The Jaunt (from Skeleton Crew)
👤| Published | 1981 (Skeleton Crew) |
| Genre | Science Fiction / Cosmic Horror |
| Publisher | Putnam |
| Language | English |
| Format | Short Story |
📝My Honest Review: The Jaunt
In the 24th century, teleportation (The Jaunt) is common. A family is preparing to "Jaunt" to Mars. To pass the time while they wait for the sedative to kick in, the father tells his children the history of how teleportation was invented. But there is a catch: you must be unconscious during the trip. As the father explains the terrifying rule:
"It’s eternity in there. For the body, it’s a fraction of a second. For the conscious mind, it’s forever."
Now, let’s be critical. The Structure is very heavy on exposition. About 80% of the story is just the father explaining technical details and historical anecdotes. If you aren't a fan of "info-dumping," you might find the middle section a bit slow. King is building a very specific logical trap, and he takes his time setting the pieces on the board.
But the human horror of curiosity is the real star. We’ve all been told "don't look" or "don't touch," and we’ve all felt that itch to do it anyway. The horror here isn't a monster with teeth; it’s the horror of a mind left alone with itself in a white void for billions of years. It’s a clean, clinical, and absolutely devastating concept.
⏱️ 1-Minute Summary (for busy readers)
The "Jaunt" was discovered by a scientist named Carune. He realized that while physical matter travels instantly, the conscious mind experiences the trip as a timeless eternity. Every living thing that went through the Jaunt awake came out either dead or completely insane. To solve this, all human travelers are put under deep anesthesia.
The family "Jaunts" to Mars. When they arrive, the father wakes up to find his young son, Ricky, had held his breath to avoid inhaling the sedative. Ricky is now an old man with snow-white hair and golden eyes. He has spent billions of years awake in the void. His final words—"It’s longer than you think, Dad! Longer than you think!"—before he claws his own eyes out, are some of the most haunting in all of fiction.
🔹 The Critic's Report Card
| ⭐ Rating | 4.9 / 5 A perfect short story with a legendary ending. |
|---|---|
| 👍 What I Loved | The Existential Dread. The idea of being "awake" in a place where nothing exists and time doesn't move is scarier than any ghost or demon. |
| 👎 What I Didn’t Like | The Lengthy History. While the setup is necessary, the stories about the mice and the prisoners in the early days of the Jaunt can feel a bit like a lecture. |
| 😐 Overrated or Underrated? | Underrated. It’s a short story, so it doesn't get the fame of The Stand, but it’s pound-for-pound one of his best. |
👤 Human Take: The Cost of Convenience
The "human" tragedy here is that we will use technology even if we don't fully understand it, as long as it makes our lives easier. The "Jaunt" made travel easy, but it created a hell that the human mind was never meant to witness. Ricky’s curiosity is a very human trait, but in this universe, it’s a death sentence. It’s a reminder that some doors are closed for a reason.
The Final Word: You will never forget the ending of this story. It is a masterclass in how to leave a reader completely shaken with just a few words.
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