Write a story with the aim of scaring your reader.

Posted in Short Story on Oct 11, 2024

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✍️ 111 stories

“The Silent Bells” by Hawie Abdullah

Submitted to Contest #272

Every town has its legends, but the one about the old bell tower in Greenwood High is the kind no one talked about—at least, not openly. Some called it superstition, others a ghost story. Still, each year during the holiday season, students whispered the same eerie tale. The bell tower had stood above the school since the 1800s, long before Greenwood High was even built. The bricks were old, weathered, and darkened by time. The bell itself hadn’t chimed in years, despite the fact that it remained perfectly intact. The reason? It was cursed, ...

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“Whispers in the Walls” by Todd Beller

Submitted to Contest #272

Sarah's hand trembled as she inserted the key into the lock of her new home. The old Victorian house loomed over her, its weathered facade a stark contrast to the manicured lawns of the neighboring properties. At 28, she never imagined she'd be able to afford such a place, especially in this upscale neighborhood. But the price had been surprisingly low, and the real estate agent had been almost too eager to close the deal. As the door creaked open, a musty odor assaulted her nostrils. Sarah wrinkled her nose, making a mental note to air out ...

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“Rob” by Ali Hamdoun

Submitted to Contest #272

I slammed the door open! Wham! Well, maybe slammed is a tiny bit over-dramatic exaggeration on my part. You’ll have to bear with me and my fucked up all over the map recollection of the following events. I’m normally not a very well-spoken guy. But since this is a rather special occasion, I decided to break the habit. Like I said, in order to get the whole story, you’ll have to bear with my scattered brain, with my disjointed storytelling. ‘Think you can manage that? If so, great! Well, I guess all that’s left for me to do is to tell said st...

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“The Halloween Harvest” by Perseus Patroclus

Submitted to Contest #272

January 15th, 2024Before you listen to this, you must understand that I had no choice other than to play along. You must understand the people that I was forced to interact with, the actions I had to endure. I do not know who will be hearing these entries. My plan is to ship this to the police once I'm done recording the message, but I can't insure it'll work, especially because I'll be dead. So, without further ado, here's my story.January 16th, 2024My grandmother died a couple of months ago. I inherited her small house- a cottage, if you w...

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“An Apartment to Die For” by Tucker Sloan

Submitted to Contest #272

Triggers: Violence, language, brief sexual violence.An Apartment to Die For “A word after a word after a word is power.” -Margaret Atwood- &nb...

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“Heaven's Waiting List” by Chad DeMasse

Submitted to Contest #272

This story contains themes of mental health, and reliving your worst memories. If you had a fear of empty halls or drowning, be careful with reading this story as it contains those themes. Most of us have learned that when you die you see a bright light at the end of a tunnel, and that may possibly be where the decision is made on where you go. What I experienced was far more than that. I remember the day like it was yesterday. I crashed my car after leaving a party. I thought I was gonna die as the water filled my car. But as my life drift...

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“Alan” by Samuel Teaches

Submitted to Contest #272

Alan pressed on the handle, and the door creaked open with unsettling ease as if it had been waiting for him. It seemed to beckon him inside.The first thing that hit him as he stepped in was the smell. Sharp, foreign, like something rotting deep within the walls. He gagged, covering his nose and feeling for a light switch. When his fingers found the cool plastic, he pressed. A single, weak bulb flickered to life, casting long, wavering shadows in the small room.It wasn’t much. A small iron furnace stood near the door, likely to drive away th...

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“Cold, so cold” by Bruce Callahan

Submitted to Contest #272

Cold, so cold. I have no recollection of the rest of the night. I’m missing time. My eyelids feel like they are frozen shut. I force them open. I can’t feel my fingers or toes. Bright, so bright. The celestial rays of morning sun embrace the frigid earth, a welcome visitor to my hoary appendages. The ground has a thin layer of frost atop it. I bask in the warmth from the heavens, hoping it is a harbinger for the better.Sore, so sore. My muscles scream at my brain. I feel like a human pin...

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“A tale of the damned” by Wayne Steele

Submitted to Contest #272

The sun dips in the bloody ocean as our ship travels across the hellish ocean, consuming us. The wind shrieked like ghosts as they ripped the ship's sail from top to bottom. “This is all because of that damned red box full of cargo,” Edward said, slurring his words as he took another sip from the bottle. The snoring kept me up as the surrounding men rolled around in slumber. Edward held a candle and stumbled around the ship. The rain made it difficult to hear the pitter-patter of the rat's feet as he walked around. Edwards' bare feet...

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“Something in the Shadows” by Carolyn Fenzl

Submitted to Contest #272

Izzy Halper was no stranger to the eerie stillness of her office after hours. Trying to prove herself as the newest editor at NightStory Publishing, she often found herself immersed in manuscripts long after the sun had dipped below the horizon. Tonight, she was particularly engrossed in a horror novel by a promising new author. The manuscript was dark, filled with menacing shadows and unsettling whispers. It was the kind of story that made the hairs on the back of Izzy’s neck stand on end. The time on the wall clock clicked over to 11:47PM....

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“A Foggy Hallows Eve” by Christine Hamilton

Submitted to Contest #272

They walk among us every day not knowing their past or future. Vicky sat alone in the pub waiting for the Halloween party to start. The publican dimmed the lights before lighting the candles in the carved pumpkins running along the bar. A large ornately carved lantern lit up with glowing evil eyes and sharp teeth carved in its flesh, “Wow, that one is scary.” Vicky said taking a mouthful of her beer. “Halloween.” An old lady dressed in rags bent over the bar suddenly looked up and madly shoved her purse into her...

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“The Cold Heart of Jarvis Turner” by Aaron Mayer

Submitted to Contest #272

People agreed, it was wise to watch your back around Jarvis Turner. He was the kind of man who could stab you in the back just as easy as picking a grape off the vines along Horse Creek Road. Eventually, word got around about his shady business dealings and folks kept their distance from him. Before the stories spread, he had duped, bamboozled, and cheated his way across three counties around the turn of the century.He scammed his way west from the big muddy river, leaving a trail of debt and heartache like the locals had never seen. He used...

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“Chasing Down the Devil on the Taconic State Parkway” by Rebecca Lubin

Submitted to Contest #272

Once upon a time, when my father was a young man, he was chased by the Devil while driving southbound on the Taconic State parkway. Prior to this paranormal encounter, the Taconic had always been a long, lackadaisical scenic splay of pavement for our family, the link between New York, where we lived, and New England, where our Grandparents quaint little home lay. On the day that The Devil tried to get my Dad, he had dropped off my mother and brothers and me in Massachusetts for a visit, and then had turned around to drive back home. I don’t ...

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“Nightmare on Hursch Street” by Lottie Waldeaux

Submitted to Contest #272

To: Andrew HuxleyFrom: Michael CainRe: Package at 641 N. Hursch Street Mr. Andrew Huxley– I hope this letter finds you in good health and prosperity. My name is Michael Cain, a resident at 641 N. Hursch Street. You may remember my girlfriend, Katelyn, and I moving in a few months prior, and our time has been incredible so far. Recently, we received a package with no name or return address that neither of us remember ordering and were wondering if you knew anything about it–is this common at the Hursch Street house? Did you happen to order it...

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“Twisted waters” by Caitlynn Shaw

Submitted to Contest #272

One exceptionally early morning, a man awoke with a start to the sound of the landline ringing in the kitchen. He shot up, grabbed a robe, and quickly made his way to the telephone. Afraid of who would possibly consider calling him at such an ungodly hour. He picked up the phone. “Hello this is Jake Thatcher speaking,”Jake said in a deep groggy morning voice, “Hey Thatcher, this is Rodney from Laverne. I apologize for bugging you so early but there has been a kidnapping, and I heard you could help”Jake’s ears perked up at th...

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Write a story with the aim of scaring your reader.

Submissions are closed

✍️ 111 stories

“The Silent Bells” by Hawie Abdullah

“Whispers in the Walls” by Todd Beller

“Rob” by Ali Hamdoun

“The Halloween Harvest” by Perseus Patroclus

“An Apartment to Die For” by Tucker Sloan

“Heaven's Waiting List” by Chad DeMasse

“Alan” by Samuel Teaches

“Cold, so cold” by Bruce Callahan

“A tale of the damned” by Wayne Steele

“Something in the Shadows” by Carolyn Fenzl

“A Foggy Hallows Eve” by Christine Hamilton

“The Cold Heart of Jarvis Turner” by Aaron Mayer

“Chasing Down the Devil on the Taconic State Parkway” by Rebecca Lubin

“Nightmare on Hursch Street” by Lottie Waldeaux

“Twisted waters” by Caitlynn Shaw

🌟 Similar prompts

Start or end your story with someone running away from something, literally or metaphorically.

Write a story from the point of view of a ghost, vampire, or werewolf.

Center your story around someone trying to resist their darker impulses — and they’ll either succeed or fail.

Write a story in which the narrator or a character says "Did you hear that?"

Contest #272

Enter our weekly contest!

$250

Prize money

480

Contest entries

174

Stories

Win $250 in our short story competition 🏆

Explore more writing prompt ideas: