Start your story with the arrival of a strange visitor in a small town.

Posted in Horror on Oct 25, 2022

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✍️ 187 stories

“Hair of Fire ” by Aerin Rebecca ✨🌈

Submitted to Contest #96

I always thought of the heat as happiness. Warmth. Like a family. Cold was the bitter iciness panging the back of your head, numbing your fingers and toes until all you wanted to do was go back inside and sip hot cocoa.That was until I moved to the blistering desert.Turns out, enough of anything and you can be numbed by that too. (I was pretty sure my skin considered a slight breeze as “cold” by now.) Sigh.I stared out the dusty window with ragged breaths, so deep in my own regrets that I didn’t hear the AC sputter out. I literally had ...

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“William Gregory MacDonald” by Veda Stone

Submitted to Contest #96

(Warning: this story has themes of drinking and death) It was not uncommon for people to stumble drunkenly into the small inn on the corner of Central Avenue and Stone Street, but when they asked for the largest room there was and did not count out the hundreds of dollars in cash they put on the counter, it tended to catch the attention of those who saw. Harold Randall stood up from where he was sitting, looking at the man in disbelief as he counted out one-hundred, two-hundred, three, four, five-hundred dollars. “Sir, this will pay ...

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“The Road Less Traveled” by Nainika Gupta

Submitted to Contest #96

I chose the road less traveled, now where the hell am I? - Robert Frost/unknownThe stranger arrived on a sunny day. Which was weird, as all the other days of the month had been rainy and stormy. But the day the bells rang announcing his arrival, the clouds dissipated and we saw blue sky for the first time in over thirty days. The small inn at the end of the lane, creeping up over the cliff, was almost full to bursting. Not with visitors, no. Lane’s End didn’t get many visitors in the season-season, let alone in the off-season. Rath...

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“The Torrid Travels of Teleporting Todd: A Todd Story” by Christopher Rothschild

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #96

Todd blinked into existence and tumbled into dirt. He rolled onto his back and breathed as hard as he could, exhausted. He had never blinked this far before, and now his insides hurt. He looked to his side and saw a lizard scurry under some sagebrush. He was in the desert. It was hot, even though it was nine in the morning. He sat up with effort and looked at his barren surroundings. Besides the sagebrush and cacti, there was a cluster of dark specks in the distance. Hopefully, a town. He sighed and picked himself up. If he could manage one ...

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“Elpis” by Katie Evans

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #96

Maybury was a quiet place. Five and a half thousand people lived in it, but it wound a long way out into Nevada desert. Less a town, more a collection of villages scattered through the prickly-pear cacti and low scrubland. Prometheus arrived in the mid-afternoon when the sun was patiently cracking open the sidewalk. Even the weeds between the cracks were limp with heat. The few people out kept their heads down, hats tilted forward to hide their faces. When he killed the engine, he could almost hear the backs of their necks sizzling. ...

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“SIR WIGGLESWORTH IN GREEN TOWN” by Josephine Samuel

Submitted to Contest #96

1716 When Sir Wigglesworth Battlesby stepped foot in Green Town, he immediately sensed something was off. He had paraded one street lined with yellow wattles and half-timbered apothecaries, wondering at his own dismay. He stomped his cane to the ground, to and fro as he went, until finally settling against a hickory. One boy came by and greeted him, his chest held so high that Sir Wigglesworth wondered if he maintained a decent breathing. "Drop your chest." Sir Wigglesworth had told him, and the boy scampered...

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“The Gateway Rattle” by James Holgate

Submitted to Contest #96

The clanging of metal and the blazing of fires erupted from the blacksmith as yet another day began. Houses of oaken materials stood solemnly within the shielded confines of the hamlet known to most as ‘Lindlow’. Such a hamlet had been laid down upon the restless earth for almost 500 years and in such time has had little advancements in technology. However one thing that the small village did have was a thriving community and a distinct lack of visitors. Nevertheless, tables can turn. Strolling past the well-crafted walls of the village, a...

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“The Cursed Town” by Wild Rose

Submitted to Contest #96

Content Warning- Murder/SuicideHe walked up through the dusty road which led to the small town of Temans. It was twilight and a light wind was blowing. Far away, the crop plantations acquired a greenish orange colour due to the light of the sun. On the other side, one could catch a faint glimpse of the Temans church, with its tall steeple standing majestically high up in the sky. The yellow- orange hue of the sky washed the town, and the muddy red road was illuminated with a touch of gradient yellow. The whole town looked peaceful ...

