out of it.

THANK YOU!

I went back to look at the Stephen King website and the listing of "The Mist" is tucked away in a small corner of his complete listing of work. This was driving me crazy, finally I can sleep

Thanks

(edited after additional research)

I found out they are doing a movie version of it. Frank Durabont, who directed The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption will be writing the screenplay after he finishes up on the 4th Indiana Jones script and an adaptation of Farenheit 451.

05-31-2003, 09:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
guthmund big damn hero	Story Amnesia....need help....inside.... I need help in finding the name of a story I read years ago. It had something to do with a cabin in the woods. The main character was a male aging writer? Some of it's set in a supermarket where a misty fog is enveloping the store and killing all those who venture outside. I want to say there is a pregnant lady....maybe a little girl in it as well. They've lost power. There is a scene in the back store room with some tentacle thing. I know they eventually get to the SUV that the writer? is driving and while trying to get back to his cabin they travel backwards in time? It seems like I know quite a bit about this story, and it's amazing that I haven't put it together yet. Help my TFP, you're my only hope..... I think it might have been written by Stephen King, but I've been to his website and read the synopsis of about a dozen stories that "could be it" and haven't found anything. __________________ No signature. None. Seriously.

06-01-2003, 05:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
Reese Delicious	wow that sounds really familiar. I'm searching but I haven't turned up anything. I'll look some more tomorrow. __________________ “It is better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick” - Dave Barry

06-01-2003, 06:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
vermin Indifferent to anti-matter Location: Tucson, AZ	It sounds a lot like something I read by Dean Koontz. Try searching there. edit: Phantoms? maybe? __________________ If puns were sausages, this would be the wurst.

06-01-2003, 07:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
Kadath Muffled Location: Camazotz	Dean Koontz' Phantoms does seem likely. He tends to recycle themes, too, so there could be others that match this general theme. I've read a fair amount of his stuff, but nothing aside from Phantoms rings a bell. __________________ it's quiet in here

06-01-2003, 09:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
guthmund big damn hero	Nope. Not phantoms. Good try though. The main character is for certain a man and he's recently unattached. There is a big scene in the back of the storeroom of the supermarket. It's really dark so they're using flashlights. A couple of the "dunderheads" (they have them every book) are trying to escape out the back loading dock. They get the door halfway up when the big confrontation between the dunderheads and our hero's group (in which I remember an old man) the flashlights get lost; the fog starts creeping in; and before they get the door closed tentacles (I'm pretty sure) come through the bottom, kill some folks, and drag the head dunderhead under the loading dock door kicking and screaming. It's a dangerous mist.....there are lots of things in it.....no one sees anything in particular, but there are lots of strange noises....and of course the tentacles. This is driving me crazy. I also think at the end when they travel back in time they drive under a brontosaurus or something like that....then the story ends. I know so much about the story, but can't find a name or even a mental picture of the book....this is driving me batshit As for the Koontz connection I've only read a handful of Dean Koontz novels. (I really don't like the way he ends his stuff) I coincidentally still have them and have looked through them all to no avail. I'm about 70% sure it was a Stephen King thing....but then again I've no idea what I'm talking about __________________ No signature. None. Seriously. Last edited by guthmund; 06-01-2003 at 09:11 PM..

06-02-2003, 07:17 AM	#6 (permalink)
Unknown Poster Insane	Was is a short story, or a novel?

06-02-2003, 11:12 AM	#7 (permalink)
Hal Incandenza Tilted Location: Enfield MA	Sounds like Stephen King's novella "The Mist," from the collection Skeleton Crew. I think there was some ambiguity re whether they traveled back in time or whether the mysterious army base opened up a breach in the space-time continuum (as mysterious army bases are wont to do) or what. Fun story, in any case; I'm surprised no one ever made a movie out of it.