#117: All Hallows' Eve
October 31st: Halloween — or All Hallows’ Eve, to give it its spookier name. Just an excuse to wear a costume? Or, for one night a year, do spirits walk among us?
The Celts certainly thought so — and many of our own holiday pastimes stem from the methods they used to keep Halloween ghosts at bay. Others, like bobbing for apples, evolved from Halloween rituals for matchmaking and divining the future.
Personally, I prefer to spend the holiday with my nose in a spooky story rather than a bowl of icy water, which is why this week’s prompts are designed to put you in touch with your macabre side. Happy Halloween!
🥇 Winner
“Sleep Story” by John Merino
⭐️ Shortlisted
“Two Bodies” by Emily Blackbay
This week's prompts
Start your story with the words “Everything was ready for the ritual.”
Horror
–
53 stories
Write about a missing person nobody seems to know or remember.
Thriller and Suspense
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53 stories
Set your story at the boundary between two realms.
Halloween
–
76 stories
Write about someone whose busiest night of the year is Halloween.
Halloween
–
27 stories
Stories
“Sleep Story” by John Merino
“Soul Reaving” by Alex Sultan
“Hellville” by Ivy Genesis
“Summer's End” by Jon Casper
$250
Prize money
245
Contest entries
153
Stories
Ended on 23:59 - Oct 29, 2021 EST
Won by John Merino 🏆
Title: Sleep Story
Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.
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