After the discovery of the pet cemetery, the Creeds' neighbor, Jud Crandall, tells them about an Indian burial ground beyond the pet cemetery that has the power to bring the dead back to life. When their cat, Church, is hit by a truck and killed, Louis, who is a doctor, is consumed by grief and decides to bury the cat in the Indian burial ground. The next day, Church comes back to life, but he is now vicious and has a putrid smell.
As the story progresses, tragedy strikes the Creeds again when their young son, Gage, is hit and killed by a speeding truck. Grief-stricken and desperate, Louis ignores the warnings of Jud and buries his son in the Indian burial ground, hoping to bring him back to life. Gage does return, but he too has become a violent and malevolent entity.
As Louis and Rachel struggle to keep their undead son under control, they become aware of the malignant forces that are unleashed by the Indian burial ground. The family is ultimately forced to confront the consequences of their actions and the terrifying reality of the supernatural forces that they have unleashed.
Pet Sematary is a horror classic that explores themes of grief, loss, and the destructive nature of human obsession. The film adaptation of the Stephen King novel has been remade in 2019 and stars Jason Clarke and John Lithgow.