"Chattery Teeth" is a

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

by American writer

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...

. It was originally published in '' Cemetery Dance'' and was later collected in ''

Nightmares & Dreamscapes ''Nightmares & Dreamscapes'' is a short story collection by American author Stephen King, published in 1993. Stories Dedication King dedicated this collection of stories to Thomas Williams, a writing instructor who taught for many years at t ...

''.

Publication history

Stephen King had been a regular reader of '' Cemetery Dance'', a horror magazine, and sent an unsolicited short story to be published there in 1992. The resulting publicity helped to raise their profile.

Plot summary

In the story, salesman Bill Hogan notices an odd pair of walking "

Chattery Teeth Chattering teeth, sometimes called chattery teeth, are a wind-up toy A wind-up toy is an automaton toy powered by a clockwork motor. Background Automata built for the sake of art, amusement, and simulation have been described since antiquit ...

" (odd due to their unusually large size and the fact that they are made of metal) in the display of a roadside

convenience store A convenience store, convenience shop, corner store or corner shop is a small retail business that stocks a range of everyday items such as coffee, groceries, snack foods, confectionery, soft drinks, ice creams, tobacco products, lottery ticket ...

in the

Nevada desert The Great Basin Desert is part of the Great Basin between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Range. The desert is a geographical region that largely overlaps the Great Basin shrub steppe defined by the World Wildlife Fund, and the Central Basin a ...

. The store owner ends up giving Hogan the teeth, claiming they had been dropped and no longer work. Hogan is unable to dismiss another oddity: his sense that the teeth are somehow sentient and want to kill him. As he leaves the convenience store, Hogan reluctantly (having been robbed by a

hitchhiker Hitchhiking (also known as thumbing, autostop or hitching) is a means of transportation that is gained by asking individuals, usually strangers, for a ride in their car or other vehicle. The ride is usually, but not always, free. Nomads have ...

once before) gives a ride to a dishevelled hitchhiker outside the convenience store; his fears prove prophetic when the young man tries to

carjack Carjacking is a robbery in which the item taken over is a motor vehicle.Michael Cherbonneau, "Carjacking," in ''Encyclopedia of Social Problems'', Vol. 1 (SAGE, 2008: ed. Vincent N. Parrillo), pp. 110-11. In contrast to car theft, carjacking is ...

and then kill him. During the struggle, Hogan crashes the van, and before the hitchhiker can fully recover, the teeth come to life and gruesomely disable the criminal by biting his nose and then testicles off. Hogan passes out to the vision of the Chattery Teeth dragging the hitchhiker's prone body off into the desert. Nine months later, Hogan stops again at the same convenience store, where he is unexpectedly reunited with the "broken" teeth. The store owner's wife recounts how the hitchhiker was found dead out in the desert, presumably killed by wild animals, but also possibly by the teeth, given the large number of bite marks on his body. Hogan realizes the teeth likely never intended to kill him, but instead want to protect him. Mrs. Scooter gives him the teeth again. His theory is proved correct when a dog snarls at him as he leaves and the teeth stir in his pocket, ready to attack anything that means him harm. Hogan resolves to keep the teeth, and eventually pass them on to his son.

Reception

George Beahm called it "quintessential King" and "a horrific little gem of a story". Wiater et al. called it "a bizarre tale" and said that it is reminiscent of "

The Monkey "The Monkey" is a short story by Stephen King, first published as a booklet included in ''Gallery'' magazine in 1980. It was significantly revised and published in King's collection ''Skeleton Crew'' in 1985. "The Monkey" was nominated for ...

", a story collected earlier in ''

Skeleton Crew A skeleton crew is the minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item such as a business, organization, or ship at its most simple operating requirements. Skeleton crews are often utilized during an emergency and are meant to ...

'', however unlike the benevolent Chattery Teeth, the Monkey is a malevolent entity and responsible for multiple deaths in the story.

Adaptations

The short story was turned into a segment in the television movie ''

Quicksilver Highway ''Quicksilver Highway'' is a 1997 television comedy horror film directed by Mick Garris. It is based on Clive Barker's short story "The Body Politic" and Stephen King's 1992 short story "Chattery Teeth". The film was originally shown on televisio ...

''. The audiobook version was narrated by actress

Kathy Bates Kathleen Doyle Bates (born June 28, 1948) is an American actor and director. Known for her roles in comedic and dramatic films and television programs, she has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over five decades, includ ...

Publication history

Plot summary

Reception

Adaptations

References

See also