Write a story about someone who's haunted by their past.

Posted in Character on Oct 28, 2022

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✍️ 252 stories

“A Hungry Ghost Festival” by Magnus Mulyadi

Submitted to Contest #51

It was a humid September night in Singapore and Ah Ma Ling stood in front of the Tan’s family apartment flat. She was dead for almost ten months now and on the eve of the Hungry Ghost Festival*, she decided to pay a visit to her family. To her disappointment, Ah Ma Ling quickly noticed that the Tan family had not prepared any offerings for her and her husband this year. “Ingrates!” Ah Ma Ling said, puckering her lips. During her time in the Tan’s family apartment, she always made sure that her son, Ben and her daughte...

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“If only.” by Brianna Lynn

Submitted to Contest #51

If only. If only I could. If only I had the strength. I can't do anything but sit and watch as you die. I could have stopped this. I could have saved you. But I didn't have the strength. If only I did. If only I pushed through the fear. You would still be here. You would still be here. I'm so sorry. If only I could tell you that. I should have helped. I should have tried. If only I did. You would be here; right by my side. I'm so sorry. If only you could know that. I would give anything to see you again. To hug you, one last time. If only....

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“23 Years” by Annika Ross

Submitted to Contest #51

Beep beep beep. I shot out of bed whipping my head all around. Calm down it was just your alarm. Don’t overreact. However, there was no denying that my heart was still racing. As I stood up and went to get dressed, I noticed my sheets were soaked through with sweat. I sighed but moved on with my morning anyway. This was the third time this week that this had happened, so I just started to overlook it. I pulled on some clothes and staggered to the kitchen, still half asleep. As I started making some coffee, I grabbed a bowl of cereal and bega...

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“Free Bird” by Helen Frith

Submitted to Contest #51

Asidi Abdul groaned as the aged lorry lurched over the barren terrain, devouring the land in front of it. He uncurled his toes and attempted to stretch, utilising the corners of the wooden crate he was situated in to hoist his body into a more comfortable position. The sweet, pungent aroma of apple and pear overwhelmed his senses, arousing the stabbing pangs of hunger that had been haunting him for the past few days. “Stop moving,” his father murmured beside him, fatigue softening his words. Asidi halted, slackening his muscles and sinking...

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“Slave To The Past” by Anisha Bodapati

Submitted to Contest #51

It was a quiet night, but little did I know it wouldn’t remain that way for too long.I woke up with a throbbing headache and sore eyes at half past ten to a translucent teenager singing his head off.“You’re back,” I said, rubbing my eyes in exhaustion.“And rolling,” replied the kid, sitting down on my bed.“You know I need to work tomorrow. You can’t keep me up with your constant ranting and singing. You’ve been doing this for a month!”For the past month this dude kept materialising in my bedroom at night. The first time I saw him I almost sc...

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“Breakfast with Alex” by Lauren Veit

Submitted to Contest #51

The toaster popped. Jessica, dressed in her bathrobe, hair in a messy bun, bunny slippers adorning her feet, reached for it, but Alex was faster. “Can you not do that?” “You snooze, you lose! Good morning, dearheart.” “Alex, what are you going to do with that? You can’t eat.” “Touché.” Alex was already dressed because Alex was always dressed. The same jeans and sweater she had borrowed from Jessica. She would never get that sweater back. Her nails were chipped and her converse were tearing a bit where the rubber met fabric. Jessic...

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“Ordinary to wonder !!!” by Tarinii Sivakumar

Submitted to Contest #51

“I really need you to listen to me very carefully”, a croaky voice shocked me. I turned a saw a figure standing in front of me with fully covered body and it seems like just a head pop out from the hoodie or blanket or sheet. I have no idea on what was that. That figure was quite terrifying as I was standing there alone. I turned at the right and noticed that the shopkeeper who was helping me was busy with other customers. The eye of the man was droopy and he looked cool, calm and collected which made me want to listen to what he was tr...

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“Grandview Manor” by Celine Rose Marie

Submitted to Contest #51

Grandview Manor Sitting in my car, I stare up at the towering Manor with its intimidating stature and hope that I never need to step foot inside after today. I hoped I would never need to when I left, but it seems I was wrong in assuming that. Quashing my cigarette, I pray it helped calm my nerves and exit the car. This place now encourages anxiety in me, though I’m not sure why. At almost fifteen years old, this car has been rundown for about five. But still works to get me from place to place, proving itself reliable time and time again....

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“Haunted Love” by Roshani Khatri

Submitted to Contest #51

Haunted Love Have you seen happy people? Have you got the chance to spend time with one of those souls? Ever wondered about their contagious personality? It is beautiful to be around these people. Just beyond the description of words. There are books, poems, and novels on these people explaining their goodness. But what people do not know is about how contagious their bitter past is. One of those stories that haunt them down day and night. This is a story of a person with the same personality, who is haunted down by the past. One story set...

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“Seeing Him” by Morgan Scott

Submitted to Contest #51

He looked at me. His hair was still a mess, and in the bright morning sunlight he looked more handsome and more human than I’d ever seen him.“I guess I’m asking you to trust me,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.I stare at him, desperate to block at out the feeling of how much I love his black hair, chocolate colored eyes and the sound of his voice. There was just something about the sound of his voice that makes everything in the world okay, even just for a short a moment. Something about his mare presence that creates a feeling of cal...

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“Memory in the ashes” by Lasma Egle

Submitted to Contest #51

As I step forward, I disturb the ash. It flurries up like dark snow around my shoes. It has not rained in almost a week and the air feels extremely dry and dusty. But there is a charge in the air – a storm - gathering dark clouds over the horizon. There is a flash in the distance. At first, I do not know if it is my memory or the storm. I watch the ash settle back down. I take a deep breath and take another step over the threshold. The front door is laying on the ground. It i...

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“A Face You Must Face” by Mark Corsetti

Submitted to Contest #51

The past I know is not so orthodox to the system of time we understand as humans. Rather, the past I know is the one we all carry, the one that connects us across the millennia of birth-givers who carried our souls in warm water, whose hands hold me close when I dream, whose face(s) I am haunted by. A past that haunts, a past that taunts, a past that flaunts its face, is no face you want. I awake to the smell of my unwashed bed sheets. Musky. Salty. The scent of yesterday’s trip to the beach. I’m mostly naked, except for a t...

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“Nightmare Manifestations” by Mandy Baker

Submitted to Contest #51

Not again … Gavin’s thoughts were racing as the familiar noises and smells began once again. He rolled over onto his back, and threw his arm over his eyes. Stop it, stop it, stop it. He hadn’t slept in days and all he wanted was one good night’s rest, but he could tell that was simply going to be too much to ask for. The noises grew louder and the smell stung his nostrils. He squeezed his eyes shut and prayed they would just go away and leave him be. He could already feel the familiar sting of tears in his eyes, and knew it was going to be a...

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“My dad and I” by Kasey Saunders

Submitted to Contest #51

It always comes back to me, I can't even sleep at night. Why me? Why can't I ever stay away from it? It hurts! It all started when I was 3. My parents were already split up. I lived with my mom most of the time but every second weekend I went to see my dad. I don't like him at all. He hurt me a lot and sometimes to the point where I had marks for weeks. It's really scary going there because I don't know what's going to happen next or what he's going to do to me. ”Kasey?” Mom yelled out trying to find me. ”I don't want t...

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“Woman in Red” by Dylan Heath

Submitted to Contest #51

Mark walked into Joe’s place and sat down next to nobody. Joe’s place was a dark bar on a small street in the part of Mark’s neighborhood most people didn’t spend much time in. It wasn’t the closest bar to his apartment or the cheapest place in the neighborhood, but it was the only place that still let him drink. He understood why he couldn’t go to the other places. He’d get drunk and start a fight and they’d kick him out for the night. The bartenders all are understanding but do that too many times and they can’t let you ...

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Write a story about someone who's haunted by their past.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 252 stories

“A Hungry Ghost Festival” by Magnus Mulyadi

“If only.” by Brianna Lynn

“23 Years” by Annika Ross

“Free Bird” by Helen Frith

“Slave To The Past” by Anisha Bodapati

“Breakfast with Alex” by Lauren Veit

“Ordinary to wonder !!!” by Tarinii Sivakumar

“Grandview Manor” by Celine Rose Marie

“Haunted Love” by Roshani Khatri

“Seeing Him” by Morgan Scott

“Memory in the ashes” by Lasma Egle

“A Face You Must Face” by Mark Corsetti

“Nightmare Manifestations” by Mandy Baker

“My dad and I” by Kasey Saunders

“Woman in Red” by Dylan Heath

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story that begins and ends with someone looking up at the stars.

Write about someone who has a superpower.

Write a story that involves a mystery — it doesn't need to be crime-related, it should just include something that remains unexplained until the end.

Write about someone who returns as an adult to a place they last visited as a child.

Contest #51

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

1248

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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