Set your story in a library, after hours.

Posted in Horror on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 254 stories

“What Lies Underneath” by N K

Submitted to Contest #91

Dear Robert, Thank you so very much for your letter. Don’t let it get to your head, but I might’ve even liked it better than the shirt signed by Michael B. Jordan. Possibly. Speaking of that dreamboat, I read that they’ve cast Angela Bassett to play his mom. Please, please, please get me her autograph. I’ve got one page left on that autograph book we got at Disney World and I’ve already reserved it for her. Before you think up an excuse, I can imagine you and the entire crew are barely spared a moment for such frivolous activities as fulf...

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“Evernight Library” by Giselle Anastasia Asra

Submitted to Contest #91

Death is the ultimate end to any person. It is one of the common constants between any person no matter what gender, race, or social class. What happens after death is a question that most people would have thought about at least once, perhaps in passing or even pondering upon its imminence late at night. I never thought that life after death would like this. My afterlife is cold and quiet. Endless halls surrounded by darkness, unable to do anything but wander aimlessly. It's lonely. I can't believe this. I'm a ghost and for some reason, ...

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“I See Him” by Theodore Gerbot

Submitted to Contest #91

She held a finger up to her lips. I responded and ceased whispering to her. We were crouched behind a bookshelf, as we had decided to hide in the library until nighttime. We had hoped to explore the vast expanse of shelves. A glance at my watch showed me that it was approaching midnight. The realization sent a chill up my spine. The last librarian should have left at least three hours ago. However, not even ten minutes ago, we heard footsteps echoing throughout the library. I grabbed her hand, and as her eyes flew open, I shoved my wrist in ...

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“Love Is Built On Books And Bread” by Cyndi Hunt

Submitted to Contest #91

The last visitor slipped out the library doors, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong today, and I was more than ready to kick my shoes off and finish up a few tasks before heading home for the night. The old, worn wheels of the cart squeaked softly as I pushed it down the aisles, pausing only when I stopped to place a book back in its alphabetical spot on the shelf. I have always loved this part of my job. The calmness of an empty library is so peaceful and serene. Only my thoughts and the deligh...

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“THE FLEA and THE GNAT” by Mara Masolini

Submitted to Contest #91

THE FLEA and THE GNAT_____ The last to leave had been that big woman, Gabriella, whom he, Ringo Round, which was a keen observer cat, also equipped with antennae beating, in terms of capability to perceive, even space probes, could not suffer. Ah, he found her too grimace, too petulant, not to say of her habit to use industrial quantities of deodorants and perfumes, which made the air not breathable , making his nostrils pinch and his eyes water. However it was she, th...

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“THE GIFT OF READING” by Julia Corliss

Submitted to Contest #91

The young librarian walked the lower floor making sure all was tidied up from patrons using the reading areas during the day. She returned to her desk and manipulated the security screens to check the upper floor. All was empty and quiet. She picked up her purse, put on her coat, took her keys, and locked up as she left for the evening. On the upper floor there was a slight creaking sound as if someone was slowly pushing open an old door, except there were no old doors on the second floor of the town library. At least, there were no ...

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“Awake” by Gale Parks

Submitted to Contest #91

The new book arrived just like all the others before it. Mrs. Granger paid no attention to it. She had just closed the library and really didn't feel like putting away all the new donations. All she wanted to do was go home, make some dinner, and curl up on the couch with a book, some cocoa, and her cat, Mr. Fudge. So, she shoved the books into the closet and turned to go. She opened the door, locked it behind her, and drove away. She suspected nothing, as on all the other nights. However, this was no ordinary...

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“Haunted” by Sue Marsh

Submitted to Contest #91

Haunted Suzanne Marsh “I double dare you to stay in the library all night.” “How much do you want to lose?” “Ten dollars.” “Bet.” Friday night I walked slowly toward the library. It had a mansion before Angus MacIntosh willed it to the library. Every kid that lived here knew the stories about the library being haunted. Just what made me do this foolish stunt? My pride in not being afraid of ghosts, I was not afraid of anything. I entered the library around seven thirty. It was almost dark which made it seem cree...

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“Between the Shelves ” by Ryan Johnson

Submitted to Contest #91

The room was massive. The shelves knew the quietness like the loneliness of all the tormented around the world. The floors were shining and I walked among the shelves. Admiring the stillness of the knowledge around me.Hearing nothing among the words of so many. I exhaled among the books. A release of a still sadness. A call to the void eternal.I looked up at the glass ceiling. Among the storm clouds. Was the twinkle of distant stars. No matter where you are. The sky always blinks at you. The shining stars brought back memories from someone I...

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“these days” by Dann Jamal

Submitted to Contest #91

Sara does not usually read books unless forced. However, she found herself headed to the library today to return a book as a favor to a friend. The book is called ‘hidden amongst people’. She haven’t opened it but she thoroughly examined the cover of what she judged to be extremely dull. A brown cover with a goldish writing that took the entire space of the cover. When she entered the library it felt like she drunk a sip of hot chocolate as it contrasted with the cold weather outside. This feeling or the sense of comfort, which came with wa...

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“Library Monster” by Millie Rader

Submitted to Contest #91

4/27/21 Millie Rader millierader@yahoo.com Reedsy Prompts “Set in the Library after hours” Library Monster Annie had been driving since sunup and though it was only the middle of the day, she realized that she wasn’t going to make her destination before dark. Her article was due tomorrow and she had yet to even start the rough draft. She knew that she would have to find a library soon. Swinging into a truck stop, she hopped out to fuel her van, and the Arizona heat hit her like a blowtorch. While the pump ...

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“The Door at the Back of The Library” by Kaio Freitas

Submitted to Contest #91

Today, at 12, was the day that I would find what was behind the door on the librarians' desk, in the gigantic, with eighty thousand books, library in our two hundred and fifty people town, even though most of them were empty, with several areas dedicated to the books that would be written, or that was Peter, the librarian that actually left the desk told me when he caught me sneaking in one of the empty areas. My friends would say it was probably dark magic books, banned for their contents, and the proof was that you needed to sign with bl...

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“After Hours” by Mia MayaMay

Submitted to Contest #91

“Dang it”, I muttered under my breath.I looked down to find it under my miscellaneous clutter overflowing on my desk. I had forgotten to return my library book. There it was, in my mess of missing homework assignments and textbooks that still had the plastic covering on them. This was not the first time. I’m a forgetful person. I can't help it, even if my mom thinks I can. It’s impossible, dare I say, part of my nature, but she doesn’t care. If my mom found out again that another one of my books was overdue, I would be grounded for a week. T...

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“Dirty Dancing” by Sharon Williams

Submitted to Contest #91

On Thursdays, the library stayed open until 7.00pm. On this particular January evening, it was already dark outside, and when the occasional customer came in, the air, which blew in with them, was bitterly cold. It was quiet, not many people wanted to turn out on such a cold day to return or renew books, and much of the library’s business was now conducted on-line. Laura, a twenty-two year old, university graduate, the senior librarian, Mrs Selby, and Tom sat behind their semi-circular work station, idly chatting. At 6.45pm, Mrs Selby told h...

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“Save Dr. Seuss” by Rebecca Foster

Submitted to Contest #91

The library in Pine Ridge wasn't big. It was a single story building with three rooms. The main room, reference room and the children's room. It was neat, clean and well-lit. You could find books about almost anything in the main library. The reference room held various history books and maps along with encyclopedias. The children's library was for reading to small children and books for those just learning to read. It was colorful with posters of storybook characters telling them the benefits of reading. The librarian was a middle-aged ...

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Set your story in a library, after hours.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 254 stories

“What Lies Underneath” by N K

“Evernight Library” by Giselle Anastasia Asra

“I See Him” by Theodore Gerbot

“Love Is Built On Books And Bread” by Cyndi Hunt

“THE FLEA and THE GNAT” by Mara Masolini

“THE GIFT OF READING” by Julia Corliss

“Awake” by Gale Parks

“Haunted” by Sue Marsh

“Between the Shelves ” by Ryan Johnson

“these days” by Dann Jamal

“Library Monster” by Millie Rader

“The Door at the Back of The Library” by Kaio Freitas

“After Hours” by Mia MayaMay

“Dirty Dancing” by Sharon Williams

“Save Dr. Seuss” by Rebecca Foster

🌟 Similar prompts

Write about someone going to extreme lengths to return an overdue library book.

Start your story with a stern librarian scolding two characters for making noise in the library.

Write about a character who meticulously catalogs everything in their life, until something disrupts their system.

Write about a character stumbling upon a library book that changes the course of their life, for better or worse.

Contest #91

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

770

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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