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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

“I died a day before Halloween.” by Looking For Inspiration

Submitted to Contest #65

What do you do when you die a day before Halloween? I found myself asking this when I woke up separated from my body in the morgue, looking around me I sighed just thinking well great I am dead. But why am I here? shrugging I look down at my body saying, “Well good luck with all the hype around funerals, me.” I giggle at myself; I have always been a jokester and I believe I have fulfilled my life with as much happiness as I could. So, all I can think now is what do I do now? remembering it is the day before Halloween I giggle before walking ...

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“With You” by Eva Bernal

Submitted to Contest #65

I wish you could see me this year. I look amazing. I must have checked myself in this mirror half a dozen times already. I can’t believe it. My skin is just the perfect shade of pale. I am, however, left with the harder decision of which party I am attending. On one hand, the jocks are throwing a killer kegger at Dylan’s, but Sam’s party are always a wild rave-like ride. And let’s be honest, Sam is hot. Like H-O-T, leave your boyfriend hot. Speaking of which, it’s odd I haven’t seen Max in days. I...

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“Our Sickness” by Michelle Vongkaysone

Submitted to Contest #65

It shouldn't have happened to me. I never expected to perish so suddenly. I don't think anyone does, but it still stings. I was in good enough health. I thought I could get past anything that I got. But that's the thing about this sickness. It sneaks up and hits you. I didn't think I had it. I thought it was something else at first. Before I could worry too much, it hit me. I was completely wiped out. I couldn't think straight or even breathe right. It felt like my life was draining away. I went to the hospital, but it was too late. I di...

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“More Dark and Dark Our Woes” by Charlotte Brown

Submitted to Contest #65

I’ve been trapped here for so long. In this dark and shadowy place. I can’t see the shadows, but I can feel them: shadows of time, shadows of places. Sometimes the seconds seem to stretch out for all eternity, other times it’s as though I’ve just arrived here – wherever here is. It seems like here is both everywhere and nowhere. An in-between place. When my soul was violently ripped from my body, it felt as though I was on fire; burning from the inside out....

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“Secrets on my Street” by Dizney Holsinger

Submitted to Contest #65

It was my first year dressing up as a ghost. I was so excited. I've been wanting to dress up as one for years. Now I finally get to. I've noticed something strange lurking in my neighborhood though. It's the same thing every year. I just don't know what. I finally get to go trick or treating and my first Halloween party. Since my party runs late and starts at night fall, I'm going trick or treating early this year.After I started trick or treating, something happened that will change my life forever. After my first few houses, a car had...

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“ Honor of the Ghost” by Cassandrea Geesling

Submitted to Contest #65

Trigger warning: mention of suicide, death, and cutting. I'm a lonely ghost. No one will play music with me, honor me by all my hard work, remember me, and worse of all, no one cared about me. You see, I was an outsider. I mean who would care about an outsider. An outsider that even the outsiders at my high school would let me in their groups. Back when I was alive, everyone would make fun of me. Call me names. Saying how bad and lame my life is. And how I should die by hanging myself or slice my neck. Just like how I would slice my w...

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“Ghost Photoshoot Origin” by Laura Aguirre

Submitted to Contest #65

I never really liked Halloween, to be honest. It’s not because of how scary or dangerous it could get. It’s about the lonesome feeling I would get, seeing everyone in my neighborhood be busy with their decorations, going out to be with friends, and with their trick-or-treating every year. My family didn’t really bond over those things, both my parents were busy around that time of year and as an only child… well there’s only so much I could do to keep myself entertained. However, that completely changed for the better in high school. I was a...

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“I'm gone” by Flyx H

Submitted to Contest #65

I watch my feet as I walk, pushing my hands into my pockets and letting the breeze mess my hair. The moon sits above me as kids in costumes run past me... through me. They knock on doors and yell "Trick or Trick!" The smiles on their faces force a frown on mine. That use to be me. Last year that was me. I was only ten years old and collecting candy from strangers, the one thing my parents always told me not to do, but there was this one night a year were they encouraged it. I laugh at that thought. My smile soon fades, knowing I'll never ...

