Short-Story Month 2012: Day 22, The Things They Left Behind by Stephen King

"The things I want to tell you about--

the ones they left behind--showed up 

in my apartment in August 2002. I'm sure

 of that, because I found most of them 

not long after I helped Paula Robeson 

with her air conditioner. Memory always 

needs a marker, and that's mine."

It would be a total fault not to include Stephen King in a celebration of National Short Story Month since he is one of the working masters of the short story.  Any number of his stories could be selected, but the reasoning for the selection of his story "The Things They Left Behind" are these: 1) It's one of King's more recent works, and she thinks, shows more his abilities than some of his recent longer works; and 2) it's one of the few creative works to deal with 9/11 in a smart and cathartic manner.

As with any of King's work, it is difficult if not impossible to find online; even when magazines publish King, his work is available only to those who have paying subscriptions to that magazine (and as well it should be, regardless of who the writer is).  "The Things They Left Behind" is from King's collection Just After Sunset, and the title links to the story via the Google Preview for the collection.

"The Things They Left Behind" 

by Stephen King

(2008)