Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot Sequel, “One for the Road,” Remains Unadapted Despite Multiple Adaptations of the Original Novel
Nearly five decades after its publication, Stephen King’s short story “One for the Road,” a direct sequel to his 1975 vampire novel ’Salem’s Lot, has never been adapted for the screen. This is despite the fact that ’Salem’s Lot itself has seen multiple adaptations, including a highly regarded 1979 television miniseries, a 2004 adaptation, and a more recent attempt in 2024.
Published in 1977 in the magazine Maine
, and later included in King’s 1978 collection Night Shift, “One for the Road” picks up two years after the events that unfolded in ’Salem’s Lot, Maine. The story depicts a landscape still haunted by vampires lurking in the ruins of Jerusalem’s Lot and the surrounding areas. Residents of neighboring towns live in a state of quiet fear, often wearing religious symbols as a form of protection and avoiding the cursed area altogether.
The narrative centers on Booth, the story’s narrator, and his friend, Herb “Tookey” Tooklander, a bar owner. They embark on a perilous journey during a fierce blizzard to rescue the wife and daughter of a stranded motorist named Gerard Lumley. Initially critical of Lumley’s decision to travel in such dangerous conditions, their apprehension quickly turns to horror when they discover his vehicle is located within the boundaries of Jerusalem’s Lot.
Reluctantly, Booth and Tookey venture into the desolate town with Lumley in an International Scout, hoping to find his family. They locate Lumley’s Mercedes, still running and providing heat, but abandoned. The grim realization of what likely happened to Lumley’s loved ones sets in. As Tookey and Booth attempt to convince Lumley to leave with them and seek help from the sheriff, he refuses, instead wandering into the snow, desperately calling out for his wife and daughter.
Lumley’s wife emerges from the darkness, and he rushes towards her, only to discover her terrifying transformation – fanged teeth and red eyes – too late, becoming a victim himself. Booth narrowly escapes an attack from Lumley’s daughter, saved only by Tookey’s quick thinking in throwing a Douay Bible at the creature. Both men scramble back into the Scout and flee the scene.
The story concludes with Booth reflecting on the events, revealing that Tookey died of a heart attack a couple of years later. The lingering fear and trauma of that night clearly weigh heavily on the narrator.
According to a recent article in CBR.com, the story of Salem’s Lot has been adapted multiple times, but King’s actual sequel has remained untouched. A theatrical sequel, A Return to Salem’s Lot, was released in 1987, but it was not based on “One for the Road,” instead utilizing an original script.
The lack of adaptation is particularly striking given the story’s connection to King’s broader universe. As noted by Wikipedia, “One for the Road” also connects to the prequel story, “Jerusalem’s Lot,” which first appeared in King’s 1978 collection Night Shift. The three stories – “Jerusalem’s Lot,” ’Salem’s Lot, and “One for the Road” – form a connected narrative exploring the horrors that befall the town of Jerusalem’s Lot and its surrounding communities.
A Reddit discussion from November 2023 highlighted the question of whether reading “One for the Road” would spoil ’Salem’s Lot, suggesting that many readers are aware of the story’s sequel status but unsure whether to read it before experiencing the original novel. This underscores the continued interest in and awareness of “One for the Road” despite its lack of a visual adaptation.
While recent years have seen renewed interest in Stephen King adaptations, including a divisive new take on ’Salem’s Lot that is reportedly making a comeback on streaming platforms, “One for the Road” continues to be a notable omission. The story remains a compelling, and unadapted, chapter in the ’Salem’s Lot saga, leaving fans to wonder if it will ever find its way to the screen.
