Write a story that begins in the light and ends in darkness, or the other way around.

Posted in Horror on Oct 26, 2022

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✍️ 383 stories

“Lifeline” by Mia Manumit

Submitted to Contest #92

A yearning propelled me forward. Freezing water lapped over my toes and made me gasp. I hesitated. Resolutely, I took a deep breath and shuffled a few more inches in. The murky water eddied around my ankles, but I already felt like I was in over my head. What was I thinking?Over my shoulder, onlookers gathered on shore. “It’s a cold world out there,” they warned.The older ones huddled in their cozy blankets, staying warm and dry and safe. The younger ones built castles on the sand, watched the surf melt them, then started over.Yes,...

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“"Initiation into the spirit manhood" ” by Philip Ebuluofor

Submitted to Contest #92

When you are around 13 to 16 years, as a boy, some traditional cultures dress one like a magnet. That was exactly the situation I was in at that age. Some the cultures most guys at the age took part in, my family was not interested in such cultures. But what consumes ones thought, actions and speeches must have mattered to the person, if not, why do it disturb ones sleep?. It was so in my youths days to the extent that I usually walks miles to the village square, go to friends that were inclined to and took joy in discussing exploit...

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“Candles” by Ed .

Submitted to Contest #92

CW: fire The candle flickered. When the night howled. It was the source of light everyone needed. Darkness fighted back but cowarded away, waiting for a time to return. Even the wax burned away into the unknown The candle danced. As it lit up the world of gloom. All the children’s fears would sink away and evaporate into the damp air. All ghosts would howl and run as the light spreads like a bushfire. All monsters under beds would growl and sneak away into the dead of night. Spiders would crawl and hide. Light would win the batt...

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“THROWING LIGHT” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #92

(This story is set on a small island state in the planet GAIA2 which is earth’s twin though backward by about 800 years and is still evolving.) Awake! For morning in the bowl of night/Has flung the stone that puts the stars to flight/I start a story I will tell you anon/Of a Chief which I now start upon. The Chief who was head of the island was tall wide and handsome. He was young too and was a law unto himself. That morning he was in his garden looking at the plants and flowers and the butterflies darting amidst them Hearing a noise he turn...

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“Towards Twilight” by Angel Merin

Submitted to Contest #92

It was about the daybreak. Davey was confused about the place that seemed to be an orange field because it smelled orange blooms. He could barely see the beam of early sun through the crowd of leaves. It’s been 12 hours since he fell from the collapsed helicopter SE202 of the Southeast Army. He can’t muster up the energy to stand .He can feel each and every single joint of his body aching. He couldn’t recognize the place. The only thing he understood was he was somewhere in an island because he could hear the sound of the calm ocean. H...

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“Thursday Thing” by Patrick Druid

Submitted to Contest #92

Author note: My mother recently passed away last week so I wrote this story to sort of help me to process this experience in some way.The night had covered the sky and the rain began to pelt the roof of the building. The thunder cracked and rumbled as if a mighty engine was suddenly coming to life and then stopped all of sudden as the echoes faded into the air.The sound made Ms. Smith wake up with a start. She found herself in a hard, plastic chair that was joined by a steel bar to other chairs. There was a television fastened to the ch...

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“Halloween” by Amanda Lieser

Submitted to Contest #92

I’m eighteen years old, sitting in the chair behind the hotel desk. It’s Halloween night. Tara told me that the night went surprisingly smoothly for a holiday. All of the guests have been checked in and the Mini Market has been fully stocked. I clocked in at 10:50pm on October 31st. I waved Tara out the door to her Halloween party while trying not to beg her to stay with me. The lobby is well lit and the TV plays a worn out sitcom, but I take comfort in the laugh track. Out of cowardice, I decide to head into the laundry room directly behind...

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“Falling” by Bri C.

Submitted to Contest #92

It’s like frolicking in a field of sunflowers. Like the fresh April rain. It’s pure bliss, clear happiness. The feeling of overpowering joy washes over me, like nothing can stop me. I watch the days go by with a smile on my face. I don’t think a second thought about anything I do. I carelessly do what I want, not worried about the consequences. The acts of the child I am. I play around with my family and friends, not a worry in the world. I don’t yet know of what lurks behind the corner. Day after day, year after year. I’m happy. I ha...

