Write a story in which characters are warned not to go into the woods.

Posted in Mystery on Jan 7, 2021

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✍️ 98 stories

“A Prisoner of Guilt” by Prachi Mishra

Submitted to Contest #16

I look up to see the sun begin to hide behind the comfort of the horizon as the sky changes to an orange hue. I wish I had a horizon to hide behind. From my spot up on the hill, no one could bother me for a few miles and I wouldn’t have to worry about them. I enjoyed doing this whenever life became too much to cope with and I needed to take a step back to breathe. I can’t do that at my home with my mother’s constant fake smiles that try their best to conceal her red, swollen eyes. She’s been crying a lot since it happened five months ago. I’...

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“The Monsters that Lie Here” by Jayden Mendez

Submitted to Contest #16

Embers few into the sky, lighting up the eyes of a little mousy, nine-year-old boy named Renan. His small face, pointy nose, and buck teeth glowed in the light of the roaring fire. The timid boy sat huddled between his two parents, staring at the town Elder as his monotonous voice drew out the story of their ancestors. "Long ago, before the great Medicinars created the cures that healed that of the Roaring Sickness, a group of pilgrims came upon a lowly valley. They forged an icy river down from the land of the Drought, and settled here. Thi...

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“Shortcut” by Alma Celia

Submitted to Contest #16

Jasmine was tired of all the efforts she made that doesn't give any results. She had tried everything she could to get her a job that at least would pay her rent and stop her from starving. Everyone in her apartment complex had been talking dirty about her because of her being jobless. They even said that she was an idiot for not getting any job at all.With determination, she got herself ready for her trip to the Green Hills forest, where a magical waterfall, named Moon Waterfall, located. The Green Hill forest was also associated with myste...

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“The Murky Darkness ” by Tracia Tucker

Submitted to Contest #16

My grandmother lived in the country. My brother & I would visit every summer. She owned a beautiful huge plot of land which consisted of deep green pastures, hills filled with lavender flowers, & all the way in the back there was the woods. She would let us play in the pastures & on the hills but she always warned us not to go near the woods. She never told us why, when we would ask why she simply would say "no one knows who lurks within the murky darkness." That phrase always frighten my brother & I. Yet, this summer we were...

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“Small Town Charm” by Hance Theodore

Submitted to Contest #16

A chubby, red headed nine-year-old boy sits helplessly on the pavement, blood running form his nose, lip busted. A feisty, freckled face brunette with hazel eyes stands over him like a guardian angel, wielding a baseball bat. She looks on in the distance and watches two older boys speed away in frantic fashion on their bicycles, “crazy bitch!”, yells one of the boys as he rides away. “That’s right, ride away you jerks, next time pick on someone your own size!”, yells the gutsy girl, who must be half the size of the helpless kid on the paveme...

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“Attack of the Dead Presidents” by Stevie Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #16

The rain has stopped, but only barely. “Finally!” I shout to the empty room. I can feel my cabin fever drop from my shoulders like a heavy coat. I wouldn’t say I love walking, but I do love the idea, and after being cooped up in this house for a solid week I need to stretch my legs. There’s a wooded area behind my house I find especially enticing on days like this, so before the rain can harass me anymore, I’m getting my tennis shoes on and taking one of those rare walks that I enjoy thinking about so much. I’m surprised by t...

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“Arbortherium” by Christopher Wyer

Submitted to Contest #16

The forest wasn't there last night.Gramma said it was a miracle, Papi said it was the Devil's work. The younger Winks didn't know what to make of it. The farm had sat squarely in the centre of nowhere, arable land that reached to the horizon. A horizon the forest now obscured. They had set out on their bikes as they did every weekend they went to visit their Grandparents, Viola had her metal detector and her Papi's trowel in her backpack, and Lucian had his camera. They had explored as much of the great open fields as much as anyone could ha...

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“ The Nightingale Catcher” by Babbs Davis

Submitted to Contest #16

Finding the witch’s house again should have been easy. Gretel kicked a dense layer of moldering leaves blanketing the primeval forest floor. Stupid, she thought. Should have accepted Hansel’s offer to draw map. A gray mouse scurried across the young woman’s sturdy hiking boot. “Nibble, nibble, little mouse,” Gretel said and smiled–her usual good humor restored. A chill autumn wind blew. Gretel shivered. She tucked her long, blond braid inside the fleec...

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“The Whisper of Wood” by Rachael Wu

Submitted to Contest #16

It was the very first lesson Owyn was taught: do not go into the wood. She could step into anything else – candlelight, instruments, raindrops – but wood was always banned. Every child grew up coddled by warnings about the dangers of wood; it was the cornerstone to Kaldor’s survival.The precaution almost seemed unnecessary – children were not taught about Fluidity until they were going on six, and those gifted with the ability were seldom identified before eight. An exceptionally strong-willed or studious Fluid might be revealed around seven...

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“To Eat You With, My Dear” by Autumn Peercy

Submitted to Contest #16

Once I was told a story about a time when we weren’t afraid of the forest, a better world in which we could run far without getting lost. It was my Grandfather’s golden days of when he was a cub, his prideful youth spent under the canopy of evergreen treetops. Now it’s gray all over; in the skies and under foot. I am not as gray as the world seems.There was a time once when I’d obey every rule of the Alpha and this rule above all not because it was what the pack had forbade me but for the fear of going in and none to come a...

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“The Winds” by MaKenzie Meeker

Submitted to Contest #16

On October 30th a few college students from ESU (East Stroudsburg University) wanted to go on a spooky trip to set the mood for Halloween the next day. They were staying in Fujinomiya, Japan as a trip for their school break. Alex found a cabin a few miles from a forest for only $200 for a week and told his friends about it. Justin, Max, Olivia and Mary were all excited. They spent the next couple of days talking about it at lunch and after classes. The day has finally come. They have all of their things packed into their duffel bags and they...

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“Dark” by Carri Macek

Submitted to Contest #16

The trees moan against the harsh winds, leaves dancing by us. “I don’t like this.” Elise grabs her flashlight tighter, “Oh come on Elli! Don’t be a wimp.” Shanay teases her. “You know she’s not the only one who’s not loving this idea.” My eyes send daggers her way as I speak, “You guys can’t be serious! These woods are ancient, no one has ever actually been killed in these woods. They would’ve found a body.” Shanay defends. “Are you high?! Just because no one finds a body doesn’t mean that they’re not dead!” I throw my hands up in the air. ...

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“Forsaken” by Tuscani Orris

Submitted to Contest #16

“Don’t do it, Kenz! Don’t go into those woods! You won’t come back!“ Those were the last words I had heard from my brother. His voice was shaky and consumed with fear. But as usual, I rebelled. “Why should I listen to you?” The more they warned me to stay away, the more the urge and curiosity swelled up inside me. It didn’t matter what anyone said anymore. I was determined to venture off into the woods. Surely, they were all just paranoid cowards. I kept forcing myself to believe that everything was a lie, that they were just trying to prove...

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“The Forest” by Laura Todd

Submitted to Contest #16

Granny Winnie is a witch. And the forest behind her cottage is cursed. The townsfolk don’t go near it and even animals stay away. Granny always tells us never to go into the forest alone. There are too many trees, all close together. Light barely reaches the forest floor. Once you go in you’ll lose your way and you won’t come back out. My sister Nancy takes the warning seriously. She’s older than me and wiser, I follow in her lead. Our brother Peter doesn’t believe, he thinks it’s just a scary story to keep us from wandering away. “It’s only...

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“Stay Out of the Woods” by Emmalee Everett

Submitted to Contest #16

Every since I was a child I was told to stay out of the woods on the outskirts of town. For a while I thought it was because of my horrible sense of direction and my parents were simply worried I would get lost, but when I got older I began noticing that people who went in those woods didn’t come out. The first time I really noticed was the time my friend Leo went in on a dare. It was just supposed to be a stupid high school party trick to freak everyone out before we went back inside and got even drunker than we already were. ...

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Write a story in which characters are warned not to go into the woods.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 98 stories

“A Prisoner of Guilt” by Prachi Mishra

“The Monsters that Lie Here” by Jayden Mendez

“Shortcut” by Alma Celia

“The Murky Darkness ” by Tracia Tucker

“Small Town Charm” by Hance Theodore

“Attack of the Dead Presidents” by Stevie Aldrich

“Arbortherium” by Christopher Wyer

“ The Nightingale Catcher” by Babbs Davis

“The Whisper of Wood” by Rachael Wu

“To Eat You With, My Dear” by Autumn Peercy

“The Winds” by MaKenzie Meeker

“Dark” by Carri Macek

“Forsaken” by Tuscani Orris

“The Forest” by Laura Todd

“Stay Out of the Woods” by Emmalee Everett

🌟 Similar prompts

Write a story around the theme: Be careful what you wish for.

Write a story that involves love at first sight.

Write a rags-to-riches story.

Write a story about a character on a quest, trying to "prove themselves."

Contest #16

Enter our weekly contest!

$50

Prize money

315

Contest entries

0

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: