“The Scariest Thing in the World” by Michael Marshall Smith
The Mammoth Book of Halloween Stories (2018) edited by Stephen Jones
Readers unfamiliar with The Mammoth Book of Halloween Stories may prefer to read these notes only after reading the anthology.
Two old friends, Danny and Greg, reunite at a Halloween art gallery opening, where Greg's art installation will presumably force participants to confront their darknesses.
Setting: Helsinki, Finland, during the Festival of the Fantastique, with a focus on a neoclassical building and its basement.
Characters: The narrator, Danny, a successful artist; Greg, his old friend and a struggling installation artist; the Festival Secretary.
Halloween seen as: A ground-zero for confronting personal doubts, fears, and anxieties, with a focus on isolation and regret.
Style: Philosophical horror, exploring the nature of fear and the consequences of artistic compromise.
Point of view: First person, from the narrator's perspective.
Jay
