Summary

The short story “Son of Satan” by Charles Bukowski begins with the unnamed narrator encouraging two of his friends, Hass and Morgan, to bully another boy, Simpson. The narrator’s reason is that Simpson boasted he had sex with a girl under the narrator’s house, which the boys all claim is a lie. 

The three boys end up beating Simpson, who begs them to let him go. The narrator hesitates for a moment but changes his mind as he remembers that he is the leader of the gang and must live up to their expectations. 

The boys then make Simpson march into the narrator’s backyard where they hold a court. After finding Simpson guilty, they gag him and decide to hang him. As the narrator goes to find a rope, Simpson tries to run, but Hass catches up with him and begins to punch him in the face...