Summary of “The Jaunt” by Stephen King
In Stephen King’s captivating science fiction short story, “The Jaunt,” published in his 1985 collection “Skeleton Crew,” readers are transported to a futuristic world where teleportation, or “jaunting,” is a common mode of travel. The tale revolves around a family as they prepare for their inaugural jaunt to Mars.
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The narrative commences with Mark Oates, the father, recounting the history of jaunting to his family while they wait for their turn to embark on the journey to Mars. He shares a chilling cautionary tale of the first jaunter who suffered madness from witnessing what transpired during the process, leading to a rule that all travelers must remain unconscious during teleportation.
While queuing up, the family encounters a soldier who experienced a mental breakdown after witnessing the horrors of interstellar travel. His unsettling account deeply affects the Oates family, especially their teenage son, Ricky, who cannot shake off the haunting images described by the soldier.
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Despite his trepidation, Ricky follows his family into the jaunting chamber. However, just before the teleportation occurs, Ricky panics and screams, leading the technicians to abort his jaunt at the last moment. Distraught, Ricky undergoes a debriefing while Mark, his wife Marilys, and their young daughter, Patricia, continue with the journey to Mars.
On Mars, Mark and Marilys are enthralled by the Martian landscape, while Patricia’s young mind processes the experience as a blur. Mark becomes intrigued by Ricky’s experience and seeks out the debriefing officer, initially believing that Ricky had merely imagined the soldier’s horrifying account.
The debriefing officer hesitates to divulge the details of Ricky’s experience, hinting at something far more horrifying than anticipated. As Mark becomes increasingly anxious, he eventually learns the truth through a series of notes written by Ricky.
In these notes, Ricky describes the sensation of being in two places at once, occupying both the departure and arrival locations simultaneously. During this brief eternity, Ricky witnesses an indescribable and horrifying alternate dimension where time and physical laws break down.
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Struggling to cope with this traumatic experience, Ricky comes to the terrifying realization that their reality is but an illusion, concealing mind-bending horrors beneath the surface. The human mind, unaccustomed to such existential truths, is driven to madness.
In a haunting twist, Ricky reveals his plan to jaunt again without his physical body, opting to become a disembodied consciousness, free from the confines of the physical world.
The revelations in Ricky’s notes devastate Mark, prompting him to return to Mars and confront the debriefing officer for the whole truth. The officer solemnly reveals that any conscious being that jaunts arrives “dead” on the other side, trapped in an eternal mental void devoid of time, space, or physical form.
The story concludes with Mark, Marilys, and Patricia returning to Earth, forever changed by the knowledge of the horrors concealed within the act of jaunting. As they await their next journey, they grapple with the true nature of reality and the repercussions of humanity’s unbridled curiosity.
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“The Jaunt” stands as a masterful exploration of the human psyche, the consequences of unchecked curiosity, and the price of delving into the unknown. Stephen King seamlessly blends science fiction and horror to craft an unsettling tale that lingers in the mind long after reading. Ultimately, the story serves as a cautionary reminder that certain mysteries of the universe might be better left undiscovered, and that human understanding possesses inherent limitations, especially when delving into the enigmatic realm of the mind.
Get Audiobook edition of “The Jaunt” by Stephen King FOR FREE HERE
Get Kindle edition of “The Jaunt” by Stephen King HERE
Get Paperback edition of “The Jaunt” by Stephen King HERE
Get Library binding edition of “The Jaunt” by Stephen King HERE
