Mr. Goodnight: A Short Story

by Kealan Patrick Burke

For Kevin and his best friend Joey, summer is a time of adventure, for playing soldiers in the tall grass, sword-fighting, and searching for long-lost treasure.But what they uncover, buried deep in the shadow of an ancient tree, is not treasure, but something malevolent and manipulative, something that has been waiting a very long time to be set free...MR. GOODNIGHT - A short story by the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE TURTLE BOY.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Adult

16 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 29, 2011

About the author

Hailed by Booklist as “one of the most clever and original talents in contemporary horror,” Kealan Patrick Burke was born and raised in Ireland and emigrated to the United States a few weeks before 9/11.

Since then, he has written six novels, among them the popular southern gothic Kin, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, many of which are in various stages of development for film/TV.

A five-time nominee, Burke won the Bram Stoker Award in 2005 for his coming-of-age novella The Turtle Boy, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.

As editor, he helmed the anthologies Night Visions 12, Taverns of the Dead, and Quietly Now, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.

More recently, he wrote the screenplays for Sour Candy (based on his novella), and the remake of the iconic horror film The Changeling (1980), for producer Joel B. Michaels.

He also adapted Sour Candy as a graphic novel for John Carpenter's Night Terrors.

His most recent release is Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin. The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland, is due for release in October as a signed limited edition from Earthling Publications.

Kealan is represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.

He lives in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue named Red.

Reviews

[Zain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Such a Horrific Story! 😱


Two boys decide to go treasure hunting.

They dig a large hole in the ground of the backyard.

They don’t discover treasure…

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a slew of KPB's short stories on my kindle and I try to pace myself going through them, because I dread the day that I run out. No matter the length, I always know I'm going to end up endeared to the characters, and whatever tragedy befalls them will make my heart ache even as it creeps me out - just like this story.

✨ Content warnings for: mention of a missing child, violence, blood, murder, grief

———
twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog

[Faseeh Ilahi a.k.a Sunny · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! This was amazing. It's a novella and it's really short but it's amazing and bloody and gruesome. The basic plot is that 2 boys i-e Kevin and Joey are looking for a treasure and are digging in a farm. But instead of a treasure, they find something which is way more horrific and gruesome.

[Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very short story about two boys digging for treasure. This author has mastered the art form of the short horror story. Highly recommended!
Read 9.12.13

[Nana · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was too short, I thought this one was going to be more horror since the story tells us how two children playing to discover buried treasures, instead of finding the treasure they find something sinister, from what I understood it could have been a demon that possessed the body of his friend, although it is not described very well, it is so short that it is only one scene and it ends. Meh, I didn't like it at all.

[Ms. Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick, interesting read of a boy and his friend who awaken something that should have been left to sleep. I would love to read more of Mr. Goodnight.

[Bogdan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked that it has a supernatural factor in it and also the twisted end was a good ideea. Short, effective and well thinked, much better than some longer efforts that I`ve recently read .

[Alondra Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

Wow! That short story packs a punch and went downhill, real quick.

What starts off as a treasure hunt for 2 best friends, turns into loss, murder and hopelessness.

I am loving this author. I guess that makes me a fan ;)

[Adam Light · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice short here from the always dependable Kealan Burke. This was perfect to read just before bed, let me tell you. I didn't have any nightmares at all. Nope. Not me. I thought it was about as tame as Walt Disney, I did.

Yeah right!

This story is short, but the length couldn't be more perfect. A nicely done little shocker from a very creative author. One of my favorites.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst the story is short, it's worthwhile and very creepy, and also got a lot darker than I expected.
I would love to see more of Mr. Goodnight again!

[Anne (w/ an E) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Several times during this story I thought I had an idea what was going on but no. Nothing that I had thought of was right. I was totally surprised by the ending :)

[Amit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kealan Patrick Burke - the author no matter what you will always find it impossible not to cherish his work and before you know what is happening you will be shocked by the creation of him & of course there's no question about this statement...

"Grownups had no idea bogeymen were real and slept in the dirt. The only ones who knew were the victims, and those who'd escaped to live another hour or another day before the bogeyman returned to quiet them."...

I was so bored in the day while typing this review. So thought why not try a short tale to spend my boredom and what is better than to read a KPB book! And yes I was accurate again about this. Mr. Goodnight a very short tale but irresistible to ignore the moment you start to read it. The whole story made me or say believe me thinking in my brain that I was in there and playing, enjoying my childhood memories with my best pal. This story certainly did make me nostalgic as I was reading of Joey and Kevin. They are both 10 years old and best friend to each other...

There's something unnatural in the ground behind Kevin's House where there's tall grass and tree. Joey and Kevin planned to dig a spot of ground in there and find treasure themselves. They so enthusiastic about it they could not wait for it and to find the right spot Kevin bring his Dog Mia with them. Anyway when they finally started to dig the soil out of the ground at first they didn't feel anything at all; actually it was Kevin who at first found something unnatural about the hole when they dig it enough for their waist level. By then Kevin saw black liquid oozing out from the deep of the earth and at first they both mistakenly thought it was oil but what they truly discover by then it was too late to fix. Right from then there's just no going back...

5 out of 5 and a big Thumps Up for a great short tale from my favourite author. Love and Gratitude...

[Robby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course it was good; "Duh"; it's Kealan Patrick Burke. And this one is very short. Can be read in but a few minutes. I'm just lazy about writing anything about anything; thus finished this a couple of days ago. This was a fun yet frightening read. Would normally recommend for anyone but a little hesitant to do so here. Don't think I would want my grandchildren (that range between 2-21) to read this (of course the exception is the 21 year old; duh).

[Kay Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

Burke is far and away one of my favorite story tellers. He pulls you into ordinary worlds with intriguing characters and sends you on a nightmarish journey of goose flesh, eerie shudders, spine tingling and haunting shadows among the dark. This short was no disappointment. The ending will have you turning on lights to go to the bathroom. An excellent creepy read.

[Elusive · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 'Mr. Goodnight', two boys decide to dig in the hope of finding something exciting. However, they end up getting more than they bargained for.

This short story started off upbeat before quickly descending into a horrifying chain of events which affected several innocent people. Lesson of the story? Be careful what you dig up because it might be buried for a reason.

[Debra Grieves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!!!

Short stories are like short rides through a strange town; you never know what's around the corner. I love short stories for that reason. This one is excellent! It grabs you at the start and you ride from the sublime to the horrifying in thirty minutes
I will be reading more of Kealan Patrick Burke's stories and I recommend you do the same.

[Brianna Bello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really liked this one. 2 boys are playing in the field and decide to dig for treasure. Once they dig, they uncover a horror they didn’t know existed. What transpires after that definitely had me wanting more. I do wish this story was longer but it was a really good short story that held my attention until the very end.

[Morcys · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't a bad story, but it could have been better.

[Hayli · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Kit★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars! I read The Turtle Boy as a free download earlier this year based on high recommendations of the author's work. I really liked the story and the author's writing style. So I bought Stage Whispers: The Collected Timmy Quinn Stories and this little short as well. I will definitely get to Stage Whispers real soon, gotta say I'm even more eager now. This story was quick, but I was immersed right away in the boys' story, wondering what they were going to dig up. It wasn't some ugly monster, at least not a corporeal one. I liked how it played out, and the twist at the end was delightfully wicked. A simple little horror story with great pacing, and I know for a fact that I will be looking forward to getting more of Burke's writing, I'm impressed with the two short tales I've read so far.

[Tim Ouellette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kealan Patrick Burke once again provides his readers with a story that lures them in, offering a semblance of normalcy that is really little more than a thin veneer of pseudo-reality. When the nightmare finally breaks through the line between fantasy and reality becomes that much more blurred.

His descriptions of Kevin and Joey as two normal boys on an adventure of their own design are true to life - one of my favorite passages from the story has the two discussing a missing bully; it's a conversation that ends with the phrase "Cause I'm all wedgied out!"

This story could easily be a springboard to a longer work, a thought I've seen reflected in other reviews that have been posted.

Another wonderfully chilling tale from the pen of Kealan Patrick Burke!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you haven't read Burke, this is a pretty good preview of the atmosphere his writing is adept at creating and a tasty little morsel to whet your appetite for more.
This was first non-Timmy Quinn story by Burke, and it left me anxious to read more.

[eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really hope Kealan Patrick B. does more w/Mr. Goodnight

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Creepy short story about 2 boys who go on a treasure hunt and find more than they bargained for! A great read! Highly recommended!

[Latasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written & very good short story. It's creepy!! However, it did leave me wanting to know more about Mr. Goodnight.

[John Copeland · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid short story. Would have been much better had it ended just a few lines earlier.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy little story about two best friends digging for buried treasure. What they find instead is the stuff of nightmares. Glad it was a short story because I was afraid to read more. Very good.

[Gregor Xane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid little story. I only wish that such a good title would have been reserved for a full-length novel.

[Brian Mcclain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quick read, interesting narrative of a child's perspective of a playful afternoon that goes downhill quickly. Not much more than that but definitely worth a read.

[Jason Parent · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nicely done tale, dark like I like it, never superfluous. Another strong story from the brilliant mind of Mr. Burke.