“For a moment he felt a wild hope: perhaps this really was a nightmare. Perhaps he would awake in his own bed, bathed in sweat, shaking, maybe even crying . . . but alive. Safe. Then he pushed the thought away. Its charm was deadly, its comfort fatal.”

American novelist and short story writer of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Stephen King is best known for his horror fiction, which often explores psychological depth and darkly human themes. His prolific output includes iconic works like *Carrie*, *The Shining*, and *It*, blending supernatural terror with vivid character studies.