The Tell Tale Heart

I'm not quite sure how old I was when I read Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart. Maybe 8th or 9th grade.

Scariest.Story.EVER.

Mackenzie read it this past week in school (8th grade) and she told me that, along with the story, they watched a YouTube video.

I laughed when I heard that. Watching it could be scary, yes, I could see that. We were old school, though - we listened to it.

And that was WORSE.

When we read it in school, we listened to a recording. We didn't have any videos online way back then - and I venture to say that listening to that heart beat -

BaBoom. BaBoom. BaBoom.

Was 1000 times more scary than watching it.

Yet the sound increased --and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound --much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath --and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly --more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men --but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed --I raved --I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! --no, no! They heard! --they suspected! --they knew! --they were making a mockery of my horror!-this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! and now --again! --hark! louder! louder! louder! louder!

"Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! here, here! --It is the beating of his hideous heart!"

It *STILL* gives me chills.

What is the scariest story you've ever heard?

________________________________

Today I am thankful for asthma medication and an extremely competent allergist who is able to tell me what to do with my asthmatics in order to avoid multiple emergency room visits. Asthma meds are RIDICULOUSLY expensive, especially for 4 kids - but it beats an ER visit.

Comments

[luckyduck]

Is a movie OK? The one that scared the pee out of me was called "Something Evil". I watched it as a kid, and it starred Johnny Whitaker (Remember him?) The best part occurred when a crew was filming a commercial, and when they were reviewing it later, you could see the devil's eyes in the window. I think there was some heartbeat effects as well. Wonder if it would still live up to the "scare factor" today.

[Sharilyn]

Johnny Got His Gun - horrifying story. The first time I tried to read it I had to stop. Years later I picked it up and managed to finish it. Powerful. But horrifying.

[Donna]

I read this first when I was a teenager and had picked up a book of Poe's writings at a book store. It was short enough to read while I was in the store. Oh my goodness! Not a place to get the pants scared off me and still look 'cool'!
The scariest story that I ever heard was 'The Monkey's Paw'. Once again as a teenager- this time in school. Oh my.

[Penny]

This is the story that hooked me on his writing.... adore Poe.

[addy]

Poe by far is the scariest writer I have ever read. Still have to read his works in broad daylight with many hours between me and night fall.

[elliptical reviews]

No offense, but if there's a facebook like button, it'll be much easier for me to share.

[Vicky]

Not to be a copycat, but the Tell Tale Heart is the scariest ever. I also heard it as a recording. The radio station in the little town I grew up in played spooky stories like that around Halloween. I may have been around 10 when I first heard it; I'm 43 now and I don't think I've gotten over it yet : ) (sorry for the late post; i'm scrolling through to catch up on what i've missed)