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“When I Wore a Younger Mans Clothes” by Jason Dean

Submitted to Contest #65

He played her piano every day. The shape of his heart would determine whether it was for a few minutes or a whole afternoon as grief sat beside him on her stool and there were days even now, six months later, when he could not bear the weight.She was here, he was sure.She had played every single day, hours and hours of practise. Not to entertain or to impress but for the sheer joy, the feeling of interpreting musical notation from more than a century ago and hearing same the notes that Mozart himself had heard. She felt them, speaking to her...

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“Deus Ex Machina: My Afterlife in Art” by Benjamin Boxer

Submitted to Contest #65

I was enjoying my usual nightmare until I realized that I was the nightmare. I had become someone else’s nightmare. It's the default actor's nightmare: I’m standing offstage in the wings. The play has already started. Lights rise to a blinding intensity, and an actor I don’t recognize anymore allows the first lines to fall from his or her androgynous mouth into a lapel mic. The wall-mounted speakers expectorate that line into the seat-planted audience, composed mainly of the actors’ obliging relatives and thoughts-and-...

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“The Salesman ” by Matt Render

Submitted to Contest #65

“I’ve told you a hundred times, Justin... Quit making me out to be the bad guy” “But, I said I was sorry. I don’t know what else to do at this point” Justin said, squeezing his temple, as though to mitigate the pounding of his recurring stress headaches. “Look, you know I love you, but, yeah... at this point I don’t know, like, what to do...” Laura looked down at the newly purchased silver bracelet with the aqua marine Aquarius charm Justin had wrapped around her wrist. He didn’t want to mention how he had sacrific...

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“Of Those Who Have Been Forgotten” by Riley Henderson

Submitted to Contest #65

Best experienced when reading to the song; Train Wreck -James Arthur followed by Have You Had Enough Wine? - JC Stewart. A chill seduced the once warm air the soft mellowed light touched faintly across the woman's body. Goosebumps emerged along her arms and legs, the hairs blew in the wind, reminding her of the way that long grass would bend and sway on a windy day. In silence, she waited upon the crest of the wind-beaten hill that now stood bare and forsaken, nothing but a figure of clothing billowing on the expanse of desolated la...

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“The Witches Gathering” by Breeze-Amethyst Gallagher

Submitted to Contest #65

The Witches Council, comprised of the three most prolific, powerful and notorious Witches within the entire Witching World, gathered three times a year to discuss many topics relating to the Witching World- new Witches being born, changes to the hierarchy and the changing of Witching World Laws, amongst other things. This meeting would be the 1000th Halloween Night meeting and the 3000th meeting of the Witches Council since it was founded. The three Witches of the Witches Council are Madeline Franklin, Helena Georgeson and Isadora Woods...

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“Green Magic” by Anell Douglas

Submitted to Contest #65

The sun blazed in the sky as the figure of a small boy made his way through the lush forest. His form shook with the force of his steps and his pointed hat refused to stay in one place on his head. He passed the vibrant trees and followed the worn path, his pace quick. It didn’t take long for him to come to a clearing in the trees. There was a garden in the middle that held a number of herbs and vegetables. Off to the side, another boy sat still, watching a small cauldron bubble. His hair glowed in the sunlight ...

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“Witches In Circle” by Judith Buskohl

Submitted to Contest #65

Ladies were standing in a circle saying words that didn’t make any sense to Laura’s ears. She had followed two women into the woods near her house thinking they knew a shortcut to the other side of the woods. No, they were standing in a circle grasping other women’s hands and muttering words that sounded like gibberish. Words that didn’t make any sense to her “Ohik Notman Didtn Seepe” or something like that. She wanted to go up to women and ask them what they were saying ,but something in the pits of her stomach told 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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