#13: Spooktacular

This Thursday is Halloween! And you know we couldn't let October 31st go by without giving you all a batch of spooktacular writing prompts.

But don't worry if your tolerance for the scare factor is low: whether you're a fan of spine-chilling fiction or prefer stories about friendly ghosts, there's something in these prompts for everyone!

If you want to do some Halloween reading after you submit your short story, here are some great resources to help you find the perfect, spooky read.

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Guide to Southern Gothic: 10 Dark Must-Reads

🥇 Winner

“Queen Cymbeline” by Zilla Babbitt

🏆 Winner of Contest #13

The island reeked of fish; scattered guts and oozing blank eyes littered the black beaches, and the mountains smelled of bubbling, potting fish intestines. The sky was continually dark with the smoke from the fires beneath the cauldrons, and the water had a thin film of scales and oil, all in the bays and quaysides round the island. In the deepsea around the island, the fish that were still alive avoided the inlets and told tales among their young that a bloodthirsty monster lived on the isle, with a mouthful of snatching teeth poised to tak...

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⭐️ Shortlisted

“All The Slender Devils” by R. A.

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #13

There were a lot of things August had been expecting from the one-night-fright deal he'd been sent online. A few scares, maybe, and a reprieve from the constant ridicule of his friends. They were always ribbing him about his tall, spindly frame, his ghost-pale skin — all the things that made him a kind of ripoff Slender Man, really — and how it was therefore that much funnier that he was such a veritable scaredy-cat. August, of course, preferred to think of it as a healthy dose of caution. His self-preserving instincts had defini...

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“A black cat in a dark room” by Agathe Burrier

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #13

It was a slender, graceful animal, with large green eyes and a small pink tongue in its triangular-shaped face. It was grooming itself when I turned the corner, delivering soft, measured licks onto its shining fur. But none of that mattered: it was a cat, and it was black. That only was important.I do not believe in coincidences. Right as I was making my way past him, the cat got up and crossed my path, all smooth motion and unstoppable omen of the providence. It did not even trouble me that much; sometimes bad luck is just that, a black cat...

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“A Safe and Quiet Street” by Gary Thomson

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #13

A SAFE AND QUIET STREET[1135 words] The little girl stood in a ring of moonlight at the entrance to the cul-de-sac. Along the gentle curve of houses, several front yards displayed shambling cardboard skeletons or cackling witches gliding on broomsticks. “Let’s try this street, daddy.” Pale light gleamed over her Hallowe’en costume, sparkled along her tin foil tiara and laid an in...

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“Witching Hour at the Haunted-House Hotel” by Haley Clark

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #13

Another decade had passed and Margaret arrived again to the old house at the end of the lane. Even with the recently completed renovations and the creaking sign outside proclaiming The Haunted-House Hotel, the home she once knew had changed very little. What had been a lawn of soft Augusta grass the new homeowner transformed into a bed of fresh-tilled earth. Gravestones—too clean to be anything but props— speckled the yard, ghoulish puppets fluttering in the wind behind them. “You kids stop tearing apart my decorations!" Mar...

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This week's prompts

Write a story about someone spending the night in an old Victorian home-turned-hotel on Halloween.

Halloween – 46 stories

You go to visit your neighbor. When you ring the doorbell, a stranger appears and tells you that your neighbor has been dead for ten years.

Thriller and Suspense – 49 stories

Write a story about someone who sees a black cat cross their path... for the tenth time that day.

Mystery – 40 stories

You go for a walk and accidentally bump into someone. They feel the bump, but the person can't seem to hear or see you.

Thriller and Suspense – 52 stories

Write a story about an eventful evening of trick-or-treating.

Kids – 37 stories

Stories

“Queen Cymbeline” by Zilla Babbitt

🏆 Winner of Contest #13

67 comments 67

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“A New Life” by Cam Croz

Submitted to Contest #13

I never thought that the most important day of my life would turn out like this…A trip to the store.A friend.A wig.A party.Some food.More friends.And most importantly... a cat.But before any of that, it was just me. Me, alone. In my house. --- To anybody else, It would have been just like any other day in the world, but for me, it was more than that. For me, it was the start of a new life. New house. New neighborhood. New school. New everything. From this point on, everything would be different. I’d never lived in such ...

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“Ghostify” by Maybe Jupiter

Submitted to Contest #13

The wind was blowing south again. There were hundreds of bodies floating in the air, and not everyone enjoyed it.The president was screaming about how he would lose his job and be a laughing matter to everyone. And the assistant of the president was screaming about how he would lose his job and be a laughing matter to the president.Children raced around trying to be the first to collect candy from the trees. Jerald Lison from class thirty-two was teasing Mary-Anne Grey and making her give all her candy to him. Freda Grey was trying to s...

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“Katie” by Marte Van Der Linden

Submitted to Contest #13

I rang the doorbell to Katie’s house and a woman in a blue dress opened the door. You can always tell whether grown-ups are parents. Parents look friendly and comfortable but also a little bit ragged around the edges. This woman was not like that. Everything about her was neat and tidy, with sharp creases in her clothes and smoothed angles on her body. She glanced left and right before looking down. “Oh, hello!” She made her voice go up a little bit at the end and when she smiled I could count her teeth. “Can Katie come out and play, please?...

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“All The Slender Devils” by R. A.

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #13

2 comments 2

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“Fantasy or fantasy’s” by Yoomi Ari

Submitted to Contest #13

As individuals, we hold the pen and paper. We hold it to victory, in hope of a stroke of luck that may come up and pat us on the back. We crave for many events to occur and you may or may not get that chance. You see it is all about opportunities. And that first opportunity I got was one you’d never get.If I told you, you’d think I was mad. Delusional. Living a fantasy life. However I built my fantasy life through bloody fists, every single day after school. They’d approach me, in a huddle or flock. They’d hold onto their glassy, hooded eyes...

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“The Setup” by Bobby Gupta

Submitted to Contest #13

It's October nightfall. You find orange leaves crushed here and there into the roads, needles everywhere. You feel like being among the forest trees in a hammock. Fall is your time of year, especially for Halloween. There’s a slight drizzle as you walk to the parking lot. You’re glad you’ll make it to your car in time before it starts to pour. You accidentally bump into someone. “I’m sorry,” you say, but the man keeps on heading towards the street. You see he’s blind. Where’s his cane? You try to guide him. Cars are coming. You run to stop h...

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“I Am the Groundskeeper” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #13

1The knife doesn’t slip in easily, I have to really force it. 2During the summer months, the hotel is bustling with life. People from all over the country holiday in our little slice of heaven. People from other countries come to pay us a visit, too. Our fields are green and expansive. Our mountains – albeit small – instil a sense of peace and wonder in the hearts of the tumultuous. Our rivers and lakes caress the soul, and the waterfalls have inspired many a song and poem. There is also the sea, all but a stone’s throw away. The beach...

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“Friends After Death” by Ian Gonzales

Submitted to Contest #13

Standing at his kitchen counter, Mike ran through the checklist one last time. It was important that he got things right. A single mistake could ruin everything. His eyes scanned the contents of the cooler lying open in front of him. Chips and bean dip. Check. Pigs-in-a-blanket and hot wings. Check. Those stupid carrot and celery sticks his wife always insisted on sending with him. Check. Beer. Check. He gazed lovingly at the frosty cold bottles of dark glass. Then he spun around, opened the fridge and pulled out another six pack. Double che...

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“The Ultimate Undead Couple” by Lily Kingston

Submitted to Contest #13

“Here are your keys, sir.” As the receptionist handed me the key to the honeymoon suite, I couldn’t help but be tempted by my growing curiosity to ask. “I heard this place is haunted. Is it true?” “Well,” she replied. “Guests had reported unusual sightings.” “Do you think we’ll see any during our stay?” “I don’t know. They can be unpredictable.” I shivered with fright. “How terrifying!” Turning to Derek, my newlywed husband, he said. “Don’t worry, babe, I’ll always protect chu.” “Awe, I feel myself swooning for you all over again!” I gave hi...

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“Ally Was Expecting Me” by Sam Lauren

Submitted to Contest #13

On Halloween night I crossed the street to Ally's house at exactly 5 pm. It was tradition. This year, like a dozen before it, we would pass out candy to trick or treaters and wish we could be them. Even the moms that hovered at the end of Ally's driveway made us jealous. We were stuck in that limbo between child and parent, having a blast but nearly ready to move on.I knocked on her door even though I didn't have to. Ally was expecting me to beg for candy, and I was expecting her to shower me in a fistful of it. It was a lame joke that would...

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“The Curse of the Black Cat” by Lily Kingston

Submitted to Contest #13

“Dude, that’s like the tenth black cat that’s crossed your path today.” Delun noted. “So, what? It doesn’t mean anything.” I replied carefree. “It’s bad luck.” “Dude, can we really not do this now? I have a hot lunch date. It’s the first time we’re meeting in person.” “Do what?” He asked innocently. I scoffed. “Last month, you were trying to convince me I had the curse of Egypt and released several dozen pounds of locus in my house. And now, a black cat curse. Why are you switching it up now?” “It’s spŏŏky season.” “Come on, Delun. You don’t...

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“Trick” by Lee Kull

Submitted to Contest #13

"Get over it, Marge. I paid for it, and I can eat it all if I want to," he grumbled at his wife."We need to save those for the trick-or-treaters. That's the last of the candy," she pressed, her eyes wide.He popped another Hershey kiss in his mouth and glowered back at her. "I could, if I felt like it. Those little brats don't need anymore candy. Did you see how much candy they already have? Their sugar highs should last at least a month.""That's not the point. Please, George, save the rest for the children. You know what happens if they don'...

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“The Old Nome Hotel” by John K Adams

Submitted to Contest #13

At first glance, the old hotel looked different than Jeremy remembered. It resembled a mountain when seen through the trees in the dwindling light. Jeremy realized the mist drifting through the towers gave the impression of movement. On first sight, Jeremy’s horse, King, pulled back. The massive structure loomed. But appearances were not the only cause of Jeremy’s hesitation. He stroked King’s mane gently. “You’ve been here before, King. Is that why you balk?”This was his tenth and final year paying tribute at the manse. Jeremy would c...

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“One time thing” by Ophelia S

Submitted to Contest #13

Dead, he said. His words carried the usual weight of someone who is not used to death, someone who maybe fears an unsettling reaction from the receptor of those grim news he had to deliver; after all, the only thing scarier than the absence of emotions is their very display. I wanted to laugh, really, tell him to not be so frail and hesitant, it is nothing but pathetic. Yes, Lucas has been dead for years now! Shout it! Proclaim it! Do not be faltering, looking at me as if I was the poor man who got the news too late. Of course I knew he was ...

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$50

Prize money

224

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Nov 01, 2019 EST

Won by Zilla Babbitt 🏆

Title: Queen Cymbeline

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!

#13: Spooktacular

🥇 Winner

“Queen Cymbeline” by Zilla Babbitt

⭐️ Shortlisted

“All The Slender Devils” by R. A.

“A black cat in a dark room” by Agathe Burrier

“A Safe and Quiet Street” by Gary Thomson

“Witching Hour at the Haunted-House Hotel” by Haley Clark

This week's prompts

Write a story about someone spending the night in an old Victorian home-turned-hotel on Halloween.

You go to visit your neighbor. When you ring the doorbell, a stranger appears and tells you that your neighbor has been dead for ten years.

Write a story about someone who sees a black cat cross their path... for the tenth time that day.

You go for a walk and accidentally bump into someone. They feel the bump, but the person can't seem to hear or see you.

Write a story about an eventful evening of trick-or-treating.

Stories

“Queen Cymbeline” by Zilla Babbitt

“A New Life” by Cam Croz

“Ghostify” by Maybe Jupiter

“Katie” by Marte Van Der Linden

“All The Slender Devils” by R. A.

“Fantasy or fantasy’s” by Yoomi Ari

“The Setup” by Bobby Gupta

“I Am the Groundskeeper” by Joshua G. J. Insole

“Friends After Death” by Ian Gonzales

“The Ultimate Undead Couple” by Lily Kingston

“Ally Was Expecting Me” by Sam Lauren

“The Curse of the Black Cat” by Lily Kingston

“Trick” by Lee Kull

“The Old Nome Hotel” by John K Adams

“One time thing” by Ophelia S

$50

Prize money

224

Contest entries

0

Stories

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