"Come with us,” two burly men in gray suits say, grabbing you by the arm and handcuffing you. “You know what you did.” But you have no idea.

Posted in Horror on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 112 stories

“Lights Shined Into Pried-Open Eyes” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #52

The plasma glow from the television was the only source of light in the apartment. All the curtains were drawn — they always were, day or night. Al glanced towards the obscured window of the lounge and searched for a trace of sunshine that might indicate the current time, but his gaze was watery and pulsated from hours of screen time. Al returned his red eyes to the display.The air inside the flat was lifeless, he could smell it, could taste it, but he didn’t care. The odour was that of old food, sweat, gas that has been long-since...

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“It Wasn't Intentional*” by Abigail Slimzy

Submitted to Contest #52

It feels good to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Yes, you feel like having the world at the tip of your finger. I never thought on a good day, I will be caught in a web that I know it's not right but how did it happened? Will then be the question. Living a carefree life has always been the goal!I never for once thought that carelessness isn't just doing things with no act of seriousness or care.It knowing what is wrong but not having an idea of it.Knowing that it's wrong not to look before crossing the road whether busy or not, st...

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“May The Words Be With You!” by P. Jean

Submitted to Contest #52

(Come with us,” two burly men in gray suits say, grabbing you by the arm and handcuffing you. “You know what you did.” But you have no idea.) When those brutes assaulted you, you really had no idea at all what was going on! First panic, the panic of being roughly handled! The panic of the certainty in their voice that this was real! They said, “You know what you did!” But in truth, I knew nothing! But the force was very real, this was no game, this felt like serious business....

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“Mother Nature” by Holly Pierce

Submitted to Contest #52

“Come with us,” two burly men in gray suits grabbed me by the arm and handcuffed me. “You know what you did.” But I had no idea what I did. The last thing I remembered was being shot at the wedding... I hit my head and everything faded to black. I woke up in a waiting room, the most boring one I’ve ever seen. The dim lights flickered and buzzed as a weatherman’s report droned on endlessly. The mumbled static infiltrated my ears, annoying as ever. After hours and hours, I finally sat down. A cold, hard, black plastic chair in a room of whitew...

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“Nightborn 8” by Harken Void

Submitted to Contest #52

Mortensen walked the streets late at night, hands in the pockets of his coat, pondering his life choices. The black fedora shielded him from the yellow glow of the streetlamps and gave him privacy from the prying moon above. Tonight the skies were clear for the first time in weeks. It made him feel naked and exposed. Vulnerable. Damien’s betrayal hurt like a fresh wound. How could the detective turn his back on him? On the Nightborn? After Mortensen shared his heart with him, during the time they were together, how could the man abandon him ...

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“Boring Mary” by Emma Lin

Submitted to Contest #52

Mary Jane was undergraduate senior student with dreams of paying off student loans and securing a full-time after graduation. Mary Jane liked to eat a classic hamburger with 100% Angus meat, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes with a side of tater tots. Mary Jane’s favorite colors were pales. Mary read newspapers, watched Fox/CNN, and stayed away from politics and fashion channels. Mary Jane loved drinking hibiscus tea, sitting on her 4th floor apartment balcony, watching the clouds. Clearly, Mary Jane was very ordinary an...

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“Abducted ” by Kaysie Davis

Submitted to Contest #52

Part 5 of the south wood series. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The prince wanted me to join him in his attempt to save the magical creatures of the kingdom? Not only that, but he thinks I am some sort of mystical protector? “So, what is your answer?” Ravi’s voice cut through my panic. His hand still extended to me lay between us, a temptation and a terror. “I…I” “Your majesty!” a gravelly voice interrupted my response. “Your feast grows cold.” “Elder Cantu.” Prince Ravi stood up. I recognized the man standing there as one of the...

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“The Bad Business at Breakwater Bungalow” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #52

My name is Marlene Masefield. Marlene as in Marlene Dietrich, the actress, Masefield as in John Masefield, the poet. To the best of my knowledge I have no family links to either. I went through I a spell when I was quite partial to being called Marley, thinking of the first ghost to visit Scrooge, a much overlooked and maligned character. But then it became more famous as the name of a dog in a “heart-warming” book. Nothing whatsoever against dogs, even though I suppose I’m more of a cat person, but I got somewhat ti...

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“What did i do ?” by Liya Mariyam

Submitted to Contest #52

The birds were chirping , people were talking the supermarket was filled with lots and lots of people,i made my way through a crowd of strangers to the nearest cashier. As i paid and hurried outside towards my car , two burly men in gray grab me by the arm and handcuff me as if it was a normal thing to do they grabbed my shopping bag out of my hands , so i say ,"if you want my groceries you can take them." the men just stare at me and i just stare at them for a moment and suddenly grasp the situation , i yell at them in the deserted parkin...

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“To Be Able To Forgive” by Gip Roberts

Submitted to Contest #52

Trigger warning: depictions of drug abuse As he's leaving for work, of all times! "Ding, ding," the bell sounds again. There's no getting around answering the door. He has to get past whoever's there in order to leave, and he's already running late. He flings it open and it bangs against the wall. "Great, there's two of them!" he thinks, eyeing them with a rapid scan from the business shoes to the tops of their fedoras. "Whatever you're selling or preaching, I'm not interested!" he asserts with a cringe-accented tone that has a...

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“For Life” by Ifan Fin

Submitted to Contest #52

“For Life” (a fragment of David Roll’s song)…What have I become?A while ago I was far awayA while ago I was someone else, someone…A while ago Why it has to hurt so badI was drunk and highYou were by my side, we could tryYou were falling and I tore you apartWhich way you wanna dance?With meWhich way to throw the dice?It’s just a stupid songOne of manyTell me will we get by with just one penny?I leftA penny for your thoughtsI left you alone***Tom (at the police station)There was a time when he thought he would get away with just about anything...

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“Why Me?” by Blane Britt

Submitted to Contest #52

I’m quite sure that many adults have heard of Men In Black or at least the three movies. In popular culture and UFO conspiracy theories, men in black are supposed to be men dressed in black suits who claim to be quasi-government agents who harass, threaten or assassinate UFO witnesses to keep them quiet about what they have seen. It is sometimes implied that they may be aliens themselves. The term is also frequently used to describe mysterious men working for unknown organizations, as well as various branches of government allegedly designed...

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“From a Lowly Position.” by Len Mooring

Submitted to Contest #52

“Are you sure you’ve got the right, John Smith? Particularly, as the pair of you, I would definitely be put in the ‘Burly Class,’ and ominous in your grey suits. Whereas I am in need of a pair of binoculars to see your visages in the stratospheric realm where you reside. “I take it you are aware that, unlike you, I dwell in the realms where dog-shit merely gets on your shoes, but with me, if I am not paying strict attention, will more likely finish up on my knuckles, so close to the ground, am I. “I assume you ARE aware that I am of the ...

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“Before the Trial ” by Spencer Pinkus

Submitted to Contest #52

Franz Kafka had been mulling over the opening of his next story for several hours when it happened. He had been struggling to find a way to express the inexpressible, to give voice to that feeling of bewilderment no amount of schooling or adult experience can prepare you for - that uncanny state of existence - when, like a somnambulist, he found himself stumbling and fumbling his way towards the door, his reddened eyes and aching limbs burning from overwork and exhaustion. Stretching out his left arm, he grabbed the brass knob and, wit...

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“CENTRAL CASTING” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #52

“Central Casting,” Sheila thought. “Where, exactly, does one go in New York to get deliberately cheap-looking suits like that, 48 Long, maybe? Do they make shirts with 19-inch collars? Why are they wearing exactly the same color suit? What’s their deal?” The math teacher tried to remember the old joke. Was her memory degrading less than gracefully? Was she getting longer in the tooth than in her toes, especially today? Finally, it clicked. “Michael Fitzpatrick and Patrick Fitzmichael, Ben Doon and Phil...

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"Come with us,” two burly men in gray suits say, grabbing you by the arm and handcuffing you. “You know what you did.” But you have no idea.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 112 stories

“Lights Shined Into Pried-Open Eyes” by Joshua G. J. Insole

“It Wasn't Intentional*” by Abigail Slimzy

“May The Words Be With You!” by P. Jean

“Mother Nature” by Holly Pierce

“Nightborn 8” by Harken Void

“Boring Mary” by Emma Lin

“Abducted ” by Kaysie Davis

“The Bad Business at Breakwater Bungalow” by Deborah Mercer

“What did i do ?” by Liya Mariyam

“To Be Able To Forgive” by Gip Roberts

“For Life” by Ifan Fin

“Why Me?” by Blane Britt

“From a Lowly Position.” by Len Mooring

“Before the Trial ” by Spencer Pinkus

“CENTRAL CASTING” by Andrew Grell

🌟 Similar prompts

Twenty minutes before you are about to get married, you find your mother and your fiancé kissing passionately.

Every year, one person is sent to the moon. This year, though you hid in terror, it is your turn to enter the rocket.

You thought he was dead, but there he is, right in front of you on the street, smiling at you.

You are the only one in the supermarket during a blizzard. Feeling creeped out, you decide to leave, when suddenly you find a baby abandoned on the floor.

Contest #52

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

958

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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