Stephen Graham Jones, a master of modern horror, is known for his ability to blend visceral scares with deep emotional resonance. In his novella Interstate Love Song, originally featured in the 2013 collection Three Miles Past, Jones takes readers on a chilling journey down the desolate highways of the American South. This isn’t just another road trip story; it’s a descent into the unsettling psyche of a man named William, and the eerie landscapes he traverses. For fans of Jones’s work, or those seeking horror that lingers long after the final page, Interstate Love Song is a must-read, offering a concentrated dose of his signature blend of dread and humanity.
The novella immediately draws you into William’s isolated world. He’s a man adrift, seemingly living out of his car, his life measured in stretches of asphalt and fleeting encounters. The story opens with him parked outside an animal shelter, steeling himself with beer before going inside. He claims to be looking for a lost dog, a fabrication that quickly unravels. We soon learn this is a recurring pattern for William; dogs become temporary companions on his lonely journeys, their lifespans with him measured in mere days. This cyclical acquisition and loss of canine companions becomes a haunting motif, underscoring William’s profound loneliness and the transient nature of his existence.
The cover of “Three Miles Past” book, showcasing the titles of the three novellas included, with “Interstate Love Song” prominently displayed at the top.
Jones masterfully uses the long-haul trucking experience to amplify the story’s unsettling atmosphere. The endless miles of I-10, stretching from Texas to Florida, become a character in themselves. The monotony of the road, the strange encounters at gas stations and rest stops, and the oppressive darkness of pre-dawn drives all contribute to a palpable sense of unease. Anyone who has spent significant time on interstate highways, especially during the liminal hours of night and early morning, will recognize the surreal quality Jones captures. The world takes on a different hue, and the isolation can amplify anxieties and heighten perceptions, making the ordinary seem extraordinary, and sometimes, terrifying.
Adding another layer of suspense is the implied presence of the “I-10 Killer,” a shadowy figure haunting the same routes William travels. This lurking threat, though never explicitly detailed, permeates the narrative, enhancing the sense of danger and paranoia. It’s a subtle but effective way to tap into real-world fears associated with long stretches of isolated highway and the unknown dangers that may lurk just beyond the headlights.
What truly sets Interstate Love Song apart is Jones’s unflinching exploration of William’s psyche. There’s something deeply wrong with William, hinted at through subtle details like his attempts to conceal his hands, which seem to hold a disturbing secret. Jones doesn’t shy away from the darkness within his characters. Instead, he delves into it with a raw honesty that is both unsettling and compelling. He invites readers to confront the uncomfortable reality of human fallibility and the potential for horror that resides within the human heart.
A desolate highway stretches into the night, illuminated by the headlights of a vehicle, capturing the solitary atmosphere of nighttime interstate travel.
While the novella is undoubtedly steeped in horror, it’s not reliant on cheap thrills or jump scares. The horror in Interstate Love Song is more psychological, stemming from the slow burn of dread and the gradual unveiling of William’s disturbing nature. There are moments of surreal imagery, including a bizarre encounter with a person with an animal head, reminiscent of the Elk Woman from Jones’s acclaimed novel The Only Good Indians. These surreal touches amplify the nightmarish quality of William’s journey and blur the lines between reality and hallucination, leaving the reader questioning what is truly happening and what is a manifestation of William’s fractured mental state.
Interstate Love Song also reveals Jones’s deep-seated appreciation for slasher narratives, though he transcends the genre’s typical tropes. He’s not merely interested in the gore or the kill count. Instead, he uses the framework of slasher horror to delve into the mind of a killer, exploring the unsettling humanity that can exist even in the most monstrous individuals. In this, Jones echoes writers like Cormac McCarthy in Child of God, Gary A. Braunbeck in Mr. Hands, and Jack Ketchum in Stranglehold, all of whom explored the disturbing relatability of perpetrators of horrific acts. Jones masterfully creates a sense of pathos for William, making him as much a victim of his own darkness as he is a victimizer, a disturbing and thought-provoking duality.
Dogs, a recurring motif in Jones’s work, are central to Interstate Love Song. As Jones himself notes, dogs, trucks, and fathers are often key ingredients in his narrative petri dish. Here, dogs are more than just plot devices; they are symbols of companionship, vulnerability, and the fleeting nature of connection in William’s isolated world. Their presence adds a layer of emotional complexity to the story, highlighting William’s desperate need for connection even as he remains detached and dangerous.
The novella is structured in three numbered sections, each escalating the surreal and nightmarish elements. The climax is a descent into full-blown nightmare fuel, both unexpected and deeply unsettling. The journey to this point is marked by a sense of unsettling intimacy, drawing the reader close to William even as his actions become increasingly disturbing. While Jones himself may have claimed to be unsure about the novella form at the time of writing, Interstate Love Song stands as a testament to his skill in crafting impactful and disturbing narratives at any length.
In conclusion, Interstate Love Song is a powerful and unsettling novella that showcases Stephen Graham Jones’s mastery of horror. It’s a story that lingers in the mind, fueled by its eerie atmosphere, complex characters, and unflinching exploration of the darkness within. It’s more than just a road trip gone wrong; it’s a journey into the heart of human isolation and the unsettling landscapes of the mind. For readers seeking horror that is both visceral and thought-provoking, Interstate Love Song is an essential read, solidifying Stephen Graham Jones’s place as a leading voice in contemporary horror fiction.
Three Miles Past is available in eBook and paperback editions.
WORKS CITED
Jones, Stephen Graham. Three Miles Past. Nightscape Press: 2013.
