10 Most Insane Stories Stephen King Ever Dreamt Up

8. Survivor Type

Survivor Type was apparently the result of King wondering how long a person stranded on an island could survive... and whether they could survive by eating pieces of themselves. It's CastAway long before that movie ever existed, and without the comical Wilson moments and Tom Hanks. And, you know, the whole self-cannibalism thing sets it apart. The protagonist, a former surgeon, winds up slowly amputating and eating pieces of himself after being marooned on a tiny island. The first piece, a foot, comes after he breaks an ankle trying to catch and eat a bird. From there, piece by piece, he devours himself, while his mental condition slowly deteriorates. In an interview, regarding Survivor Type, King would later say "As far as short stories are concerned, I like the grisly ones the best. However, the story goes a little bit too far, even for me."