The Ledge (short story)

"The Ledge" is a short story written by American author Stephen King, first published in 1976 in Penthouse magazine and later included in his 1978 collection Night Shift. The story revolves around Stan Norris, a tennis pro who is blackmailed by Cressner, the wealthy and sociopathic husband of Norris's lover, Marcia.

Cressner, suspecting his wife's infidelity with Norris, confronts Norris and offers him a "choice": go to prison on fabricated drug charges or accept a perilous challenge. The challenge involves Norris walking the entire circumference of the five-inch wide ledge that runs around Cressner's penthouse apartment, 43 stories above the ground.

Norris, facing a bleak future behind bars, reluctantly agrees to the dangerous proposition. The story details his harrowing journey around the ledge, facing both physical peril and psychological torment orchestrated by Cressner, who manipulates the environment with gusts of wind and taunts him from inside.

The narrative focuses on Norris's increasing desperation and resourcefulness as he battles the elements and Cressner's cruelty. He eventually completes the circuit, surviving the ordeal. However, instead of granting him freedom, Cressner reveals he intends to report Norris to the police for trespassing and breaking and entering.

In a final act of revenge, Norris forces his way back into the apartment and coerces Cressner into walking the ledge himself. Paralyzed by fear, Cressner is unable to complete the circuit and falls to his death. The story concludes with Norris leaving the apartment, having exacted his vengeance on the man who tormented him. The story is a suspenseful exploration of blackmail, revenge, and the lengths to which a person will go to survive.