The Mist is a science fiction horror novella by Stephen King, first published in 1980 as part of the Dark Forces anthology and later collected in the 1985 volume Skeleton Crew. King wrote the story in the summer of 1976, inspired by a trip to his local supermarket after a thunderstorm, during which he imagined prehistoric animals and giant insects besieging the building. The narrative is set in the small town of Bridgton, Maine, and follows artist David Drayton, who shelters with his young son in a supermarket as a dense, otherworldly mist descends, concealing deadly Lovecraftian creatures. Beyond the external threat, the story explores how ordinary people react under extreme pressure. As fear and paranoia spread, the survivors fracture into factions, with the rational protagonist increasingly pitted against a growing mob led by the fanatical Mrs. Carmody, who preaches that sacrifice is the only path to salvation.
The novella addresses themes of man-made fears, religious fundamentalism, and the fragility of social order. Critics have praised it as one of King's most iconic and tightly constructed works, noting its cinematic quality. The Mist was nominated for a World Fantasy Award and a Locus Award in 1981. It has since been adapted into multiple media, but the original story remains a classic of psychological and cosmic horror, demonstrating King's ability to ground supernatural terror in vivid, relatable human dynamics.