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“Being Freed With Light” by Lakendra Jackson

Submitted to Contest #92

A young girl named Ashley made her way out the door to make her way to school. It was hot and sunny but I lovely day for smiles around. She walked and walked singing her favorite song when she looked around and realized something. There were no people around and the sky started to turn black. This darkness hit her little town so quickly that she did not know what was going on. It was so dark that she could not even see her house or anything around her. Asley started feeling like everything was closing in on her and she did not know how ...

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“Nora and Patty” by Anthony David M

Submitted to Contest #92

Nora smiled. She had just lied admirably. Or so she thought. They were asking her about her educational qualifications. Inflating her grades and achievements seemed so easy to do. "What if they go back to the University and check?" a single thought flickered for a while in her mind. But she quickly brushed it away. She was so used to live a life of lies. But deep in her heart, she detested the lies and the dark web she was in. How do I get out of this whirlpool? she wondered off and on. But she found it hard to behave otherwise, strangely. ...

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“Half Notes” by Sawyer Oaks

Submitted to Contest #92

Alexandria sat at the piano, her fingers hovering over the keys. A breath waited expectantly on her lips as the song itched at her fingers. She waited. Waited for that moment when the emotion overtook her and she could do nothing but play. Waited for the bright yellows and oranges that steered her senses. But inside her was vast nothingness. Alexandria set her hands in her lap, her eyes growing damp. There was nothing she could do. There had been no music in her soul since that day. Since a single moment and a few words changed her life....

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“I Saw the Light” by Jack Karolewski

Submitted to Contest #92

I SAW THE LIGHT I was nine years old in 1960, and was living with my family on the South Side of Chicago. Our house was small – around 875 square feet, built of wood for my maternal grandparents in 1898 – with one area used as a bedroom by my two sisters, one bathroom, one bedroom for my parents, and one tiny bedroom for me. There was a kitchen, a dining room, a living room, and also a basement. We lived a few blocks from both the steel mills and Lake M...

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“Gloom” by Greg Gillis

Submitted to Contest #92

The year is unknown, for the time is difficult to track in the Town of Gloom. Days and nights seem as one. Light has not broken through the darkened skies in several generations. Most people in the town lead a mundane life wearing clothing that lack bright colors, and instead consist of several shades of grey or black. Many of the townspeople work at the powerplant in town for a very wealthy, yet stingy man by t...

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“Prescient Patient” by David Brown

Submitted to Contest #92

For the tenth night in a row, I only managed to sleep for about an hour before perspiration and panic pulled me from the persistent dream tumult. As I gasped for breath, a lurid bolt of lightning immediately accompanied by a strident thunderclap shook my bedposts and divided the midnight for but a second before plunging my sparse bedroom back into utter blackness. I threw aside my dampened sheet into the oppressive shadows and cowered in the fetal position until my body stopped trembling.The storm outside began to subside as I tried to recal...

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“Lord and Lady Wed” by Rosemary DeTrolio

Submitted to Contest #92

Lord and Lady Wed Written by Rosemary DeTrolio, Mother of the groom Lord and Lady set a date— 2015 on August 8. Perfect love, strong and true, they tied the knot and left for the Manor. He in knight’s garb he led. She in a priceless dress and shoes of red to signify a life well led. But Gremlin of Despair hid at the gate. He hatched a plan to spoil their date. “Such love as this I have never seen. It scares me and it makes me green!” So, Gremlin hatched an evil plan to stea...

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Write a story that begins in the light and ends in darkness, or the other way around.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 383 stories

“Lifeline” by Mia Manumit

“"Initiation into the spirit manhood" ” by Philip Ebuluofor

“Candles” by Ed .

“THROWING LIGHT” by Sivaram Govindaraj

“Towards Twilight” by Angel Merin

“Thursday Thing” by Patrick Druid

“Halloween” by Amanda Lieser

“Falling” by Bri C.

“Being Freed With Light” by Lakendra Jackson

“Nora and Patty” by Anthony David M

“Half Notes” by Sawyer Oaks

“I Saw the Light” by Jack Karolewski

“Gloom” by Greg Gillis

“Prescient Patient” by David Brown

“Lord and Lady Wed” by Rosemary DeTrolio

🌟 Similar prompts

End your story with a truth coming to light.

Set your story in a countryside house that’s filled with shadows.

Write about a character who thinks they have a sun allergy.

Write a story set in a city where the power suddenly goes out, leaving everyone in darkness.

Contest #92

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

1051

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: