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

“Stay on the path” by Cole Lane

Submitted to Contest #96

*---------------------------------*Cue the creepy music!*---------------------------------*Hey, Earl, our friend here could use a cup of joe.I found him sleeping in his car out on exit 13.Sure thing, Sheriff, the man responds, sliding a cup of black coffee across the counter.What’s your name, friend?“Jack Whitaker,” I reply. God, my head is groggy.“Where are you coming from?”“California.” I reply, “I don’t even remember stopping. The fog was thick as mud though, I remember that.”“California? That’s swell.”“Yeah, I guess,”“Is there any way I ...

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“Envoy” by Sjan Evardsson

Submitted to Contest #96

Despite stereotypes to the contrary, many small towns remained cold and unfriendly, wildly suspicious of strangers. Doubly so for those outside that town’s main demographic. Skin color, dress, hairstyle, even accent were all excuses to ignore or outright shun strangers. How much more so when the stranger is not even the same species? The envoy landed quietly in the forest, far away from human eyes. This was her first assignment; assessment of humans to determine readiness to join The Community. They’d started exploring their own star system...

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“Howling Wind” by Pippin Took

Submitted to Contest #96

*Author’s Note: Xenia, Ohio, is a real place. I’m kinda using a metaphor here, enjoy* April 3rd, 1974 4:30 p.m. I sit on the porch swing, playing with a yo-yo. I got home from school an hour or so ago, and a bad storm is brewing. I go to Xenia High School in Ohio. Suddenly, a short figure walks up to me. My face relaxes into a grin. “Hey, what’s up?” I say to Amy, my best friend. She sits next to me and holds out a drawing. It’s of an angel, but it’s not of any angel I’ve ever seen. “Nothing much. So, Angela, what do you wanna do? ...

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“Stranger Ideas” by Kathleen March

Submitted to Contest #96

A figure has just appeared on the town green. The green that is sometimes called the town square or maybe something else. Not very many towns have something like that. Amherst, Massachusetts, perhaps, but not very many more. Parking lots have taken over most towns, or there are stores with no justification for being there.The figure makes no attempt to hide, but it also walks among the stands at the outdoor farmers' market on the green, apparently unnoticed. People are busy buying local produce and discussing a variety of topics. They don't ...

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“This Is Not A Dream” by Jay Luuu

Submitted to Contest #96

Loud banging on my door jerks me awake, almost making me fall from my bed in the process. The glare of the moonlight from my bedside window strikes my eyes as I rub them vigorously as if that would somehow shake away the hold of sleep. I try to ignore it, but after five minutes of nonstop banging, I force myself up. I search for my fluffy bunny slippers on the floor while the banging continues. At this point, it’s really starting to irritate me. But for once, I’m glad that the power is still out. Otherwise, they’d learn how to use a thing ca...

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“A Chance Meeting” by Babika Goel

Submitted to Contest #96

Ursmouth is a tiny town in Saudi Arabia near Riyadh, its society a little unvarying. As a result, any visitor to this place would draw a lot of attention."Adra, I have never seen such a handsome man," her friend Anne exclaimed as she broke the news to her. She had seen him at the church gathering and had come over to Adra's worried about not being able to find her."How come you didn't show up?" Are you in good health? Your father was worried, you speak very little these days, are you alright? The priest hardly remembered the visitor's name i...

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“The Stranger” by Blue Green

Submitted to Contest #96

The hedgerow rustled with life as the man walked alongside. Insects droned in the warm evening air, dancing in zigzag patterns that perhaps formed a secret communication, but he had never worked it out. A blackbird warbled it’s throaty and melodious song from somewhere nearby, and was answered by a companion in the distance. He could hear a small creature, probably a mouse, scampering in the undergrowth to his left. It emerged, scuttling across his path before diving into the other hedgerow on the opposite side. Everything should be right wi...

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“Etherium” by Alisa Burdick

Submitted to Contest #96

The crash lit up the sky somewhere outside of the small town of Shaysville, Tennessee. Lucy Jindrak cleaned the counter of the diner. Her boss, Myra, watched the blaze light up the sky as the Weeknd's song "Blinding Lights" played on the radio. Myra''s husband, Red, ran out of the office. "Ladies, stay here. I'll go see what that was." "Be careful, Honey." Myra said. They quickly kissed as Red ran to the site. Myra sat trying not to cry. "He's gonna be okay, Myra. Nothing is going to happen to him." A few minutes later, Red returned with a ...

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“A Stranger in Paradise” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #96

An attractive blonde woman in her early twenties limped along a gravel road. Her hair was disheveled, and her clothes appeared filthy from the swirling gusts of wind the followed her path like demonic phantoms circling in wait of her demise. Up ahead, she noticed a blue sign riddled with holes from what seemed to be shotgun blasts. The faded white letters on the sign read, “Welcome to Paradise. Population 985” &...

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“Letters from the Time Traveller's Wife” by Drei Etsocal

Submitted to Contest #96

Dear Amelie, Kian Everett. Yes that's his name. An outlandish boy arrived in our town today. Or was that yesterday? Anyhow, I've seen him here for the first time. Mother told me to shop at the market and I happen to see him go to Mr. Linquist's bookshop, the Book Lore. He would perchance work there. Surely, you would not ruminate him if I just tell you that so I'll delineate how he looks from head to toe that makes him so peculiar. His hair has flaming ends on each strand going brunette as it reaches the roots. He's looks like a ragamuff...

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“A Stranger Enters the Salty Kraken” by Amanda Fox

Submitted to Contest #96

I had just finished my second pint of ale when the stranger walked into the tavern. Let me rephrase that. The stranger literally kicked in the door to the tavern which was an immediately unpopular move, but no one wanted to say anything because this particular stranger was easily a head taller than anyone else in the room and oh Gods the muscles on him were bigger around than the stool I was sitting on. Ahem. As one might expect, a hush fell over the townspeople. The Salty Kraken was a hoppin’ place pretty much all the time...

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“Beautiful stranger” by Spescozia Juma

Submitted to Contest #96

We were all frozen by the arrival of this young man in our town. We could tell from his disheveled appearance that he had not rested, eaten or slept for days.As he entered the town he heavily fell on the ground with a thud, we were all startled by this scene, we had butterflies in our stomach you could tell this for everyone was hesitant to help the young man rise up from the ground. He was groaning in pain, his quavering voices were little bit pitiful, it become unsteady, a little like a stutter. John who was a youth leader i...

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“ Garnet ” by Christine Folan

Submitted to Contest #96

Adelaide Runner’s cow died the morning the stranger first came to town. It had been ailing for weeks and had been unable to give over any milk. Adelaide had known for some time that the cow would have to be put out of its misery, yet she could not help putting off her part in such an event. She hoped every morning that the thing had taken things into its control and simply died in its sleep. As Adelaide stood over the cold and rigid corpse of her last heifer, swatting away the worst of the summer dust and flies, she considered ...

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“The Stranger” by Sriya Kannepalli

Submitted to Contest #96

A dinging noise emitted from my front door. I looked up from my book, wondering who it could be. It was 7:02 a.m. in the morning, and the whole town should've been asleep. I tiptoed to the door and peeked through the window. A man, probably in his 30s, was standing there, peeking back at me. I muttered to myself more than to him, "Who are you?" then opened the door a bit. The man waved, then straightened his jacket. "Er, hello," I said, scanning him from head-to-toe. He seemed...normal, but he didn't seem like he'd live here. He looked lik...

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“Clubfoot Johnny” by Michael Woods

Submitted to Contest #96

Night falls over the small town of Crescent Sound. The dark form of a lone stranger slowly makes his way down the main street to the only bar in town. He walks with a limp and with each step, drags a clubfoot behind him that moves with a motion, in respect to the rest of his body, like a reluctant child being dragged off by a parent to the first day of school. The door creaks on its hinges as the visitor enters an establishment called Todd's Place - named after its owner. He limps over to the bar and asks the bartender for a shot of whiskey....

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 187 stories

“Stay on the path” by Cole Lane

“Envoy” by Sjan Evardsson

“Howling Wind” by Pippin Took

“Stranger Ideas” by Kathleen March

“This Is Not A Dream” by Jay Luuu

“A Chance Meeting” by Babika Goel

“The Stranger” by Blue Green

“Etherium” by Alisa Burdick

“A Stranger in Paradise” by Greg Gillis

“Letters from the Time Traveller's Wife” by Drei Etsocal

“A Stranger Enters the Salty Kraken” by Amanda Fox

“Beautiful stranger” by Spescozia Juma

“ Garnet ” by Christine Folan

“The Stranger” by Sriya Kannepalli

“Clubfoot Johnny” by Michael Woods

🌟 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: