Before You Begin

Before you begin.

On a winter night, MacMillen agrees to stay alone in the Mitchells’ old house while they travel for a funeral. He insists there is nothing to fear, though the house stands dark and strangely out of place among the commercial buildings around it. After he enters, familiar rooms, lights, and sounds begin to unsettle his confidence.

Anton M. Oliver’s 1923 story first appeared in Weird Tales. This illustrated edition pairs the public-domain text with new plates that follow the story’s places, people, and objects. Some images unlock as you read, so the gallery can unfold alongside MacMillen’s night watch. Let the details gather before deciding what they mean.