Cabal (novella)

Cabal

Company type	Novella
Industry	Literature
Founded	1988
Founder	Clive Barker
Products	Horror novella

Cabal is a 1988 horror novella authored by British writer Clive Barker. It initially appeared in the United States as part of the sixth and concluding volume of Barker's Books of Blood collection.

Plot

Boone, a young man struggling with a psychological condition, is wrongfully implicated by his psychiatrist, Decker, in a series of savage murders occurring in Calgary. After attempting suicide and being placed in a mental institution, Boone is informed by fellow inmate Narcisse about Midian, a secret refuge for creatures known as the Night Breed. Guided by Narcisse, Boone discovers Midian hidden beneath a graveyard, where he is assaulted but manages to flee. Decker exposes himself as the true killer and frames Boone, who is subsequently fatally shot by law enforcement. Strangely, Boone’s corpse vanishes from the morgue.

Lori, Boone’s partner, pursues the truth within Midian. She forms a connection with Sheryl, who remains outside the cemetery’s boundaries. Lori meets Rachel, a Night Breed inhabitant, who requests her assistance for a tormented being that transforms into Babette, Rachel’s daughter. Despite Rachel’s appeal, Lylesburg, Midian’s leader, refuses Lori access. Meanwhile, Decker murders Sheryl and reveals his identity to Lori. Boone is resurrected within Midian and rescues Lori but faces exile from Lylesburg for disobeying orders.

At Lori’s hotel, Decker commits a mass killing. Boone is taken into custody after uncontrollably consuming some victims. Decker persuades police chief Eigerman to organize an offensive against Midian aimed at eradicating the Night Breed. A reconnaissance team kills one Night Breed member; Babette telepathically alerts Lori.

Lori and Narcisse assist Boone in escaping detention. Eigerman and Decker gather a mob including priest Ashbery to assault Midian. The mob overwhelms Midian, killing many Night Breed and forcing survivors underground by setting fire to the sanctuary. Decker kills Narcisse but is slain by Boone. Although Eigerman’s forces are repelled, Midian is destroyed and numerous Night Breed die. Eigerman and Ashbery pledge to continue their pursuit of the Night Breed. Baphomet, creator of Midian, re-christens Boone as "Cabal," endowing him with power and commissioning him to find a new sanctuary for the Night Breed—a charge he accepts.

Editions

In 2013, the independent publisher Fiddleblack issued an annotated, limited edition of the novella entitled Cabal & Other Annotations. Restricted to 300 hand-numbered copies, this edition included essays from Barker-focused contributors such as Peter H. Gilmore and Nicholas Vince, artwork by Barker himself, and an extensive appendix featuring scholarly notes by horror philosopher Eugene Thacker.

Adaptations

• Nightbreed (1990), a motion picture directed by Clive Barker.
• A television adaptation is currently in development at SyFy, directed by Michael Dougherty with writing by Josh Stolberg.