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Discover weekly, the best short stories

Looking for a steady supply of horror short stories? Every week thousands of writers submit stories to our writing contest.

6530+ Horror Short Stories to read

Submitted by writers on Reedsy Prompts to our weekly writing contest. From hauntings and murderers to terrifying creatures from the deep, our collection of horror stories will have you breaking out in cold sweats. Take a look… if you dare.

Horror Short Stories – Page 353 of 436

What the darkness brings

Submitted to Contest #92

Soft music flows from the speakers and fills the empty space. The woman hums to herself as she dances around the room in her silky night-dress, that shines in the fluorescent lights. They leave no corner darkened. As she slows to a stop, she gazes out the wall of windows to take in the view of the city. The glittering lights flutter and tremble under the moon, almost like its purring. “City of lights, what a delightfully illuminated district you are” she sighs in content. As she turns to leave the view behind, something flickers in ...

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REFLECTION

Submitted to Contest #92

TW: violence Millie was almost ready for the dance when suddenly her phone started to ring. It was almost time for Kevin to pick her up. She took a peek on the cell screen while finishing her makeup. But it was not Kevin's name flashing on the screen rather it was an unknown contact. After hesitating for a moment she finally ceased dabbing the blender on her cheek and received the call. "Hello"-Millie answered it with a deep voice. The other side didn't reply anything at first. All she could hear was some loud panting, like someone was runni...

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The Haunted House

Submitted to Contest #92

"That's the house I was referring to," said Ani. We were standing in front of an old, dilapidated countryside mansion that stood beside the river Ichhamati in Taki.  "Is anyone residing there now?" I asked. "Not a soul," replied Ani. "The last of the zamindars died under most mysterious circumstances. It's rumoured that he was murdered. His family performed his last rites and left in a hurry. Since then the house has been lying empty for several decades. Now it has gained the reputation of a haunted house. Local people say that shadows ...

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The Blackout of Chicago

Submitted to Contest #92

The date was July 1, 2020, and it couldn't have been a more horrid day than today. In Chicago, Illinois on a regular Tuesday at 5:00 am Michael Robertson woke to an alarming sound. The sound of their house alarm only activated when someone broke in. He almost thought he was dreaming until he heard a high-pitched scream. Michael recognized it almost instantly, for it was his mother. Micheal rushed downstairs to see if she was ok but he was too late. His mother lied there on the bed lifelessly as her blood gushed to the floor. Micheal stood th...

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Avelina

Submitted to Contest #92

Aveline lost the sight in her left eye first. It happened while she was out in the yard, checking on the vines sniveling up towards the second floor window, when a crow called and her vision split. She fell back against the back wall of her cottage. The force of the loss was such that, for a moment, she thought perhaps she’d been struck by something. But then there was no pain, no trauma she could sense, just the immediate absence on her left side. Assuming it was some sort of temporary condition, she made her way into the house to lay d...

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Come stay with me

Submitted to Contest #92

On Koonce Loop, in the south of Texas, you’ll find a dirt road leading to a lovely two-story detached house overlooking the clear Nueces Bay. As I remember the wonderful summers I spent there growing up, a tear runs down my cheek. In my mind, I picture life as it was before the shadows started to appear. It had always been a loving home, filled with warmth and happiness. I clearly remember my mother and her loving embrace, my father, a strong but warm-hearted man. But most of all, I remember my brother John. I remember how I always looked up...

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power shortage during time travel

Submitted to Contest #92

Let’s be honest. My shrink told me I was dead and reliving past lives. Me? I think you all are dead. This story is about Katrina when it happened in 2003, not here in 2005. Silly, what do you mean? I mean, I have lived more than you have. When I cracked up in 2016, I was hit hard. Meaning I was sent to the shrink by my wife due to the number of things I was talking about. People think I am crazy. But what I am going to tell you was real for me. The shrink? He told me I was living past lives. I told him. I could prove he was dead, and that I ...

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My lady luck (A miraculous horror story of a common man)

Submitted to Contest #92

“Appreciable Neil, you have got a good philosophical attitude, you will go ahead in life; no doubt. You may have to struggle a lot, but there’s a unique path waiting for you.” This sounds encouraging, isn’t it? These were the words from the Father of our College at the age of 18 years for me. Even I could not imagine how fast those days of my life flew away. Today is my birthday and I have completed 32 years of my eternal life journey. As usual my elder sister Kim has prepared a variety of delicious dishes for me which she does for my every ...

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A Hidden truth behind Sharada’s death

Submitted to Contest #92

It was the summer of 1979, when the climate was hot & humid outside, in the village of Bardapur (located at Beed district of Maharashtra), the ambulance and fire engine arrived with sirens to an apartment near the old police station situated there. In no while, a huge crowd gathered near the apartment. Also there were different talks among people about the fire that broke out in the second floor of the apartment. The victim who died in this terrible fire blast was a lady. This incident left her family & friends in shock and depressio...

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The Shifting Darkness

Submitted to Contest #92

           It was all dark now. Narcissa, with her mother, had moved into this house just two weeks before. They had left the city house because the doctor suggested that a change of air might be helpful for improving her situation. Bellatrix was getting addicted to drinking, and it was affecting her liver very much. Whenever she was tired, she would empty the bottle down her throat and then fell like a log. Since she and Narcissa, neither could be left alone, they tried to change their ...

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Being Freed With Light

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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Shadow You, Shadow Me

Submitted to Contest #92

Unbelievable! Another boring stay at the family Country Inn, Becca thought, as her father turned the old station wagon fossil into the pebble stone driveway. Why are we back again so soon, she thought. They'd just spent the entire month of June there and she wasn't eager to return, especially with Autumn on the cusp of blissful change. It was her favorite time of the year and she'd miss the annual Fair back home. Fall, she thought, had a special smell and feel, all it's own. It was a time for fresh beginnings and a renewing of all things old...

13 likes 1 comment 1
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Free Library Card

Submitted to Contest #91

So here I am, a seventeen year old guy, walking outside in 90-degree weather when I could be relaxing in my house with the air conditioner on high playing Xbox. But of course, my mom just yelled at me for being inside when it's so nice out. I have no idea what to do so I go to the diner in town and grab a milk shake. When the cold chocolate shake reaches my lips, it feels refreshing considering that I’m outside at 1:00 pm in the middle of July. I continue to walk around bo...

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The House in the Country

Submitted to Contest #92

The back door to the house was locked, but a swift kick to the jam popped it open. Six teenagers walked into the dimly lit dwelling. The air was stale and musty; it was offensive to the senses. At one time, the old home sat on a manicured yard laced with roses, dogwoods, and hydrangeas. Flower beds lined the edges of the foundations, and flowers burst forth with an array of colors. Mother Nature dipped her brush onto her pallet and painted each flower with various spectacular hues, tints, and tones. Some were luminous, while others were d...

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House of Shadows

Submitted to Contest #92

Felix Maratosa was what one would call a man of the road.  Just like the Roger Miller tune, he was king of the road.  Haunting the ophidian 101 highway, Felix had spent his life traveling north of south like a tumbleweed traveling on the whim of the wind.  My name is Salvatore Rossini or just plain Sal owner of Sal’s Cafe just outside of Crescent City, California where we serve the best burger on the Pacific West Coast. Felix will come in about once every few weeks on his way to wherever the wind happens to be blowing.  ...

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RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

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