Write a story where a creature turns up in an unexpected way.

Posted in Short Story on Oct 25, 2024

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✍️ 98 stories

“Run Away” by Keba Ghardt

Submitted to Contest #274

Sheriff Broadmoor removed his hat. “We got to the cabin.”Andrea glanced over the sheriff’s shoulder at his cruiser’s empty back seat. “And?”“Do you mind if I step inside?”Checking her watch, Andrea huffed. “Fine.” She stepped away from the door and turned off the ring light around her webcam. “You want coffee? Something stronger?”“No, thank you.”“Mind if I do?”“Ma’am—”“Ma’am,” Andrea mimicked, bending over to survey the open fridge. “Listen to Mister Official.”The sheriff coughed and tapped the side of his body cam. “Ma’am, I have some serio...

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“Blasphemous Visitor” by D.M. Woolston

Submitted to Contest #274

I used to think that home security was supposed to improve the quality of life. The new system I installed a few nights ago, though, is giving me nightmares. My sleep is not sound. I toss and turn while imagining a malignant stranger entering the house. So much evil they could do if they caught me or my wife unaware. Our children have grown and moved away. The quiet is no longer welcoming. I own a 9mm Beretta, but I’ve only shot it once in the sanitized arena of an air-conditioned gun range. My wife can’t believe that I’d ever shoot an...

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“The Uncontrolled Growth of Pit” by James Scott

Submitted to Contest #274

Gareth ripped his hand away from the sharp pain that cut across his palm. The instinctive reaction likely saved his fingers from his own stupidity. He dropped the pair of pruning shears to the ground and pulled off the thick gardening gloves, sending a splash of his own blood to paint red across the fruit tree’s blossoms like some twisted version of Alice in Wonderland’s roses. He let out a relieved sigh to see only a minor slice to his palm and shook his hand out in an effort to dispel the throbbing, which only served to further splatter th...

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“The Unwanted Unicorn ” by Edward J. McCoul

Submitted to Contest #274

“The Unwanted Unicorn” By Edward J. McCoul It all started on a perfectly ordinary Tuesday. Twelve-year-old Max was home alone, nose-deep in a video game when he heard a loud, wet sloshing sound from the backyard. That was strange. He muted his game and listened. There it was again—a sound like someone was pouring oatmeal into a bucket. He crept to the back door, cracked it open, and peeked outside. And there, in the middle of his mom’s prize rose bushes, was the last thing he ever expected to see. A unicorn. It wasn’t quite what he had imagi...

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“Repeat To Me My Mother's Grief” by Josie Green

Submitted to Contest #274

Thick sprawling fog smothered her car as young Professor Evelyn Cripps drove onwards. In her rearview mirror, the fog drew together hiding any trace of her- ahead the fog was so dense even her fog lights couldn’t penetrate the wanton whiteness. Evelyn nervously tucked a blonde curl behind her ear and glanced at the pile of papers that had, once, been neatly contained in a binder. As a child, she remembered being intrigued by tales of the supernatural, and this intrigue had continued as she grew older. Now she longed to discover the true insp...

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“The Grey Pall” by Calum Mathison

Submitted to Contest #274

"Anomaly detected. Altitude decreasing. Warning: collision imminent. Pull up. Pull up. Pull up." - - - A thundering echo in the distance caused Elyse to awake with a sudden gasp as her body jolted against her intact safety harness. The ship, a small short range reconnaissance fighter, Eclipse-class, was silent now, but its alarms still echoed in her ears. She patted herself down, checking for injuries, wincing as her hand pressed to her side. Looking at her reflection in the now shattered safety glass of the cockpit, she could see some minor...

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“Occulalia” by Gwen Hey

Submitted to Contest #274

TW: Vomit, Gore I didn’t know it at the time, but my desiccated and undead body had lay dormant and waiting under the ground for almost a century.Mother had escaped from Fathers car on the way to a lobotomy screening, supposedly to fix her many bouts of ‘hysteria’ that Father had felt so burdened by, and disappeared into the night. You’ll forgive me for not knowing how cruel and inhumane the whole thing was at the time, I hope. The education system was violently terrible, especially for girls, and I spent all of my teenage years managing the...

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“The Dooms of a Reptilian Boy” by Philip Alexander

Submitted to Contest #274

The boy at the counter resembled a skeleton with a thin layer of skin on. He was busy looking at a fly. He was unblinking, mesmerized by the flying pest, a pale countenance taut with concentration. His round head bobbled on a swivel, jerking frantically from side to side like a psych ward patient waiting for his meds to kick in. The fly settled on a lamp. The glow of the bulb illuminated the little hairy body and voluminous dark eyes. The counter boy eyed it moving along the covering of the shade, hypnotized. His big emerald eyes shone ...

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“The Predator of Stowe Hills” by Eddie Collins

Submitted to Contest #274

“Hey”-Jada touched the TSA's wrist-“be careful with that,” she said. The man raised his hands in the air and gently sat the camera down. “What’s with all the…cameras?” He asked. “You two photographers…or sum’?” “Making the world a better place,” Daren said. The TSA gave the two of them a questionable glare. Jada let out a labored sigh. “We're part of the Predator Catching Task Force(P.C.T.F.). We go around”-Jada waved her hand over the tripods and cameras of various sizes-“with this, and we catch and expose child predators across...

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“A Tale of the Weorbyn” by Arora Gleans

Submitted to Contest #274

The weorbyn is a fuzzy creature with black fur and yellow button eyes. Its round stature stands five inches above the ground and its floating demeanor of movement allows it to be mistaken for a ball of dust. The weorbyn is a rare creature, found within the thicket of bushes. Many have forgotten the legend of this small, yet malicious animal. Do not be fooled by its honey-like voice infiltrating your ears and slow blinking, reminiscent of puppy eyes. While a Kraken or Griffin is rightfully feared for their strength and horrific presence, a we...

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“The Wessex Eunuchs” by Luca King Greek

Submitted to Contest #274

Wessex, it was autumn, the glossy green fields shone in the thin sunlight, the woodland canopy flared orange and yellow. In the nook of a secluded valley, a brilliant silver unicorn grazed on the pastureland. Chalk Newton was bucolic, peaceful, and ever England. Lady Stacey Maxswill stood alone on the carriage path, blocking the way of the crimson-clad hunting party. She recognized most of the huntsmen and women, did business with more than a few, and counted several as friendly acquaintances, so she was shocked at their condescend...

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“The Snake Charmers” by Erica De Heaume

Submitted to Contest #274

When the gardens burn, what is left? The flowers are beautiful, but they are fragile. Even the ancient trees who have heard the whispers of emperors will have their bark burnt and their branches will fall, heavy with the weight of knowing. The only piece that stays unscathed is the deep soil. The thing that is perceived as dirty, the thing no one wants to touch with the fear of blackening their fingernails, the thing that holds the Sun’s warmth with its own blackened fingernails. The soil is so forgiving that despite our heavy footsteps and ...

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“Skelmoth” by Empress Jester King

Submitted to Contest #274

We discovered the crab when emptying the washing machine's lint collector. It was no bigger than a five pence piece and translucent. Its limbs were caught in the lint. Most would have flushed it down the sink, but we decided to keep the crab. We placed it in a jam jar, half filled with water, and fed it prawns from the freezer.We kept the jam jar near the kettle and whenever one of us was waiting for the water to boil we would bring our faces close to the curving glass and smile at the crab. It seemed to recognise us and would raise its claw...

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“The Last Dragon” by W B

Submitted to Contest #274

“Forgive me sire, I have failed. I could not do it.” The king didn’t meet Sir Barnabus’ eyes as he left his throne and swaggered to the edge of the dais. Truthfully, he hadn’t expected any success, but it still irked him. The knights of Albion had a reputation to uphold. This was the fourth he’d sent on this quest and the fourth who had returned emptyhanded. Albion’s unruly nobility was becoming restless, and this was starting to become an embarrassment. By any measure, it had been a successful reign. He’d reduced inflation of the gold...

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“There They Go” by David Inkling

Submitted to Contest #274

Once a big black crow thought he was the king. His eye glistened with its own universe, dark as the night, as if the Dew Maker had not created the Sun at all but had set one tiny glistening star in the firmament of the Crow’s eye. The light in the eye was tiny, but it shone brightly – the tiniest light of hope ever. It was a shame the Crow could not see it.He flew high over the trees calling out to the wary world below. Caw-caw-caw. The words meant nothing to him but a jubilant declaration, as if he rejoiced in being Crow, as if he sang Me-M...

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Write a story where a creature turns up in an unexpected way.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 98 stories

“Run Away” by Keba Ghardt

“Blasphemous Visitor” by D.M. Woolston

“The Uncontrolled Growth of Pit” by James Scott

“The Unwanted Unicorn ” by Edward J. McCoul

“Repeat To Me My Mother's Grief” by Josie Green

“The Grey Pall” by Calum Mathison

“Occulalia” by Gwen Hey

“The Dooms of a Reptilian Boy” by Philip Alexander

“The Predator of Stowe Hills” by Eddie Collins

“A Tale of the Weorbyn” by Arora Gleans

“The Wessex Eunuchs” by Luca King Greek

“The Snake Charmers” by Erica De Heaume

“Skelmoth” by Empress Jester King

“The Last Dragon” by W B

“There They Go” by David Inkling

🌟 Similar prompts

Center your story on a character filled with love and fear in equal measure.

Write a story that includes the line “Fate is resourceful.”

Use a personal memory to craft a ghost story.

Center your story around a childhood fear that – as much as you try to shake it – still resonates in adulthood.

Contest #274

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

405

Contest entries

119

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

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