The Hook

The Hook is a story from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. It's about a couple who has a close encounter with a man with a hook for his left hand.

The Story

Donald and Sarah went to the movies. Then they went for a ride in Donald's car. They parked up on a hill at the edge of town. From there, they could see the lights up and down the valley. Donald turned on the radio and found some music. But an announcer broke in with a news bulletin. A murderer has escaped from the state prison. He is armed with a knife and is headed south on foot. His left hand is missing. In its place, he wore a hook.

"Let's roll up the windows and lock the doors," said Sarah. "That's a good idea," said Donald. "That prison isn't too far away," said Sarah, "Maybe we really should go home." "But it's only ten o'clock," said Donald. "I don't care what time it is," she said, "I want to go home."

"Look, Sarah," said Donald, "he's not going to climb all the way up here. Why would he do that? Even if he did, all the doors are locked. How could he get in?" "Donald, he could take that hook and break through a window and open a door," she said. "I'm scared and I want to go home."

Donald was annoyed. "Girls always are afraid of something," he said. As he started the car, Sarah thought she heard someone, or something, scratching at her door. "Do you hear that?" she asked as they roared away. "Sounded like somebody's trying to get in." "Oh, sure," said Donald. Soon they got to her house. "Would you like to come in and have some cocoa?" she asked. "No," he said. "I've got to go home."

He went around to the other side of the car to let her out. Hanging on the door handle was a hook.

Stories
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark	Strange and Scary Things • The Big Toe • The Walk • What Do You Come For? • Me Tie Dough-ty Walker! • A Man Who Lived In Leeds • Old Woman All Skin and Bone • The Thing • Cold As Clay • The White Wolf • The Haunted House • The Guests • The Hearse Song • The Girl Who Stood on a Grave • A New Horse • Alligators • Room for One More • The Wendigo • The Dead Man's Brains • May I Carry Your Basket? • The Hook • The White Gown • High Beams • The Babysitter • The Viper • The Attic • The Slithery-Dee • Aaron Kelly's Bones • Wait Till Martin Comes • The Ghost with the Bloody Fingers
More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark	Hoo-Ha's • Something Was Wrong • The Wreck • One Sunday Morning • Sounds • A Weird Blue Light • Somebody Fell From Aloft • The Little Black Dog • Clinkity-Clink • The Bride • Rings On Her Fingers • The Drum • The Window • Wonderful Sausage • The Cat's Paw • The Voice • "Oh, Susannah!" • The Man In The Middle • The Cat in a Shopping Bag • The Bed by the Window • The Dead Man's Hand • A Ghost in the Mirror • The Curse • The Church • The Bad News • Cemetery Soup • The Brown Suit • Ba-Rooom! • Thumpity-Thump
Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill your Bones	Boo Men • The Appointment • The Bus Stop • Faster And Faster • Just Delicious • Hello, Kate! • The Black Dog • Footsteps • Like Cats' Eyes • Bess • Harold • The Dead Hand • Such Things Happen • The Wolf Girl • The Dream • Sam's New Pet • Maybe You Will Remember • The Red Spot • No, Thanks • The Trouble • Strangers • The Hog • Is Something Wrong? • It's Him! • T-H-U-P-P-P-P-P-P-P! • You May Be The Next...