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A man in the desert is bitten by a skeletal animal, its skull gets stuck on his arm

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23

4

I'm looking for a short story about a man in the desert who sees an animal out of the corner of his eye. He can't really see it, but it's really hot outside so he takes shelter in an old adobe hut but then he does see the animal and it is a skeleton thing. Bites him and he ends up cutting off his own hand to get rid of its skull stuck on his arm.

Super horrible but I think it's famous.

story-identification short-stories

share|improve this question

edited Aug 15 at 3:37

DavidW

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asked Aug 15 at 3:34

kristinj2468kristinj2468

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• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Hi, welcome to SF&F. Please check out the suggestions to see if they help you remember any additional details to edit into your question.
  
  – DavidW
  Aug 15 at 3:39
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If the skull was on his arm but he only cut off his hand, wouldn't it still be on him?
  
  – Glen_b
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

23

4

I'm looking for a short story about a man in the desert who sees an animal out of the corner of his eye. He can't really see it, but it's really hot outside so he takes shelter in an old adobe hut but then he does see the animal and it is a skeleton thing. Bites him and he ends up cutting off his own hand to get rid of its skull stuck on his arm.

Super horrible but I think it's famous.

story-identification short-stories

share|improve this question

edited Aug 15 at 3:37

DavidW

11.9k44 gold badges5656 silver badges9797 bronze badges

asked Aug 15 at 3:34

kristinj2468kristinj2468

11611 silver badge33 bronze badges

New contributor

kristinj2468 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

• 
  
  
  

  
  2
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Hi, welcome to SF&F. Please check out the suggestions to see if they help you remember any additional details to edit into your question.
  
  – DavidW
  Aug 15 at 3:39
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  If the skull was on his arm but he only cut off his hand, wouldn't it still be on him?
  
  – Glen_b
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

I'm looking for a short story about a man in the desert who sees an animal out of the corner of his eye. He can't really see it, but it's really hot outside so he takes shelter in an old adobe hut but then he does see the animal and it is a skeleton thing. Bites him and he ends up cutting off his own hand to get rid of its skull stuck on his arm.

Super horrible but I think it's famous.

story-identification short-stories

share|improve this question

edited Aug 15 at 3:37

DavidW

11.9k44 gold badges5656 silver badges9797 bronze badges

asked Aug 15 at 3:34

kristinj2468kristinj2468

11611 silver badge33 bronze badges

New contributor

kristinj2468 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited Aug 15 at 3:37

DavidW

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asked Aug 15 at 3:34

kristinj2468kristinj2468

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New contributor

kristinj2468 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

edited Aug 15 at 3:37

DavidW

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asked Aug 15 at 3:34

kristinj2468kristinj2468

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edited Aug 15 at 3:37

DavidW

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edited Aug 15 at 3:37

DavidW

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asked Aug 15 at 3:34

kristinj2468kristinj2468

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1 Answer
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26

They Bite by Anthony Boucher

Story is out of copyright and can be read online here

A man was turned down for enlistment in the army due to his lungs. He decides to do something about it by moving into the desert. But he keeps seeing something like an animal out of the corner of his eyes.

The locals tell him to stay away from the adobe brick hut. When pressed all they will add is "They bite"

He investigates the adobe anyway, because it will be cool in the desert heat.

He is amused to discover what looks like the mummified body of a child. His amusement turns to horror when he notices that it is breathing.

Suddenly a second such creature walks in the door. It jumps at him and latches on to his hand with its jaws. In agony, the man uses a machete to decapitate the creature. But the head is still attached and the pain continues. Attempts to pry the jaws open are fruitless.

So the man uses the machete to chop his own hand off.

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

answered 2 days ago

Winchell ChungWinchell Chung

7,32411 gold badge2727 silver badges5454 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  14
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Presumably he read the story.
  
  – Organic Marble
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I find it hard to believe he didn't take a hammer to the skull instead.
  
  – Joshua
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Or break/dislocate the jaw.
  
  – computercarguy
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The summary is from my memory of having read the story
  
  – Winchell Chung
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I never knew that adobe is actually a word and not just a brand name. Now I wonder, why they chose this.
  
