# Help ID this horror short story

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-horror-short-story/919920>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 6, 2020, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-horror-short-story/919920 "2020-09-06T04:15:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-horror-short-story/919920/1 "2020-09-06T04:15:12Z")

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The story features a woman working in a near empty diner in Louisiana or some other gulf coast state with offshore oil rigs. A large man comes in, they start talking, and eventually they leave together to her home. She has a young daughter she is caring for while the man tells her a story about being chased because he stole something. This turns out to be a car that contained human skins that one can use to change one’s appearance.

Any help identifying this story would be greatly appreciated 😀.

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-horror-short-story/919920/2 "2020-09-06T11:09:53Z")

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Oh man, I _never_ get to identify these stories.

“[You Go Where It Takes You](http://edsfproject.blogspot.com/2005/12/you-go-where-it-takes-you-by-nathan.html),” by Nathan Ballingrud, in his anthology _North American Lake Monsters_. I read it earlier this year.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-id-this-horror-short-story/919920/3 "2020-09-06T14:10:53Z")

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> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#):
>
> Oh man, I _never_ get to identify these stories.
> 
> “[You Go Where It Takes You](http://edsfproject.blogspot.com/2005/12/you-go-where-it-takes-you-by-nathan.html),” by Nathan Ballingrud, in his anthology _North American Lake Monsters_ . I read it earlier this year.

Yes, that’s the one. Thank you 😃.