Menu
Prompts
Contests
Blog

Menu

✕
CONNECT
reedsymarketplace Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites
BLOG
reedsyblog reedsylearning reedsylive Success Stories
APPS
reedsybookeditor reedsydiscovery reedsyprompts
TOOLS
Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Epub to Mobi Converter Independent Publishers Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships
ABOUT
About Reedsy Publishers Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

Write a story about someone who finds a secret passageway in their house.

Posted in General on Apr 1, 2020

Submissions are closed!

Sorry, we are no longer accepting submissions. Make sure you don't miss our next contest by creating your free Reedsy Prompts account.

✍️ 164 stories

“If Walls Could Talk” by Karel Haynes

Riley Haynes gaped at the sight of a huge door which hung open in a slit. When she pushed it hard enough to create a huge space, a dark hallway greeted her, enveloping her with fear and confusion."Riley?"The voice of her fraternal twin sister—River—floated across the upper floor.Riley ignored her as she carried her legs further down the darkness."Riley, where are you?" River added, voi...

11 likes 7 comments 7
Read story

“Aliens ” by Unknown User

*****I.Two am this morning, a raid on a Texas home found six – TV in the lving room“He is a normal kid, Janet – for fuck sakes!”“Really? You can’t keep your voice down, Daren? He’s in the living room.“Well, I am being told that my kid needs to be evaluated, of course I’m going to raise my voice. What the fuck do they know at that damn school, anyways!”“Daren! Stop it. I can’t talk to you when you’re like this...

10 likes 3 comments 3
Read story

“The Attic” by Silver Fang

“Rin c’mon, help me carry the TV inside.” Corey snapped me out of my thoughts as I was staring at our newly purchased living space. In other words we just bought our very first house! “Coming!” I squealed excitedly. He shook his head as he watched me run to the truck to help. We carried the TV in and set it down on the table in the living room. “Looks like that’s everything.” Lian wiped the swe...

7 likes 0 comments 0
Read story

“Old House's Secret” by Marcellus Smith

The old house pre-dated the Civil War in South Alabama. “This old house is a treasure of history, even though it’s going to need a lot of fixup.” Ernie strolled though his new home with his wife of five years. Nicole nodded, “I’m glad it’s finally ours. I loved it after the first tour when we made the offer.” She motioned her hand over to the study. “It’s a perfect setting for you to continue your writing career. I hope it’s not too spooky spending our first night here.” The cleaning crew did an excellent job on th...

7 likes 8 comments 8
Read story

“An echo of the past” by Deepti Venugopal

It was a warm sunny afternoon. I was waiting for my parents to return from their travels. I was done with all my exams. In a week my parents were going to host a get-together party for our family, scattered around the country. I was eager to meet my cousins. We had decided to host the party in our old family home. This place held a certain place in my heart. Unlike other stately homes, ours was built amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. But that never posed any hindran...

7 likes 11 comments 11
Read story

“The Old Carpet” by Devastation M

“Anne? Anne!” were the last words she heard as she fell down, deep into the dark abyss as if nothing would ever break her fall. She just kept falling feeling quite like Alice falling through the rabbit hole. But suddenly she felt the cold floor, damp and hard, all most slippery. She looked up, seeing a light, it was the living room light. She saw her brothers round face looking down, with a very apparent concern on his face, “Anne, are you okay?” is all he could barely mumble out. “Yes, I think so, what is this place?” She replied very cu...

7 likes 3 comments 3
Read story

“The Skeletons in Her Closet” by Esther Abraham

        Those first few weeks had been the best. Free from work and my bank account stable, I was left with absolutely nothing to do but relax. I fixed my faucet, reread my favorite books, got around to starting a garden, and finally caught up on my sleep- those dark circles beneath my eyes fading at last. It wasn't until about the third week that I realized t...

7 likes 4 comments 4
Read story

“Boneash and Sodwill's Glass Museum and Radioactive Coffeeshop” by Zilla Babbitt

“Hey, are you sure you were careful not to scratch the floor when you moved the bureau?”“Yes. How many times must I tell you? I’m always careful.”A whisper: “Not always.”“What was that?” the blond-haired girl sat back on her heels, hands on hips.“What? Nothing.”She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Theo, I’m always careful.”

6 likes 7 comments 7
Read story

“The Secret Passageway” by Ivinee Cooray

The night grew deeper and deeper.The neon lights in the streets had ebbed away during the solitary nights when the whole world seemed to be in a profound slumber baffled by the cause of the C_19 virus killing thousands mercilessly,disregarding shape,size,status or colour."Shane ,stay in,my dear son.God will protect you."Those were the final words of his mom that day prior to the departure from this world.The virus attacked her.He stared into the vast void ahead,not knowing where to begin all over again.He felt that he was in a deep gorge ...

6 likes 4 comments 4
Read story

“Tunnels to Nowhere” by Alexis Klein

I was looking around my new house one day when I saw something that struck me as unusual. How did this even get here? I thought to myself as I felt the seam around a door in the back of my closet. I tried to open the small, round door only to find that it was locked.  "If I were a key, ...

6 likes 2 comments 2
Read story

“The Inheritance ” by Randi Wescott

Wales           The bright yellow taxi pulled to a stop in front of the large country manor, Emmy warily looked through the rain speckled window at the imposing Gothic styled manor. Reluctantly, she opened the door and stepped out, quickly opening her umbrella; she rushed to help the cab driver gather her luggage. As soon as her belongings were placed in the entry way of her new home, Emmy paid the cab driver and as she watched the yellow taxi drive away, a part of h...

5 likes 2 comments 2
Read story

“Push” by Tammi Keen

“Oh my God, what are the little beasts doing up there?” Meagan asked, rolling her eyes up toward the ceiling, where she was fairly certain a herd of elephants was staging a flash mob. “Are you sure you’re only watching three kids?”            Her best friend Hailey sighed and slammed her chemistry book down on the coffee table. Studying was impossible with all the noise.            “Think about college!” Me...

5 likes 2 comments 2
Read story

“There's Someone in My Walls” by Rana Arebi

Hi, my name’s Elise. I live in Beverly Hills, California with my parents and my brother Brody. You might say that we live in a mansion. We have 12 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, 4 kitchens, a pool, a full basketball court, and a gym. Okay, fine, we do live in a mansion. Due to COVID-19/coronavirus, we can no longer go to school. We have to stay at our house and we can’t really leave unless it’s absolutely necessary. So, thanks to coronavirus, I have been spending all my time in m...

5 likes 2 comments 2
Read story

“La-La land” by Stephanie Njoku

tick tock" tick tock ". The clock sounded. I stood staring at it for a while. Mum was busy getting our luggage into the car." Time to go Ray" she said as she placed the last luggage into the boot.We had to move to a new house, my mum couldn't bear the loss of her husband. Being in that house gave her nightmares and bad memories. She said."don't worry Ray, everything's gonna be OK" she said with a warm smile.I got into the front seat and immediately buckled up my seat belt. That evening, we drove out of bloomvil...

5 likes 5 comments 5
Read story

“The Guest Room” by William Webster

The screen door slammed behind Jason as he threw his computer bag like a shot put across the kitchen to a receiving chair that rocked on impact.  Jason kicked his shoes off. The hardwood floor moved under his feet before the room began to spin around him.  Staggering to the table he collapsed in a chair.  The room was dark and hot and the air sticky.  Sweat beaded up on his shaved head and rolled down his face as rain continued to beat the back porch roof sounding more and more like Thor’s ham...

4 likes 1 comment 1
Read story

Similar prompts

More fantastic prompts from Contest #34.

Write a story about a family game night.

General – 77 stories

Write a story from the perspective of a dog, thrilled to find their owner has been spending so much time at home.

General – 82 stories

Write a story told entirely through text messages or emails.

General – 115 stories

Write a story about a rainy day spent indoors.

General – 158 stories

Contest #34

Enter our weekly contest!

This week's theme: Staying Inside

$50

Prize money

629

Submissions

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 27, 2020 EST

A winner will be announced soon.

View details

Win $50 in our short story competition 🏆

We'll send you 5 prompts each week. Respond with your short story and you could win $50!