Black House
Chapter 28
by Straub, Stephen King and PeterThe chapter opens with Jack Sawyer, Dale Gilbertson, Beezer St. Pierre, and Doc Amberson standing before the ominous Black House, a place that defies natural laws. The house shifts in size and appearance, while the surrounding woods whisper threats and host unnatural creatures. The atmosphere is oppressive, filled with a pre-storm tension and strange noises, including a guttural growl that unsettles the group. Dale, overwhelmed by the surreal environment, vomits, while the others struggle to maintain their composure. The house itself seems to resist entry, its front door appearing painted shut, heightening the sense of dread.
As the group attempts to enter, the eerie surroundings grow more hostile. A scream from the woods pierces the silence, adding to the tension. Jack, however, remains determined, wielding a baseball bat as a symbol of authority. Suddenly, a massive swarm of bees descends, creating a protective canopy over the clearing. The bees’ presence silences the hostile forces in the woods, and Jack feels a connection to them, recalling memories of his mother, Lily. The bees seem to respond to him, hinting at a deeper, mystical bond tied to his family’s legacy.
Jack uses the bat to strike the door, demanding entry in the name of his mother and Queen Laura DeLoessian. The door cracks open, revealing a musty, death-filled interior. Just as Jack prepares to lead the group inside, Doc Amberson begins screaming, signaling another layer of horror. The chapter shifts abruptly to Ty Marshall, a boy trapped in a nightmarish machine called the Big Combination. Ty regains consciousness to the sounds of screams and machinery, realizing he is still shackled and in grave danger.
The chapter juxtaposes the two narratives: Jack’s confrontation with the supernatural forces at Black House and Ty’s desperate struggle for survival. Both scenarios emphasize themes of resistance against evil and the power of familial bonds. Jack’s connection to his mother and the bees suggests a latent strength, while Ty’s ordeal highlights the brutality of the world he’s trapped in. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger, leaving both groups in peril and setting the stage for further confrontation.
FAQs
1. How does the setting of Black House create a sense of unease and supernatural presence in this chapter?
Answer:
The setting of Black House is deliberately unsettling, with its shifting architecture (appearing enormous and multi-layered like “a city perhaps the size of London”), unnatural vegetation (mutated banyan trees that seem to move and whisper threats), and eerie sounds (groans, screams, and laughter from the woods). The air is “sullen and silent,” and the house itself emits a “deathsmell,” reinforcing its malevolent nature. These elements combine to create a liminal space where reality is unstable, heightening the characters’ disorientation and the reader’s sense of dread. The bees’ arrival adds another layer of surrealism, suggesting a supernatural intervention.2. Analyze Jack Sawyer’s transformation in this chapter. What evidence suggests he is embracing his otherworldly heritage?
Answer:
Jack’s transformation is marked by his newfound confidence and connection to his dual identity. He appears “younger and stronger,” and his actions—like spitting on the crow earlier and kicking the NO TRESPASSING sign here—signal defiance of the house’s evil. Most notably, he invokes his mother, Lily (implied to be a queen in another world), and Queen Laura DeLoessian to command the house’s obedience. The bees’ arrival, responding to his presence, further confirms his latent power. His tears and the bees’ “answer” to his thoughts suggest a deep, emotional reunion with his supernatural lineage, contrasting with his earlier reluctance to acknowledge it.3. What role do the bees play in the confrontation with Black House, and how do they alter the dynamics of the scene?
Answer:
The bees serve as a protective force, neutralizing the hostile environment around Black House. Their “sleepy, benevolent droning” drowns out the house’s alarming buzz and silences the threatening creatures in the woods. The swarm’s arrival—implied to be summoned by Jack’s connection to his mother—shifts the balance of power, enabling the group to proceed. Symbolically, the bees represent loyalty and maternal legacy, echoing Lily’s influence. Their presence also contrasts with the house’s decay, offering a temporary reprieve from its corruption, though Doc’s scream at the end hints that the danger is far from over.4. How does Dale Gilbertson’s reaction to Black House reflect the theme of reality versus illusion?
Answer:
Dale’s physical and psychological distress underscores the house’s warping of reality. He experiences vertigo as the house’s structure fluctuates, vomits from disorientation, and hears the trees whisper threats (“Killyew… eatchew…”). His attempts to rationalize the horrors—like doubting a teenager could have drawn the skull on the sign—highlight his struggle to reconcile the supernatural with his lawman’s worldview. His reliance on Jack (“Is this your doing?”) signals his surrender to forces beyond logic, embodying the chapter’s theme that Black House exists outside conventional reality, where perception is unreliable and fear dominates.5. Compare the parallel narratives of Ty Marshall and the group at Black House. How does their shared peril deepen the chapter’s tension?
Answer:
Ty’s ordeal in the shed (implied to be near the “Big Combination”) mirrors the group’s confrontation with Black House. Both scenarios feature trapped individuals facing existential threats—Ty shackled and unconscious, the others besieged by supernatural forces. Ty’s abrupt awakening to screams and machinery parallels Doc’s scream at the chapter’s end, creating a cliffhanger that bridges the two narratives. This intercutting heightens tension by reminding readers that both storylines are converging toward a climax, with Ty’s fate tied to the group’s success or failure in overcoming the house’s evil.
Quotes
1. “It ain’t Wisconsin anymore, either, Toto. Or maybe you didn’t notice.”
This sarcastic remark by Doc underscores the surreal and otherworldly transformation of the environment around Black House, emphasizing how reality itself has become distorted and unfamiliar to the characters.
2. “Killyew … eatchew … hatechew …”
The whispering trees deliver this chilling refrain, representing the hostile and predatory nature of the supernatural forces at play, heightening the sense of dread and danger surrounding the characters.
3. “But we are going to trespass. We’re going to trespass our asses off.”
Jack’s defiant declaration marks a turning point in the chapter, signaling the group’s determination to confront the horrors of Black House head-on, regardless of the consequences.
4. “Hello there, boys.”
Jack’s emotional greeting to the swarm of bees, which seem to respond to his presence, highlights his deep connection to his mother’s legacy and the supernatural aid it provides, adding a layer of mystical support to their mission.
5. “Open! I demand it in the name of Queen Laura DeLoessian! And in the name of my mother!”
Jack’s powerful invocation before entering Black House ties his personal history to the larger mythos of the story, blending familial loyalty with a call to cosmic justice, and sets the stage for the confrontation inside.