Gramma (short story)

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"Gramma" is a short horror story by American author Stephen King. It was first published in Weirdbook magazine in 1984 and collected in King's 1985 collection called Skeleton Crew. Certain characters/creatures/unearthly powers featured in the works of H. P. Lovecraft also appear in this story, making it a story set in the Cthulhu Mythos.

Plot summary[edit]

An 11-year-old boy named George Bruckner is at his home in Castle Rock, Maine with his mother, Ruth, when the two find out that George's 13-year-old brother Buddy has broken his ankle playing baseball. George's reluctantly volunteers to watch his bedridden grandmother while his mom goes to pick up Buddy at the hospital. After she leaves, George recalls a terrifying memory from five years ago where his "Gamma" wanted to hug him, making him cry until his mom managed to pacify the situation. As he continues waiting for his mom to return, more repressed memories begin to surface.

He recalls overhearing his mother's siblings begging her to care for the old woman, forcing her to leave San Francisco and move to Castle Rock, Maine. George also recalls that Gramma had been kicked out of her church, as well as dismissed from her position as a schoolteacher, for owning particular books. Finally he remembers that the woman was once infertile and it was only after being excommunicated that she became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy child. George suddenly hears noises coming from her room. Checking up on her, he then remembers his Gramma uttering strange words one night, and a neighbor dying the next morning. These recollections convince George that his grandmother is a witch, having gained dark powers from reading the forbidden tomes. Upon seeing Gamma's unresponsive body, George believes that she has died. After doing some tests that convince him that she has died, he attempts to call the doctor only to realize that the phone is dead. As he grows more anxious, he returns to her room to cover her face.

Suddenly, her hand wraps around his wrist, causing George to flee the room in a panic. He then hears groaning from the room that turn into his Gramma calling him. Upon entering, he sees Gramma sitting on her chair as she orders him to come to her. He then realizes that she plans to take over his body. A supernatural force compels him towards her arms until he manages to break free. Making his way back to the kitchen, the phone rings. He picks it up and hears his Aunt Flo on the other end. As Gramma closes the distance, Aunt Flo tells George to command her to stop by invoking the name Hastur. He does so, but not before she manages to embrace him. An hour later, Ruth returns to find George seemingly unharmed. He tells her that Gramma died as his mother asks if anything else happened. George denies it and goes off to his room to sleep. It is revealed that Gramma managed to possessed George as he then uses a spell to kill his Aunt Flo with an aneurysm. The story ends with George planning to torture his brother with his newfound power.

Film, TV, and theatrical adaptations[edit]

The story was made into an episode of The Twilight Zone in 1986; the screenplay was written by Harlan Ellison. Some of the voice over for "Gramma" was done by Piper Laurie,^[1] who had previously starred in the first film adaptation of King's novel Carrie.

In 2014, the story was adapted into a feature film titled Mercy.^[2] Chandler Riggs portrayed George in the film. It received mixed reviews.

The opening act of Tumbbad (a 2018 Marathi-language dark fantasy period horror film) is partially based on the story.

See also[edit]

• Stephen King short fiction bibliography
• "Willie the Weirdo"

References[edit]