Bonky Torments Pickle Homer

As narrated by Zadie Smith

One time, David (David Foster Wallace) wrote this story about a horse named Bonky that came back from the dead and started tormenting this guy named Pickle Homer. Apparently, the horse would just show up out of nowhere and start messing with Homer's things. It would move his furniture around, eat his food, and just generally make a nuisance of itself. Homer would try to shoo the horse away, but it would just come back and do the same thing all over again.

One day, Pickle Homer had had enough. He went out to the barn where the horse was staying and shot it in the head. The horse fell to the ground and lay there motionless. Homer breathed a sigh of relief and went back to his house.

But the next day, the horse was back. It was standing in Homer's living room, eating his food and moving his furniture around. Homer was so surprised that he shot the horse again, but it just got back up and kept tormenting him.

This went on for weeks. Homer would shoot the horse, and the next day it would be back, as if nothing had happened. He started to dread seeing the horse, but it was always there, haunting him.

One day, Homer came home and the horse was waiting for him. It had a wicked grin on its face, and Homer knew that it was going to kill him. He ran into the house and locked the door, but the horse just barged right through. Homer tried to shoot it, but the gun jammed. The horse was upon him, and Homer knew that his time was up.

But then, just as the horse was about to kill Homer, it suddenly fell to the ground, dead. Homer couldn't believe it. The horse was finally dead and he was safe.

But then, the next day, the horse was back.

David had a way of telling stories that made you feel like you were right there, living them. This one always stuck with me because it was so bizarre and creepy. I can't imagine what it would be like to be haunted by a horse that just won't stay dead.