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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#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!

This week's prompts

Start your story with the words “Everything was ready for the ritual.”

Horror – 48 stories

Write about a character who uses a night where everyone’s in costume as cover for something sinister.

Horror – 34 stories

Write about a missing person nobody seems to know or remember.

Thriller and Suspense – 49 stories

Set your story at the boundary between two realms.

Halloween – 69 stories

Write about someone whose busiest night of the year is Halloween.

Halloween – 26 stories

Stories

“Halloween Justice” by Elizabeth Fenley

Submitted to Contest #117

TW: Suicide, Child violence / pedophillia mention. You’d be surprised how many suicides occur on Halloween night.I can’t take credit for all of them—by that I mean Vatzio and I can’t. Some kill themselves without meeting us. I cannot speak to their guilt or innocence.What appears to be a huge bull mastiff with me is a Sin Hound. They sense the sins within people, and their physical contact draws it out of them. I’m not what I appear to be either. Humans don’t adopt Sin Hounds from local rescue groups and use them like discarded hunting dogs...

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“Hello, Moon” by Brad Johnson

Submitted to Contest #117

HELLO, MOON by Brad L. Johnson Everything was ready for the ritual. It looked, well, dusty was the word, I guess. The moon, I am talking about the moon. As my gaze lingered, I could feel the moist earth etching it's image on my white crews. A symphony of frog song, hundreds I was sure, rose to crescendo then fell only to rise again stronger, and stronger still. Swirls of the scents of eucalyptus wafted past, around and dissipated. The compost pile teased at my gag threshold then drifted away, replaced by ...

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“Séance~ A Halloween Short Story” by Eric Diaz

Submitted to Contest #117

Everything was ready for the ritual Tara: ~Te expectamus (We look for thee) ~per umbra, (through the shadow) Jack: ~prodire in lucem, (come forth to light) ~de patibulo, (from the gallow) Brad: ~munus nostrum, (receive our gift) ~vitae sequi, (of life to follow) Together: ~ad mortem et sanctificationem. (back to death and the hallow) Tara started her segment of the enchantment, then myself, then Brad and finally completing the final line of the incantation together as one. A silence fell over th...

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“Saving Gracie” by Gill James

Submitted to Contest #117

Everything was ready for the ritual. I'd been as meticulous in my preparations as I always was. The chalice that would receive the blood had been cleansed with boiling water. The herb infusion that would take away her pain was ready. I'd made it particularly strong this time. Hopefully she would pass out before I even put the knife to her neck. She would feel nothing. The bed of soft grasses and sweet-smelling flowers was ready for her death. I'd been particularly careful this time to make it as grand as possible. This year's child was ...

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“See You at Tomorrow’s Annual Spectacle!” by Leon Moss

Submitted to Contest #117

Everything was ready for the ritual. My name is Xix. I am 23 years old, a member of the Longagolongago tribe and I cannot believe what I am looking at. My tribe lives, and has lived for hundreds, maybe thousands of years on the banks of the Amazing River. I am the only member of the 300 strong tribe to have received an outside education, thanks to the wisdom of King Ommigosh who is no longer alive. I have a degree in ‘Tribal History’ from Harvard. This means, of course, that I speak perfect English and I use a computer. It also means that...

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“An Unexpected Visitor” by Mary Fitzgerald

Submitted to Contest #117

Everything is ready for ritual. My altar was decorated, my quarter candles were glowing warmly in my ritual room and my ancestor connection meditation was ready to go. I was excited about this ritual. It was Samhain, the only day of the year when the veil between the worlds was thinnest. I was excited to see who would show up. I lit my altar candles and cast my circle. I stood before my altar and made my offerings. I was invoking my Viking ancestors as I left my offering of a thick medium-rare T-bone a...

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“The Curse Of Bloody Mary” by Catherine Clay

Submitted to Contest #117

“Everything was ready for the Ritual,” I told myself, “Everything was finally, ready for the Ritual,” I smiled, with a glimmer of hope. I had a strong feeling that, this will be the calm before the storm. I can no longer live along the side of these entities haunting my house. .I should feel safe in my own home. Instead I’m scared to come home, especially if I know I’ll be alone. I often see a dark mass hovering in the corner of the room, when I’m alone. Something has grabbed my shoulder a few sparatic times and I don’t want to know wh...

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“Wake Up” by William Chen

Submitted to Contest #117

Everything was ready for the ritual. From what I can hear, the materials are ready, and the people have already prepared themselves for the attack. “Here they come!” People shouted. I looked out of the window. They’re here. Thousands of pumpkin heads floated outside our barrier of defense, which is only a few meters of iron wall. I knew that I would die there, so I looked to the site of the ritual: several evisolpxes are gathered at the center of the circle, while they are prepared to be lightened with the sacred burn. The evisolpxes glitte...

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“(Almost) Everyone Sins” by Caroline L

Submitted to Contest #117

It was Friday the 13th in October and the only thing we were told as a requirement for the halloween party attire was to wear black. The costume didn’t matter, so when I walked in, in my black cat suit as Cat woman, I didn’t realize just how many costumes entirely or almost entirely involved the color black. My friends were dressed up as a gorilla, a groom, Zorro, a vampire and a black angel, along with a few other people I had seen around in college in imaginative costumes revolving the color black. I then saw the host, and my long time fri...

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“Human Costumes” by Annalisa D.

Submitted to Contest #117

CW mature content Birsha’s long, black claws clutched the stopwatch so tightly I expected it to shatter. His yellow cat eyes darted back and forth, and his seaweed-like beard swayed as his head nodded side to side to a rhythm no one else could hear. “If you keep watching it, it’ll take longer,” Kikimora hissed. Purple ooze slowly slid down her scaly, purple skin giving her the appearance of melting into a pool of slime....

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“Disguised” by Layla Elbanna

Submitted to Contest #117

Finally!” exclaimed Ella. It was time for trick or treating. It was 6:00 pm on Friday the 29 October 2021. She smoothly got into her halloween costume : a Vampire. The girl had put on a dirty white shirt-dress complete with a cloak and had face-painted her face pale white. She slid on some fake fangs and messed up her blonde, straight hair. She quickly grabbed her halloween basket and went down the stairs. “ Just in time,” her mother, who was called Olivia, said. “ Your sister has just gone out,” she said cheerfully. Olivia had set up a tray...

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“Deception” by Veda Vivek💎

Submitted to Contest #117

I skipped on the sidewalk, basket in hand, a white dress covered with fake blood draped on my bony frame. A deep crimson tiara adored my head, a white faceless mask covering my thin features. I knocked from door to door, candy slowly filling my basket. When the people opened their door, I took off my mask, blinding them with my sweet smile. I said, “Trick or Treat!”, laughed, and said thanks, like any good girl would do.My true intentions were hiding under my mask of innocence. I blurred past the houses, acting delighted as th...

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“Beautiful White Buildings” by Chris Genier

Submitted to Contest #117

“I love you” the words ring through my ears. It doesn't sound right, coming from his mouth. Doesn't sound natural. The words sound hollow, emotionless. I'm not sure how to respond. I definitely don’t feel the same way, but I can't hurt him. “I can't,” I stutter. The rejection makes him cackle, a sound that sends shivers down my spine. He grabs my jaw and pulls me close, so close I can spell his breath. Beer and chips. All he probably ate today, makes me want to vomit. “I will NOT take no for an answer!” he snarls. He pulls his fa...

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“The Disappearing Spouse” by Judythe Guarnera

Submitted to Contest #117

THE DISAPPEARING SPOUSE Cast: Protagonist ME Stri...

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“The Library” by Bettina Karpathian

Submitted to Contest #117

The flat was cozy and the music mellow. The colors of the Moroccan rugs, floor pillows, and prints on the wall glowed in the candlelight. Nellie got up to refill glasses. In her handwoven caftan, with a long ponytail, and little round specs, she looked like the hippy poet that she was. Sandra had had enough wine to relax. She had kicked off her designer heels and was happily stretched out with her long legs draped over the arm of the saggy couch, her perfect coiffure slightly tousled. Diane had overcome her initial ne...

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$250

Prize money

226

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.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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