  – Minix
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 6 more comments

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26

They Bite by Anthony Boucher

Story is out of copyright and can be read online here

A man was turned down for enlistment in the army due to his lungs. He decides to do something about it by moving into the desert. But he keeps seeing something like an animal out of the corner of his eyes.

The locals tell him to stay away from the adobe brick hut. When pressed all they will add is "They bite"

He investigates the adobe anyway, because it will be cool in the desert heat.

He is amused to discover what looks like the mummified body of a child. His amusement turns to horror when he notices that it is breathing.

Suddenly a second such creature walks in the door. It jumps at him and latches on to his hand with its jaws. In agony, the man uses a machete to decapitate the creature. But the head is still attached and the pain continues. Attempts to pry the jaws open are fruitless.

So the man uses the machete to chop his own hand off.

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

answered 2 days ago

Winchell ChungWinchell Chung

7,32411 gold badge2727 silver badges5454 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  14
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Presumably he read the story.
  
  – Organic Marble
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I find it hard to believe he didn't take a hammer to the skull instead.
  
  – Joshua
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Or break/dislocate the jaw.
  
  – computercarguy
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The summary is from my memory of having read the story
  
  – Winchell Chung
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I never knew that adobe is actually a word and not just a brand name. Now I wonder, why they chose this.
  
  – Minix
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 6 more comments

26

They Bite by Anthony Boucher

Story is out of copyright and can be read online here

A man was turned down for enlistment in the army due to his lungs. He decides to do something about it by moving into the desert. But he keeps seeing something like an animal out of the corner of his eyes.

The locals tell him to stay away from the adobe brick hut. When pressed all they will add is "They bite"

He investigates the adobe anyway, because it will be cool in the desert heat.

He is amused to discover what looks like the mummified body of a child. His amusement turns to horror when he notices that it is breathing.

Suddenly a second such creature walks in the door. It jumps at him and latches on to his hand with its jaws. In agony, the man uses a machete to decapitate the creature. But the head is still attached and the pain continues. Attempts to pry the jaws open are fruitless.

So the man uses the machete to chop his own hand off.

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

answered 2 days ago

Winchell ChungWinchell Chung

7,32411 gold badge2727 silver badges5454 bronze badges

• 
  
  
  

  
  14
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Presumably he read the story.
  
  – Organic Marble
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I find it hard to believe he didn't take a hammer to the skull instead.
  
  – Joshua
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  3
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  Or break/dislocate the jaw.
  
  – computercarguy
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  5
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  The summary is from my memory of having read the story
  
  – Winchell Chung
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  I never knew that adobe is actually a word and not just a brand name. Now I wonder, why they chose this.
  
  – Minix
  2 days ago
  

  
  
  
  

 | 
show 6 more comments

They Bite by Anthony Boucher

Story is out of copyright and can be read online here

A man was turned down for enlistment in the army due to his lungs. He decides to do something about it by moving into the desert. But he keeps seeing something like an animal out of the corner of his eyes.

The locals tell him to stay away from the adobe brick hut. When pressed all they will add is "They bite"

He investigates the adobe anyway, because it will be cool in the desert heat.

He is amused to discover what looks like the mummified body of a child. His amusement turns to horror when he notices that it is breathing.

Suddenly a second such creature walks in the door. It jumps at him and latches on to his hand with its jaws. In agony, the man uses a machete to decapitate the creature. But the head is still attached and the pain continues. Attempts to pry the jaws open are fruitless.

So the man uses the machete to chop his own hand off.

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

answered 2 days ago

Winchell ChungWinchell Chung

7,32411 gold badge2727 silver badges5454 bronze badges

share|improve this answer

edited yesterday

answered 2 days ago

Winchell ChungWinchell Chung

7,32411 gold badge2727 silver badges5454 bronze badges

answered 2 days ago

Winchell ChungWinchell Chung

7,32411 gold badge2727 silver badges5454 bronze badges

answered 2 days ago

Winchell ChungWinchell Chung

7,32411 gold badge2727 silver badges5454 bronze badges