Salem’s Lot

Two years earlier, Mears returns to Salem's Lot to write about the Marsten House. He discovers the house has already been purchased by the mysterious Straker and settles into a local boarding house. He rekindles a romance with Susan Norton and reconnects with his old teacher Burke, while warning that the Marsten House is inherently evil, recalling a childhood break-in and the sight of Hubie's ghost.

A large crate is delivered to the Marsten House under mysterious circumstances. Soon after, townspeople begin to disappear or die, and Mears and Straker become suspects as the new arrivals in town. The crate's contents hint at a malevolent force moving into Salem's Lot.

Straker kidnaps Ralphie Glick as an offering to Barlow, who arrives in town as an ancient vampire. Barlow's presence terrifies the town, and realtor Larry Crockett dies of fright when he confronts him. The stage is set for a full vampiric takeover.

Ralphie Glick returns to claim his brother Danny as a vampire. Danny infects gravedigger Mike Ryerson and then targets Mark Petrie, who resists Danny with a cross. The outbreak among the townspeople begins to spread.

As vampirism spreads, Mears, Burke, and Dr. Norton gradually realize what is happening and begin to organize a response. Burke suffers a severe heart attack after an encounter with the recently vampirized Ryerson, underscoring the danger facing the trio. The town struggles to understand the mysterious deaths and disappearances.

Barlow kills Mark's parents, driving the town into panic. Mark narrowly survives the attack and escapes with the aid of a local priest. The personal loss sharpens the resolve to stop the vampire threat.

Mears is attacked by Ralph and Danny's presumed-dead mother, Marjorie Glick, who has revived on a mortician's table. He defends himself with a makeshift cross and fights to stay alive as the threat from the undead grows closer. The attack marks a turning point in Mears's personal peril.

Seeking answers or escape, Mark breaks into the Marsten House; Susan follows and they are captured by Straker. The house becomes a trap as the full vampire conspiracy tightens its grip on them. Tension rises toward the final confrontation.

Mears and Dr. Norton enter the Marsten House to rescue Mark and Susan, but Straker kills Norton by impaling him on antlers before he is fatally shot by Mears. The human resistance gains the upper hand as the battle reaches its peak.

Mears and Mark locate Barlow's coffin in the basement and drive a stake through his heart, destroying the master vampire. The immediate vampire threat inside the house ends, though danger remains outside as the town burns.

The surviving vampires scatter as the Marsten House is set ablaze and burns. The wind drives the fire toward Salem's Lot, threatening the town, and Susan disappears in the chaos. Mears and Mark escape, believing they have purged much of the evil, but the threat remains.

Two years pass and the story returns to the Guatemala church where Mears and Mark are now on the run from the remaining vampires. They realize they are still being tracked and prepare to continue fighting the undead. They resolve to keep moving to survive.

Back at their lodgings, Mears finds Susan in bed—now a vampire. She tries to bite him as he leans to kiss her, but he stakes her heart and destroys her. Grief-stricken, he leaves with Mark, knowing the vampires will continue to pursue them.