Vault of Horror #17 (1996)

Barton Gordon is making his way through a blinding snowstorm to answer a want ad for a superintendent and he comes to the rundown apartment house mentioned in the ad. He is told by a resident that the new owner, Marcus Kingsley, doesn't supply heat to the tenants, so Gordon decides to visit him, finding a yellow-skinned man living in an air conditioned apartment. One day, the AC unit burns itself out and Kingsley demands its repair. But it can't be fixed for days. When Gordon approaches the Kingsley's apartment, he notices an oozing, decaying flesh flowing out from under the door!

After committing a crime, "Fox" Hilton took refuge in an iron-smelting plant, which the Police had surrounded. After a thorough search, the Police decide that he has escaped, and give word to the plant to resume its operations. As soon as "Fox" knew the Police had left, he prepared to get out of the tank he had taken refuge in.....that is until he heard the sound of machinery, looked up, and saw the huge bucket of molten metal pouring its contents down upon him!

In this column, the Vault-Keeper first details the best stories of last issue as voted on by the readers, then provides subscription information, and finally discusses the fact that the Old Witch had her picture taken recently, so VK announces his picture is now available for 10 cents in coin!

A werewolf has killed again and Tom Kellogg heads to his brother's residence with his girl June, noting strange animal-like footprints outside his door. Tom vows to watch Andrew's every move that evening, and decides to lay a trap for the werewolf, armed with a gun loaded with silver bullets. The werewolf falls into his trap and a hairy hand reaches out and grabs his leg. He is saved by a silver bullet fired from above, which kills the werewolf. Climbing to the top of the pit, Tom sees Andrew....and as he looks back into the pit, he sees the body of his girlfriend, June!

On the island of Haiti, George Baker seeks out a certain shop that will make him a voodoo bust of himself. The owner obliges Baker and begins to work on the bust. Later, Baker has a change of heart and wants to cancel the order, but when he arrives again at the shop, the bust is finished and paid for....and as Baker walks out of the shop, it disappears, replaced by a brick wall! Returning home, Baker places the bust on his fireplace mantel.....and as the years go by, the bust begins to age...but not Baker, who remains youthful, and George hates to even look at it any longer. One day, a girl comes to his door, asking the whereabouts of another person, and George directs her down the hall....but secretly, he wants her. Later he discovers that this girl, Jean, is the daughter of one of his older employees, and he flatly tells the man that he wants to marry his daughter. That evening at dinner, George makes his move and she complies.....but, as the years go by and she ages, George does not, and the horrible bust over the fireplace continues to age. Jean hates it and is ready to get rid of it when George walks in, tells her to leave it alone, slapping her for good measure, and calling her an ugly old hag. While he is out for a walk, Jean gets a machette and severs the bust in two, while elsewhere a horrible scream is heard and a Policeman finds the body of George in the park....split down the middle! Back at the Barker home, Jean suddenly notices that the face of the bust now has taken on the youthful appearance of her husband!