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“Sanctuary” by Kylie Wallis

Submitted to Contest #96

Sybella Ramsey had lived in the small town of Medlow Grove for her entire life. It was also where her mother was born. Beverly knew Colin back in high school and they had been good friends for a while. But it wasn't until one New Year's Party, when they kissed, that the two of them realised there was more to it.Six years after they got married, Beverly gave birth to twins, but only one survived. They called her Sybella. She was a bright and cheery child, and as she grew up, became a favourite of many long term residents. Sybella would think ...

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“Ordinary” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #96

The black sedan makes no sound as it comes into view.The sort of car you might see parked behind any number of offices across the country. Its shape somehow conjures up all car manufacturers and none. Your gaze trawls over its sleek onyx curves. It could be a Mercedes or an Audi or a custom job from a nameless government-employed garage.It rolls down the street at the precise speed limit. Not slower. Not faster. Bang on. It signals when necessary, and stops at all the lights and crossings. It gives way to other vehicles but does not hesitate...

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“A Murder” by Niveeidha Palani

Submitted to Contest #96

c.w: gory scenes, disturbingAuthors Note: I tried something new. It's different from what I usually write. I meant for this to be a very short passage. Enjoy. :)The roads were soaked, with soggy puddles and the blades of thin grass were drenched in water. It was still pouring, however, from noon, and dusk had forged already.Thunder clapped around the Bringston Village and stringy, thin streaks of lightning whipped the skies. Everyone stayed in, sipping hot cups of cocoa, and staring at the sky, minding their own business.He'd turned up at du...

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“The River of Jewels” by Colin Devonshire

Submitted to Contest #96

Gordon jumped off the train, alone as ever. The ticket collector looked him up and down, taking the sweat-damped piece of paper. He nodded forward as his passenger strode towards the exit of the throbbing station. From the end of November to the beginning of December, Kanchanaburi celebrates River Kwai Bridge Week, at the same time the Red Cross is hosting a fair. Perfect for Gordon’s needs. He checked into The River Flow guest house. “I booked six months ago. Mr G. Bank,” he said at the desk. The pretty young lady flicked through several le...

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“The Perfect Stranger” by Janetra Waters

Submitted to Contest #96

Thorn Ridge was a small town, surrounded by miles of thick forest on all sides, in the middle of nowhere. With less than a hundred residents, it was one of those communities where everyone knew everyone. It was seldom that anyone new graced the streets. So when the stranger rode onto Mainstreet on his Black motercylce, it was quite the buzz. Not used to newcomers, there was a certain wariness that settled over everyone. But that wariness never lasted long. The excitement from something new quickly overtook it. News travels fast in Thorn Ridg...

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“Perpignon. The best place for business meetings” by Valery Rubin

Submitted to Contest #96

So that's what it is, Perpignan. I'll be damned. Three in one: France, Spain, and Catalonia, come together here under the hot Mediterranean sun. I didn't know it was possible. It's a place where you live both in France and Spain at the same time, on a completely legal basis. The wide, sandy beaches are just a few miles to the east and the snow-capped peaks of the Pyrenees with their ski slopes to the west. The world-famous resort of the Costa Brava is a 90-minute drive from Perpignan, while the hustle and bustle of Barcelona are less than tw...

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“Welcome to The Wrinkle ” by Alexander Katz

Submitted to Contest #96

(Author note: Contains violence.)“Anger is like bamboo. If it takes root, soon that’s all your garden will grow.” -Proverbs of The Forgotten. Tired. Stub was damned near to the point of exhaustion when he stumbled upon The Wrinkle. A small town that made other small towns look like the capital of Uto that was said to scrape the heavens. Stub knew that was some horse shit; Uto had tall buildings alright, but only a few out of thousands. They were the old ones, left behind by The Forgotten after they were, well, forgotten. The big br...

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Start your story with the arrival of a strange visitor in a small town.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 187 stories

“Hair of Fire ” by Aerin Rebecca ✨🌈

“William Gregory MacDonald” by Veda Stone

“The Road Less Traveled” by Nainika Gupta

“The Torrid Travels of Teleporting Todd: A Todd Story” by Christopher Rothschild

“Elpis” by Katie Evans

“SIR WIGGLESWORTH IN GREEN TOWN” by Josephine Samuel

“The Gateway Rattle” by James Holgate

“The Cursed Town” by Wild Rose

“Sanctuary” by Kylie Wallis

“Ordinary” by Joshua G. J. Insole

“A Murder” by Niveeidha Palani

“The River of Jewels” by Colin Devonshire

“The Perfect Stranger” by Janetra Waters

“Perpignon. The best place for business meetings” by Valery Rubin

“Welcome to The Wrinkle ” by Alexander Katz

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story about strangers becoming friends, or friends becoming strangers.

Write about someone welcoming a stranger into their home.

Start your story in an empty guest room.

Write about a character who has to rely on the hospitality of strangers.

Contest #96

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

860

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: