The Decoy

The Decoy is a supernatural psychological horror short story by Algernon Blackwood that explores how rationality, desire, and hidden guilt collapse under the pressure of an allegedly haunted environment. The story follows wealthy businessman John Burley, who dismisses superstition and organizes a controlled overnight “experiment” in a reputedly cursed mansion to disprove local rumors of suicide and haunting. He brings his young wife Mrs. Burley and his colleague Captain Mortimer, forming a tense triangle shaped by suppressed attraction, mistrust, and psychological manipulation. What begins as a rational, almost businesslike demonstration of skepticism gradually deteriorates into emotional instability, paranoia, and shifting perception. The house itself becomes an active psychological force—amplifying jealousy, moral fragility, and fear. By the end, the boundary between supernatural suggestion and human action collapses entirely in a final act of violence and ambiguity.