Hi,

I remember a spooky Bradbury story that has a woman going home at night at the time there has been a series of murders. She's paranoid that she's been followed, gets to her apartment and then I think the last line is something like "and then she heard the sound of someone coughing" and it leaves you there hanging, similar to the ending of the October Country. Those open endings of Bradburys are really scary. Anyway, I just can't remember the name of it, and I wanted it to use when I teach my senior English students about effective suspense writing.

"The Ravine" It is a part of RB's Dandelion Wine and collected in his s.s. anthologies, also. There is a very good epsiode of this on RB Theater DVD's (disc 5, "The Lonely One").

See Pgs 158- 176 of this DW edition:
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51PC3JpAAiL.jpg

This message has been edited. Last edited by: fjp451,

Thankyou very much for your prompt reply and the helpful link. You're a legend!

Alternate title, "The Whole Town's Sleeping."

(Warning: 'spoiler' in this post)
I've taught this story several times to high school students (the anthology I use calls it 'The Whole Town's Sleeping'). One of the aspects we discuss is how the story portrays women - ie. whether the story implies that women are foolish, helpless etc. (is this a sexist story?) It makes for some interesting discussion. Then I usually turn the tables on them by reading the chapter that follows this episode in D.WINE (where it's revealed that Lavinia has in fact killed the Lonely One), and whether that knowledge changes their perception of the story. Most agree that Bradbury empowers Lavinia (and women 'victims') by allowing her to overcome her predator ... but then there's the very ladylike weapon (sewing scissors!)