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

“A Stranger in Boysenberry Falls” by Lyn Carstone

Submitted to Contest #96

Boysenberry Falls was a small town. Well, more of a spot in the road than a town. There was the blacksmith, the stable, the inn, the diner, six houses, and the general store. A few years ago that was plenty. But now more of the families were having children. Children who needed a teacher. Thomas glanced down at the catalog he had been studying. Primers were easy enough to come by. But someone would have to teach them to use their primers. Their parents were busy enough with their own work and they wouldn’t have the time, energy, or knowledge...

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“Passing Through” by Sean Tarzy

Submitted to Contest #96

With stringy hair, a muddy face, and a panting breath, a young woman stumbles into “Greely Green’s.” Her shirt, once white, is a matching dirt brown. Her ripped jeans reveal scrapes and blood at nearly every hole.Lee the bartender wipes the counter as he notices the stranger plop down on the stool in front of him. He tries to meet her gaze, but she buries her face in her arms. He then observes her head bob up and down and hears a faint sniffle. She’s crying. The girl lifts her ...

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“A Stranger Comes To Town” by Melinda Madrigal

Submitted to Contest #96

Oceanside is your typical everyday average town. Small shops line Main Street, people out and about. Kids running around playing, tourists coming to Oceanside for a dream vacation. What can you ask for in a town that is ranked No.1 in tourists destination?A mysterious stranger coming to Oceanside can ruin everything, and that's what happened. Early in the afternoon a mysterious man walked into Oceanside cafe. Nobody knew who this man was not even the mayor, and the mayor knows everyone. We all asked around to see if anyone knew who this man ...

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“Evelyn” by Nifemi Bola

Submitted to Contest #96

Waves crashing against the shore is the only sound keeping me company as I walk along the pavement. No birds singing. No lovers laughing with each other as the night takes over. Simply waves hitting the shore, demanding to be heard. I put my hands in my pockets to conserve warmth and face the ground so that the air can avoid attacking it. Many nights I have walked this street alone and I know it as a God knows the hairs on every person’s head...

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“The Wind that Bows and Curtseys ” by Alex Arias

Submitted to Contest #96

Wayra had heard of the stranger long before he saw them, knew how their dark woolen cloak skated over the fresh snow and left the earth glistening; how, when pressed with a bowl of potato stew they consumed the contents without bringing the bowl to their lips. For once in his short life, Wayra was faced with something he’d never encountered: a mystery. The corn picked off their stalks, his days were now filled with chopping timber and collecting kindling for the anticipated winter, so it wasn’t until dusk when he finally saw the stranger....

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“No Warranty” by Konest Atranger

Submitted to Contest #96

I ran. I don't like to run, but I ran, sprinting, and boy did I feel young. A nostalgic feeling entered the muscles that felt stiff from lack of use from what felt like years. Awful as it was, I'm glad I moved that suddenly, I'm glad I'm still sore, because even though I failed, at least I know I will not regret not trying. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am an old lady. A resident of Warrentoughfeald, a small, cursed town. Would say it was typical, and it was for some...

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“Our Town” by S U

Submitted to Contest #96

The day she arrived the town had an unusual gloom ligenring within it’s horizon. The town was veiled with dark clouds; as if the weather was reflecting people’s emotions itself. We had not been able to grow much crops. The misfits huddled together along the small roads, the misfits moving ever so slowly along the roads as equally gloomy vendors sold goods. She wore a rather extravagant cavalier hat with black eagle feather sticking out, way too blinding of an attire for the townspeople. Eyes started to leave their places to fixate at the str...

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“Bella's Life In Maldivia” by Laurie King

Submitted to Contest #96

Bella got off the bus and, wiping the dust off her boots, looked around her at the quaint small town of Maldivia, and sighed. She had just traveled 10 hours by bus and she had no idea where she was going to sleep, let alone what she was going to eat! She picked up her suitcase and trudged along the main street, towards the Captain’s Bed and Breakfast, and hoped she would find some friendly people there, who would be willing to help her out. She opened the door and a bell jingled, and pleasant women, wi...

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“In her footsteps grew little brown mushrooms” by N W

Submitted to Contest #96

The year after my mother disappeared, someone new wandered into our town. It wasn’t unusual to see new people - far from it, the little town was a well-known tourist overnight stop. What was strange is that he was alone and on foot, with no luggage and searching for something. My eyes lingered on him as I transferred groceries from the trolley into the car. His head turned slowly as he critically scanned the street, hood casting a shadow across his face. Our eyes met for a moment, he raised a hand in greeting, then blinked his strange eyes a...

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“Siblings? ” by Morbs Skele

Submitted to Contest #96

As the morning settled in on the little town, so did the mist. Thick air rolled through the hills and fields. It came every week at the least and for months in the spring it would thicken to a point you wouldn't be able to see the forest from the trees. Rae was the first to witness how thick this morning's fog was. Stepping outside to her porch, she faceda wall of mist. The road not ten feet ahead was invisible, lost inside the grey. She thought for a moment it had disappeared, as if the world had split in half. Yet headlights flicke...

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“When the stranger arrived.” by Quin Parsons

Submitted to Contest #96

The day began colourful, but cold, with crying birds in the sky, a sign of land being near. The sound sent our stranger from deep sleep to a slumbering wake. He woke in his bunk to find the day had dawned earlier than his rhythm had required him to. As he made his way to open-air, feelings of insecurity took hold as he saw the glowing and the land light up in the new light of day. He turned to find the captain at the helm of this virtuous vessel. “Good morning captain!” cried the stranger. “Lucky to lay eyes on land are we now?” “Ay, it ...

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“Searching for Bruce” by Donna McDougall

Submitted to Contest #96

As the plane taxied to the Terminal at Toronto's Pearson International, my energy plummeted. Breakfast, cardboard coffee, and a poached egg on toast, had been at eight that morning, San Francisco time. Too many hours, a continent away. A donut and more coffee would do now as I arranged the car rental, checked the GPS for Beaver Falls and lined up in commuter traffic on the 401. In an hour I exited on to the ramp to my destination, to connect with my son, Bruce. The coffee and donut worked. I focused and my energy surged. Signs along the road...

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“Mastermind” by Uzma Sanam

Submitted to Contest #96

It was a rainy evening. Rain drops were pouring heavily on the earth. Harsh was travelling to his home. He was sitting near the window watching the rain. He was returning to his home after five years.The rain reminds him of Reema.He recalls how he used to dance in the rain with Reema.'Hey, Harsh. It's raining outside. I am going to dance in the rain. Would you like to accompany me?' ,asked a voice knocking on the door.Harsh opened the door and saw Reema there.He looked at her furiously, held her hand and took her somewhere.Reema was confused...

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“The Town” by Ilona Bentsiwah

Submitted to Contest #96

Once upon a time, there was a man who entered a small town named Robbinsville. It was a town hidden away from society, not a lot of people were aware of it, nor did they know where it was located. It was an incredibly quiet town where everything was organized. Every morning the people would wake up, brush their teeth, take a shower, eat breakfast, and go to school or work at the same time and when they came home, they would eat dinner, brush their teeth, and go to bed all at the same time. They all had the same soap, same toothbrush, etc. Th...

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“The LeMoine Man” by Carmen Schaller

Submitted to Contest #96

“Have you heard about the LeMoine Man?” Castella said in low tones, watching Lark eagerly for signs of recognition. Lark, absently trailing her fingers over the hanging ribbons, merely sighed. “I’ve heard every little bit of gossip from here to Gaidlyn’s Castle thanks to you, Stell. Don’t you ever tire of it?” she replied. “Well, you certainly haven’t heard this,” said Castella, “Or you wouldn’t take it so wearily. This is no small snippet of gossip, it’s something bigger.” She paused, then cleared her throat dramatically when La...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 187 stories

“A Stranger in Boysenberry Falls” by Lyn Carstone

“Passing Through” by Sean Tarzy

“A Stranger Comes To Town” by Melinda Madrigal

“Evelyn” by Nifemi Bola

“The Wind that Bows and Curtseys ” by Alex Arias

“No Warranty” by Konest Atranger

“Our Town” by S U

“Bella's Life In Maldivia” by Laurie King

“In her footsteps grew little brown mushrooms” by N W

“Siblings? ” by Morbs Skele

“When the stranger arrived.” by Quin Parsons

“Searching for Bruce” by Donna McDougall

“Mastermind” by Uzma Sanam

“The Town” by Ilona Bentsiwah

“The LeMoine Man” by Carmen Schaller

🌟 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

858

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: