Come Into My Parlor by Charles E. Fritch
A newspaper reporter encounters his friend Johnny, who is inebriated and obsessed with a bizarre vision of luminous spider webs in the night sky. Despite Johnny's insistence that these webs are real and possibly linked to giant spiders, the reporter dismisses his claims as drunken delusions. Johnny reveals he has created special glasses that allow him to see these phenomena, but when the reporter accidentally breaks them, Johnny's despair deepens. The next day, Johnny presents a new pair of glasses, claiming they reveal the truth about the world, including the existence of disguised spiders among humans. As Johnny becomes increasingly agitated, he brandishes a gun, convinced of the threat these creatures pose. In a struggle, the reporter is shot twice, leading to a desperate confrontation where he ultimately strangles Johnny in a bid for survival. The narrative explores themes of perception, reality, and the thin line between sanity and madness, culminating in a violent climax that questions the nature of truth and the unseen dangers lurking in the world.
By Charles E. Fritch · First published 1872 · Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Horror · 2,777 words
First lines
Sober or drunk, Johnny was seeing things. Like spider webs in the night sky. But as a newspaper reporter, Bennet had the job of keeping facts and fancies separate. He was good at that -- too good!
I found Johnny a few blocks from our hotel in a little bar that was nearly deserted. He was sitting alone at a table in a dark corner, staring morosely at nothing in particular, his hand limp around an almost-empty glass. He seemed perfectly sober, though his eyes stared glassily ahead.
What this Textopian page supports
Come Into My Parlor is listed on Textopian as a short story by Charles E. Fritch, dated 1872 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Charles E. Fritch
- Date: 1872 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Horror
- Length: 2,777 words
- Structure: 1 section, 88 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Come Into My Parlor by Charles E. Fritch
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Science Fiction — The book is set in a speculative future with advanced technology, typical of the science fiction genre.
- Thriller — The book involves suspenseful and exciting events that hint at danger, which aligns with the thriller genre.
- Horror — There are elements of fear and terror evoked through the dangers faced by the characters, indicating elements of the horror genre.
Tags
horror · thriller · suspense · mystery · psychological · supernatural · dark · creepy · tension · fear · intrigue · narrative