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

Posted in Character on Oct 28, 2022

Submissions are closed

Sorry, we are not accepting submissions for this prompt as it is not part of an active contest. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

Or create a new Reedsy account:

Why not check out our active contest?

✍️ 257 stories

“Should Have Kept Sleeping” by Kathleen Doidge

“You have got to be kidding me!” Harry’s wife screamed. There was a patter of feet, then a softer holler up the stairs, “I need you to fix the washing machine again.”Harry moaned, throwing a pillow over his head to drown out the morning needs. It was only six in the morning. Who got up and trumpeted about broken washers at bloody six in the morning?Harry’s phone buzzed from where it slept on the nightstand. He flopped his hand out from beneath the pillow, desperately looking for the handy dandy decline call. It buzz...

10 comments 10

Read story

“Friends Forever” by 𝔸. 𝕋𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕒𝕝𝕖

I used to have an imaginary friend. I believe his name was Jeff, or Tom, or something along those lines. For the sake of this story though we're going to call him Tom. I imagined Tom when I was around the age of six. He had sandy blond hair and brown eyes. He wore black leather, head to toe, and forever wore a smile. I imagined him to be around the age of thirteen, the noblest and coolest ...

15 comments 15

Read story

“The Past Behind” by Vicky S

I never saw the end coming. It was only a short distance to my house and the cold wind blowing between the rows of houses causing the rubbish to fly in all directions, meant that no one else was out. They were all tucked up safe and warm inside their houses, the curtains drawn so they didn’t have to see out. Probably all watching the television. And it had been late. Maybe some were actually asleep.

6 comments 6

Read story

“Memoriae” by ℙ𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕪 𝐻𝑒𝒹𝑔𝑒𝒽𝑜𝑔

By the time I got there, the black cat was already sitting on the bench, the one with the peeling green paint and the inscription “In memory of Mrs. Hallie Goodwall”. “So?” His yellow eyes glowed eerily in the dark, seeing right through my question like two beams of a flashlight cutting through the darkness. He sighed, too, so at least I knew he could still speak. Or maybe I was just making sure I could hear him, making sure that I was still a freak.“Addie, dear, you’ve got to be patient,” he drawled, looking p...

39 comments 39

Read story

“Hate” by Anushka Binoy

I hate watching the news. Every single night, the battered little box flickers on for the daily broadcast at 8pm. It’s hard to watch when all that the perfectly preened presenter drones on about is the demolition of the hate group, Zerex. It’s even harder to watch it when I used to be part of the same group. It wasn’t even my choice: I didn’t ask to be born to two brainwashed adults, who also happened to b...

13 comments 13

Read story

“A Strange Night” by Tariq Saeed

Some people believe that story is some thing or some narration which is untrue. When you say” Story”it means its all fictional not trueToday in this column I’m presenting some “True Life Events.”did happen in our village some sixty years ago. .In those days life was very modest.The sources of channel of life were very narrow and limited.There were scarcity of all the facilities and amenities of daily life and the population growth was very thin.Occupation of the villagers were mostly Farming.The Farmers we...

13 comments 13

Read story

“Haunted” by C. Jay Loren

I don’t know why I decided to go on the ferry ride tonight, especially tonight of all nights. Perhaps it was because I’d always liked the water. It had carried me away from a horrible place. I can forget it also bore me to that horrible place. I lay in my small cabin, my mind drifting, the sounds outside on the deck muted through the walls. My eyes suddenly shot open as I felt the light momentaril...

27 comments 27

Read story

“Make a decision now” by Nirosha P

It is just another weekday. I am in my clinic, treating people. As a doctor, you’re always in charge. The nurses have no choice but to listen to you. You can boss the nurses however you want. You could even make them do your work. But I didn’t. I was a fair doctor. I was not going to cheat by giving my work to my nurses unlike some people I know. <...

21 comments 21

Read story

“B-R-E-A-T-H” by Anja Z

“Lights”“Camera”“Action”“Wait no, I’m not ready yet.”“Take five.”I have been rehearsing over and over again, months on and months off for this moment, this final opportunity. This should be as easy as wiping my own butt, but yet here I am experiencing the insane process of stress: over and over again.Will I remember my words? Am I good enough? Should I quit?My husband has been diagnosed with cancer, my mother died ...

17 comments 17

Read story

“Demons” by Daniella Cressman

I still remember that night. I killed him. It was dark, the moon hanging over the mountains in an indigo sky. The tombstones lined up, one after another. He was weeping for his lover. She had passed away the day before. A gunshot to the head. No one knew who did it. No one except me. I was the murderer. She’d been home alone, baking her dear husband apple pie, and I’d arrived and shot her in the head. It...

8 comments 8

Read story

“A Voyage of Finality” by Tim Law

Samantha Starview slumped at the controls of her Cruiser and starred out at the void beyond. The ship was on auto, bleeping rhythmically to inform the pilot that its course remained true. Sam ignored the staccato tune, her mind elsewhere; the bridge, the day of the downpour, that family who chose to step into the path of her vehicle without thinking to look. Sam wiped away a single tear, her mind had become a dark place ...

14 comments 14

Read story

“Introspection” by Eric Falvey

My girlfriend and I had just had a big fight. I found out she had been seeing another man on the side. What surprised me, was the fact that I wasn’t angry. Sure, it hurt, it definitely shatters your pride, but at the same time, I understood why. I wasn’t there for her. Women have needs, they crave emotionally intimacy on a level beyond what men crave, at least in my experience. She was a beautiful, vibrant soul, and she demanded, no, deserved, all of my energy, and I just couldn’t give it to her. I certainly wish it hadn’t come to this, I...

2 comments 2

Read story

“Hidden Memories” by Catherine Stevens

Tall and stately she stands, still elegant in her old age. But time is wearing her down, her façade is crumbling, her shutters broken and her windows are all boarded up. She stands before the wrecking ball with dignity. She knows what’s coming but refuses to beg. In a way she welcomes it, she’s tired, she’s been tired since the fire. The owners wouldn’t give up though, they refurnished and updated her, but nobody came to stay. The picture of the 197...

7 comments 7

Read story

“Old Haunts” by Kathleen March

When you read or hear about people who are haunted by their past, you probably think like I do. You assume the haunting is done by ghosts and is scary; or you figure the haunting is because of something somebody did which makes them feel ashamed. I suppose I could write about either of those, because I am human, after all. However, I am haunted in a different way. I’d like to explain, because this might be a rare conditi...

17 comments 17

Read story

“#The Past Came Knocking#” by Abigail Slimzy

Life is a web, so many do not understand the mystery behind it. The saying "I thou know always comes at last". Growing up as a child, Agnes was loved by all. Her parents showered her with so much love and care. Neighbours and well-wishers always appreciated her parents for the good morals instilled in her. Agnes' beauty was compared to the riding of the sun and the dazzling light of the stars. Her long hair, pointed nose, straight legs and good body stature was indeed magnificent! Because of these qualities, Agnes was the talk of the town...

5 comments 5

Read story

Load more stories

🌟 Similar prompts

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

Middle School – 413 stories

Write about someone who has a superpower.

Kids – 153 stories

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.

Mystery – 214 stories

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

Character – 242 stories

Contest #51

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Two Hundred!

$50

Prize money

1279

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jul 24, 2020 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

View details

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $250!

Tired of MS Word?

Join the revolution and write your book in a tool designed for authors. 🙌

Includes FREE typesetting to print-ready PDF & EPUB files, track changes and collaborative editing.

Menu

CONNECT

BLOG

APPS

TOOLS

ABOUT

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 257 stories

“Should Have Kept Sleeping” by Kathleen Doidge

“Friends Forever” by 𝔸. 𝕋𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕒𝕝𝕖

“The Past Behind” by Vicky S

“Memoriae” by ℙ𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕪 𝐻𝑒𝒹𝑔𝑒𝒽𝑜𝑔

“Hate” by Anushka Binoy

“A Strange Night” by Tariq Saeed

“Haunted” by C. Jay Loren

“Make a decision now” by Nirosha P

“B-R-E-A-T-H” by Anja Z

“Demons” by Daniella Cressman

“A Voyage of Finality” by Tim Law

“Introspection” by Eric Falvey

“Hidden Memories” by Catherine Stevens

“Old Haunts” by Kathleen March

“#The Past Came Knocking#” by Abigail Slimzy

🌟 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

1279

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Tired of MS Word?

Explore more writing prompt ideas: