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

“Shadow of a Soul” by Jacob Dan

Submitted to Contest #96

(Warning: May be graphic.)From my window, I catch the glimpse of a shadow, on his knees, crawling on the shore from his paddleboat. He inaudibly retches on the sand, gets on his feet, and stands in one place, not moving, the gentle wind moving his cloak in the air.No, he is not a shadow, but merely a darkly cloakedman. We have not had a living soul enter this town, not in a while. A while? Along time, it seems. Long enough to be a fable; a myth of a story ourgrandparents told us, from their grandparent’s time—a time long ago, a time noteven ...

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“The Uninvited” by Vanessa Rudd

Submitted to Contest #96

The sound of horse hooves galloping was distinctly heard in the town as it was early in the morning and the streets were still deserted. The wheels of the carriage rattled on the rutty road as a few women stood atop their porch steps, curious to see who had graced them with their presence at this forsaken town. All they could see was a man in a long coat and a top hat, pulling on the reigns of the horses with gloved hands. His black steed was strong with a silky mane. The wind seemed to whisper his name but it was inaudible. As he neared the...

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“Masked Admiration” by Udhay .

Submitted to Contest #96

His death was silent, but resonated through everyone.I can still vividly recall his arrival. As though it occurred just yesterday. One day the town was how it always was, then all of a sudden, one man arrived, and sent a ripple through the natural course of everyone’s lives.Ours was a small town, with a small population, filled with people who lived small lives, and worked small jobs. Things were generally rather mundane, so when we were informed that the town would be receiving a new visitor, and that he would be my neighbour, we were all q...

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“A Game of Chance” by Ophelia McBride

Submitted to Contest #96

A Game of Chance There was nothing remarkable about this town, and many locals stared at you as you walked down its dusty streets, as if the very idea of a visitor in this ghost town was as the people themselves. They dressed in apparel fit for kings, as if them walking in and out of stores with busted out windows and rusty door handles would make the town any more welcoming. If one would stop for a moment, they would wonder how they got such fine material when the town was far from any major sellers. But no one stayed for very long here. ...

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“So Close Away” by Amrita Ghosh

Submitted to Contest #96

It was just another peaceful afternoon in the quaint little town of Beledonna . The people were finally retiring, exhausted from their day's work .The streets were so quiet. One or two store owners could still be seen pulling down the shutters. A group of sophisticated women were busy gossiping about their so called new discoveries of the day, and debating on who's story was the most chucklesome. The train lazily chugged into the last station. The treetops were nodding along with the gentle breeze.So this day was no different from ...

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“Magic Mischief Makers” by Annalisa D.

Submitted to Contest #96

*warning of sucidal ideation content and reference to a suicide. My town is so small that strangers stick out like an albino alligator in a congregation of the regular dark olive colored ones. Some people find this cozy, some find it suffocating. To me living in this town feels like when someone accidentally walks in on you in the shower. All the time. This town makes it so hard to breathe, I wish I had some kind of fancy, magic inhaler. Luckily, I won’t be here much longer. Anyway, nothin...

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“The man with the limp” by Lize-Faith Kruger

Submitted to Contest #96

It had been common knowledge for the simple folk not to leave their house past midnight. This western world wasn't one for excitement, the best bet for a little action would be bandits seeking refuge and the sheriff being to old to do his job letting them stay. The darkness spawned the monster and creatures curious for the taste of human flesh. Past midnight, through the witching hours until the break of sunlight. Those were dangerous hours. Not even the bravest of men set foot out past midnight. Yet the whistle and limping of a strange man ...

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“Sunset and the Stranger” by Angela Morrissey

Submitted to Contest #96

Dusty wind blew across the high plains as a stranger drove into town. He cruised along the road looking through sunglasses with his arm rested on the open car window. He drove a 1964 Ford Thunderbird with the AM radio blaring out classic Oz Rock. On the seat beside him was a newspaper with the headlines screaming: “Troops Ship out to the Persian Gulf.” It was late 1990 and this airman was soon to be sent to Iraq. He needed a place to stay for the night and a place to drown his sorrows before he was shipped off. He got...

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“Green” by Ikechukwu Iwuagwu

Submitted to Contest #96

It was a Tuesday afternoon as the sun hung boldly unto the sky gleaming upon all below. Mr. Johnson had just got off the airplane in Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, and was immediately led into the already waiting Sedan car with a motorcade. Mr. Johnson, a United Nations envoy, was on a three day visit to Kenya in order to sensitize and throw more light on the issue of global warming and its dangers as an effort by the United Nations to battle this looming disaster. Mr. Johnson was to meet the Kenyan F...

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“Wolf at the Door” by Katie Ingold

Submitted to Contest #96

The roar of a motorcycle in front of the bar drowned out the jukebox stuck on a classic rock song. Everyone in the place turned to the door. Living in a small town, you knew who belonged here and who didn’t. And we all knew no one around here had a motorcycle. When the door opened, I nearly swallowed my tongue. In walked my every fantasy. He removed his helmet, revealing eyes so dark they looked black from where I stood behind the bar. They matched his hair, brushing along his shoulders as he shook it out and ran a hand through it. He took...

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“The Unconventional Man” by Brian Tanguay

Submitted to Contest #96

The first time I saw the unconventional man was when he stepped off the bus at the corner of Lexington and 22nd street. He wore faded jeans with rips in the knees. He had mismatched wool socks poking out of unlaced sneakers. The brim of his Red Sox hat sat low near the nape of his neck and was frayed along the edge. In his right hand, he carried a leather satchel. The kind that doctors used to carry when they still made house calls. And his eyes were hidden, walled behind twin shields of blackened glass rimmed in stainless steel.He stepped o...

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“Mamas Advice” by Ran Stites

Submitted to Contest #96

Mama always told me I was too naive. She said that my dysfunctional brain would soon enough be fucked by someone more defective than myself, and sure enough, she was right. She would always insult me under her breath, you know? But I loved my mama, the same way she loved me. I remember the way that she would pull my hair, as she brushed it, the innocent reminder that she was in charge no matter the circumstances. I thanked her, I really did. I let her know how grateful I was that she made me into who I am today. I would´ve never been this st...

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“"A New Start"” by Samantha Tong

Submitted to Contest #96

Splish...splash. The rain was pouring down and it was freezing outside. The Tang family was shivering under a cave. That was the only place they could find shelter at. They had a thin blanket that wrapped around them. " M-mom," said Jade. She was 11 and the only child. " I-it's really c-cold," she said shivering her teeth chatting. She was wearing short sleeves and some pink shorts. They had just escaped Mr. Smith who treated them badly. They were also poor and had no where else to go. " I know honey," her mom said sympatheticly. " Once ...

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“Sive Peregrinus” by Violet Lake

Submitted to Contest #96

Novis was a small knit community, a town where everybody knew each other. It’s a quiet town where even the slightest whisper spread throughout, like a gust of wind working within a storm. One could only imagine the town’s reaction to a new figure, a man wearing a dirty old trench coat, styled with a top hat and finished in feathers with random odds and ends, marching upon Main Street with a staff in hand, as if to command an army. Whispers filled the shops and gossip about the old man voiced within the locals. “He looks like he hasn’t show...

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“Mother Nature” by Marie McLaughlin

Submitted to Contest #96

In a quiet Valley, by a lake and forest, there was a peaceful farming village. The Farmers tended to the land and lived humble, but happy lives. Mother Nature watched over the world from her sanctuary in a glade in a deep forest. Mother Nature was worried about the villagers becoming selfish from the Bountiful Harvests she provided them, so she decided to test the villagers in a most ingenious way. Every day she would visit the homes of the villagers in disguise to determine their character. A family of a husband, a wife, and 2 daughters w...

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

Submissions are closed

✍️ 187 stories

“Shadow of a Soul” by Jacob Dan

“The Uninvited” by Vanessa Rudd

“Masked Admiration” by Udhay .

“A Game of Chance” by Ophelia McBride

“So Close Away” by Amrita Ghosh

“Magic Mischief Makers” by Annalisa D.

“The man with the limp” by Lize-Faith Kruger

“Sunset and the Stranger” by Angela Morrissey

“Green” by Ikechukwu Iwuagwu

“Wolf at the Door” by Katie Ingold

“The Unconventional Man” by Brian Tanguay

“Mamas Advice” by Ran Stites

“"A New Start"” by Samantha Tong

“Sive Peregrinus” by Violet Lake

“Mother Nature” by Marie McLaughlin

🌟 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: