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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#65: Spooky Season

What is it about Halloween that we find so deeply appealing? Is it the excuse to dress up and pretend to be something other than ourselves for a few hours? The exploration of all things creepy and macabre, of subjects normally too taboo to engage with? Perhaps it’s just the abundance of all our favorite candies at the same time.

Whatever the reason, there’s no denying the allure of this thrilling and chilling holiday. And while many people’s Halloween celebrations will need to be very different this year, there’s no reason why we can’t still enjoy a bit of spooky fun!

Whether you like horror, the creepy aesthetic, or just overloading on candy, this week’s prompts have plenty of inspiration to get you into the Halloween mood.

This week's prompts

Start your story with two characters deciding to spend the night in a graveyard.

Novel – 320 stories

Write about someone’s first Halloween as a ghost.

Halloween – 206 stories

Write about a group of witches meeting up on Halloween night.

Halloween – 135 stories

Write about a vampire or werewolf who moves into a quiet suburban neighborhood.

Vampire – 160 stories

Write about someone taking a child trick-or-treating for the very first time.

Kids – 87 stories

Stories

“It's not the end of the world...” by Carolyn Bayne

Submitted to Contest #65

Josh turned 10 years of age on November 2nd, he was so excited to go trick or treating within the new neighbourhood. His parents, Sally and Jack moved into the area 3 weeks now with, Josh the youngest, Nadia, their teenage daughter, 17 and eldest son, Jeremy, 21, finishing his last term at university. Their grandmother, Irene moved with them after her husband, Sheridan passed away, and it was agreed to move her in with the family, so, overall, they were all new to the area. But, Josh was determined that he would make a friend or friends ...

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“Happy Halloween, Mayor Brown!” by Jessica C

Submitted to Contest #65

The first notice went up on the public bulletin board in the front of Himmelreich’s Hardware store on Willow Street on the first day of October. By order of Mayor Stephenson Brown, Orchard Grove Community Trick or Treat Night will commence on October 31st from 6-8pm. Underneath the blocky bubble letters was a crude, childlike drawing of a jack-o-lantern, which gave the whole thing such a decidedly unofficial look that most people wondered if it was just a prank. And then Mayor Brown himself went on the KLTV Ne...

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“Trick or Treat” by Aditi S.K

Submitted to Contest #65

It had been two hours of endless screeching, crying and laughing, there stood the five-year old Elsa before me, who had chocolate milk spilled on her silky blue frock. The whole room was filled with dresses, plastic crowns, some old pieces of leather, wigs, bags and a lot of dust. At the corner, a huge brown trunk was sitting with its contents thrown across the floor. The clock on the table read 6:32 p.m. A small plastic jack-o-lantern, which was kept near the door, beamed its toothless, wicked smile at me. “Smile!” I heard my sis...

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“A Bond That Could Have Been” by Em P.W.

Submitted to Contest #65

The two of us stare vacantly at the word “CEMETERY” hanging above us. “This is the dumbest thing ever,” Lena follows her statement with a string of curse words I didn’t even know existed. She’s right. Having an entire class of supposedly mature seniors challenge each other to determine the first quitter of the Halloween Haunted House recently built in town? Yeah, checks out. Even dumber was the penalty: an entire night in the cemetery. Even dumber? Lena here skipped out altogether, so with the decision that it was unfair for ever...

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“Doppelganger” by R. K.

Submitted to Contest #65

Carved pumpkins crowd the front of the doorways, spider-webs drip from porch railings, skeletons loom out from the shadows. Every neighborhood goes out of their way to contribute to the festive spirit. Stores scramble to stock their shelves with jumbo bags of candy as parents and grandparents come early to prepare for trick-or-treaters. Armed with fun masks, various Halloween costume party’s handout fliers promising spooky decorations, fruit punch, and a great turnout that you wouldn’t want to miss.As if knowing what to do, the weather predi...

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“Every Witch Way” by Tanja Cilia

Submitted to Contest #65

Dearly Beloved I have called you here today because it’s traditional for witches to be given their wings - ha! – on This Night. Frankly, I think it’s a silly idea. If it were for me, I would have convened this meeting on October 1, so by today you’d all be well-practiced in the Arts, and also in the Non-Arts. But Orders are Orders. As it is, we’ll just have to wing it, and meet again next Sunday, to compare notes. First – The Arts. You will see that on the Booklet I have prepared for you, I have, by dint of habit, included the fa...

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“The Ghost of Halloween Past” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #65

I can still see it all very clearly in my mind. I can see it, if one can ever see a ghost clearly, that is. Most ghosts have indefinite, fuzzy silhouettes, like the ones you see in a steamed-up mirror after a long shower or in foggy woods on November hikes. The image you almost see in the mirror is your own, of course; the one in the woods? Well, that one might be harder to identify. The figure I can still see is out there, though, and it lies somewhere between the mirror and the forest. The thing is, it appears to be frozen in a way a g...

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“Trick or Treat” by Carylle Delim

Submitted to Contest #65

Trigger Warning: Use of drugs You hold your brush and begin your makeup. You grab your white face powder, your black eyeshadow, and that fake pointed teeth from the thrift store to dress as a vampire for this year’s Halloween. You know it’s such a cliché costume. You always remember Edward Cullen from the Twilight book series or Damon Salvatore from Vampire Diaries. Vampires are too romanticized. But to you, vampires are vicious, merciless, and hot. Who doesn’t want to be hot anyway? You think to yourself as you apply the finishing touch...

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“Triple Double Dare” by Cathryn V

Submitted to Contest #65

Harper flops dramatically on the rumpled bed and kicks off her shoes."I mean, what the hell, Carly. Trick-or-treat in our own neighborhood? We can’t do that. What are we, ten? Everyone's talking about the parties they’re going to. That stuck up Jenny from geometry is having one. You should have heard her going on to Amy about who all she invited. She looked right at me and made a stupid face." Harper pulls at her ankle bracelet, tosses it onto her nightstand, then continues, "So, I decided to have my own party. I told my Mom. But she goes, "...

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“Starting Over After A Century” by Marian Reiley

Submitted to Contest #65

Katerina went over her witness relocation documents again. She found it easier to remember information if she practiced aloud. "Hi, my name is Quin. Johnson." She said. "I'm new to the neighbohood; nice to meet you." Katerina extended a friendly hand to Agent Barnes. He took it and shook it firmly. "Good;" he said. "Just remember to make your introduction smooth and natural. Now, lets run through your cover story. What do you do for work?" "I am night janitor for College of New Jersey. Part time." "What made you move to Erma, New Jer...

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“My Halloween love story” by Gie Garcia

Submitted to Contest #65

I roam around my neighborhood when I was alive. Yes, I am indeed a dead person and I am currently roaming as an unseen entity in this world called a ghost. I actually don't remember anything about how I died and most of my memories when I was alive are all blurry and hazy. I don't know... I just suddenly woke up with a scary guy wearing an all-black outfit with a gun dangling on his belt. He introduces himself as Diether, The grim reaper. I thought grim reapers are some fairy of death or somethin' who looks like a creepy skeleton carrying ...

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“Mary and jerry:spending one knight at graveyard” by HILEMA'S Promo Channel

Submitted to Contest #65

do youyou think its true?Mary asked while jerry kissing her cheeks They're in inside a camp tent not far from the old lady's grave,painted in orange with a lot of balloons around it flying around like someone is playing with them.marry hears footsteps coming towards the tent and a shadow,as soon as the shadow reaches the tent she screams"oh jesus what now"?jerry asks marry while stopping to kiss her. She points at the shadow at back of jerry,when he turns he's head around the door's tent is opened by the security man"oh how can we help y...

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“The Summoning” by Ryan Dupont

Submitted to Contest #65

Flickering flames danced in the dark woods as the three women gripped their torches tightly and made their way through the tangled old growth. It was thick and unforgiving, tearing at their cloaks and slashing at their skin. They pushed on with determination and haste, crouching, climbing and even crawling in places too dense to walk. They were terrified, but remained steadfast and focused on their intention. Each one of them knew how mad it was to be here, for it was Allhallows Eve and this was the haunted Blackwood Forest. A full moon...

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“The Hanged” by Alexander Katz

Submitted to Contest #65

Three bodies dangled outside the cave entrance–someone had bound their feet with a barbed rope and hung them upside down. Blood had once streamed from the wounds left by the barbs, but those rivers dried up a long time ago. Only husks of leather and bone remained, controlled by the whims of the wind. Porg shuddered every time the bodies collided with another. Cries rattled out from their gaping mouths as if something still lived within. He turned his back to the lost souls and gingerly took a seat next to the remnants of a fire. His ankle wa...

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“Grave Encounters ” by Kirsty B

Submitted to Contest #65

I despised everything that had to do with the supernatural. Anything that could not be rationally explained terrified me. That is why my fear for cemetery‘s frustrated me. So why was I being convinced to face this fear, by the simple plead that slipped by Harper’s supple lips? “Please, I can’t go without you.” “S-sure you can.” She could hear my resolve crumpling. “I don’t want to go without you.” Maybe it was those damned sulking eyes, or who those eyes were longing for. How could I possibly be so heartless as to deny her?...

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$50

Prize money

908

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Oct 30, 2020 EST

Won by Joshua G. J. Insole 🏆

Title: Bridgemoss Guardians

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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