"Fair Extension" from Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

The third novella in Stephen King’s Full Dark, No Stars is “Fair Extension.” This is the shortest of the four stories in the book.

The story centers around Dave Streeter, who works for one of the local banks in Derry (a favorite location for a number of King's stories), and also happens to be dying from cancer. He stops along the Harris Street Extension near the Derry Municipal airport one day and spots a small booth set up, selling “Extensions” of every kind: hair extensions, penis extensions, loan extensions, and even life extensions. The salesman is Mr. George Elvid (the devil?), a short pudgy man with very sharp teeth, a foul scent, and the hint of a much darker personality. Mr. Elvid offers to sell Dave an extension on his life for say another fifteen years at the cost of fifteen percent of his gross salary, plus the name of someone he hates so the illness can be transferred to them. Good old Dave thinks about it for a minute and comes up with the name of his best friend, Tom Goodhugh, whom he's known since grammar school. You see Tom has been hitting a perfect score all of his life. He’s always been a handsome dude and made it through both high school and college with Dave’s help. He then stole Dave’s girlfriend from him after impregnating her. And, if that wasn’t all, Tom struck it rich with a new business venture he started due to a loan he was able to get from Dave’s bank and with Dave's hearty recommendation. Tom also has two wonderful children who seem to be as lucky as their dad is. Dave hates his friend with a passion that is nearly overwhelming in its intensity, but poor old Tom doesn’t even know it. Dave gladly offers Mr. Elvid his friend’s name in exchange for ridding himself of the life-draining cancer. Who wouldn't? What then happens to Tom and his family is the basis for the rest of the story. It certainly isn’t pleasant, and it also goes to show that you can’t always trust your best friends.

I think in some ways “Fair Extension” is the weakest of the four novellas. Though I enjoyed it, I was expecting a twist at the end with everything coming back in full circle to Dave Streeter. This is what basically happens in the other stories, but not here. Instead, you get a lesson on how fragile friendships can be and how hatred can fester over the years against someone who thinks you are his best friend and alley, not matter how you've screwed him over in the past. Like the last novella in this anthology, it goes to show that you really never know another person, no matter how close you think you are to them.

It’s always been my impression that the majority of people have some good years and then some bad ones. Life seems to run in cycles with its ups and downs. If you’re having more than your fair share of bad years, then perhaps someone close to you has made a deal with the devil. It’s something to think about!

Also, I’m not going into King’s writing style here or his great character development. Stephen King is a master craftsman at the written word and at telling stories that capture the reader’s imagination in every way possible. Though some of his stories are better than others, he never tells a bad one. It’s enough to say that “Fair Extension” is excellent in its structure and pacing and character study. My only thought with regards to it is to be careful on every deal you make and to always try to anticipate the final outcome from your actions. I mean let’s face it. If you make a deal with the devil, you’d better know in advance that it's not going to end well for someone!