Stephen King – I Am The Doorway eBook

Description

Set in the near future, this story relates of a crippled ex-astronaut’s account named Artie and of the terrifying change he undergoes after being exposed to an alien mutagen during a space mission to Venus. Leading up to the story, Artie recalls how NASA has had multiple disappointments, some from failed missions but also from successful missions to the Moon and Mars which revealed nothing more than rocks and dust. The point of exposure is never specified, but likely suggested started with Cory, the narrator’s co-pilot, who ventured out of the shuttle to test a transmitter to Neptune. Arrving at Venus, Artie is horrified by what he sees, which he remarks as “a haunted house in the middle of deep space”. Returning home, an incorrect landing kills Cory and render Artie paraplegic, but he is able to become accustomed to his handicapped status as he received accolades in addition to “this wheelchair, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and a lot of money”. Some time after readjusting to Earth life, his primary mutation takes the form of numerous tiny eyes that cover his hands. These eyes act as the titular “doorway” for an alien intelligence, allowing it to see into our world, which, the man perceives, it fears and hates intensely.

Soon, the alien presence is not only able to see through this doorway, but take control of the man’s shattered body, using him to commit terrible murders, including those of a native boy. His friend Richard is the only man who knows the truth about the eyes, and when he begs him to expose the hand eyes, he does so, only for Richard to run in terror before being murdered.