Not All Stories Have a Happy Ending

Submitted into Contest #77 in response to: Set your story in a remote winter cabin with no electricity, internet, or phone service.... view prompt

149 comments

Horror

Content Warning: Includes blood and murders/deaths


The moon hung high in the sky, half hidden by clouds. It cast a dim light across the ground, making it seem like it was coated in a layer of frost.

A lone figure was walking home, shivering from the stinging, night air. She was taking a midnight walk, wanting to get away from her messed up family, even if it only was for a few minutes. 

She was young. Way too young to be experiencing the things she was. But she was the sweetest, most loving soul you could ever find in this cruel world.

Of course, that meant that she had to be targeted by pain the most.

She was not loved by anyone, her mother had died when she was young, and her father despised her. He abused her, not physically, but mentally. Which was way worse.

He turned herself against her, hurting her so much that she had tried to commit suicide. But she had survived, which at the time seemed like a cruel joke to her.

She worked hard, earning money. But she was only 15 and couldn't move out yet.

When she saw others suffering, it brought her back to her childhood, and she promised herself that she would help those in need. No matter what it cost her. She didn’t want to see people suffer the way she had.

She thought she heard someone behind her, and whipped her head around to check. But there was no one there. She decided that it must have been the wind.

She still felt uneasy, though, and quickened her pace, until she was running towards her house.

She took deep, gasping breaths, her hands on her knees, as she arrived at her front door. She lived with her father in a cozy cabin, which had no internet or electricity. Her father was the exact opposite of her: he would rather watch her suffer and have himself suffer with her than both of them having a good life. That was how much he hated her.

She unlocked her door, stepping inside. 

She loved her cabin, even though it didn’t have electricity. She was the kind of person to not hate a place by what goes on there.

She walked to her bathroom, where she always had a supply of fresh water. She splashed water onto her tired face, when she caught something out of the corner of her eye.

She squinted, looking more closely at the mirror. It was a shape, moving towards her. The figure quickly approached her, and she could make out dark eyes behind the hood.

But more alarming, was that the figure was holding a knife. Her eyes widened, and she whipped around.

But before she could scream, the figure plunged the tip of the knife into her chest, and pulled it back out just as quickly. She fell to the ground, twitching. He raised the knife again and stabbed her, making sure she was dead.

He turned away as she stopped moving, blood pooling around her.

But what he didn’t know was that she had seen his face.


************************************************************


I was going to do it. Finally, I could get rid of that girl, she acts so sweet and innocent it makes me sick. I can’t wait until I can bury my knife deep into her skin, her blood spilling out like an overflowing sink.

I smiled, imagining the morbid scene.

She was why my wife, my beautiful Alice, was dead. 

I will never forget my wife’s last words to me: “Let’s name her April,” before she collapsed, never to be woken up again. I yelled for doctors, but they didn’t arrive in time. I watched her breath leave her body, her rising and falling chest stilling.

And I cried. I screamed. I cursed. I pleaded. But nothing would ever bring her back.

This was all April’s fault. If only she hadn’t been born, my beautiful wife would still be alive. 

Even if it had already been 15 years, everyday I saw my wife die again and again, each time with a different death. It was almost worse than her actual death, because it kept on repeating. I cried for her spirit to stop, to show me some mercy, but it didn’t.

And then one night, as she was about to die again, my wife spoke. She was already soaked by her own blood, but she managed to rasp out a few words.

Kill… April… 

And then her eyes rolled back into her head, maggots crawling into her body, tearing it apart from the inside.

I woke up in a cold sweat.

April was the problem, after all, so if I killed her, I could get revenge for my wife and she would come back! A win-win situation.

I grabbed a hood, and slowly crept into the kitchen, not making a sound. I selected a steak knife. 

I liked this power. The power of deciding when someone will die, and the last thing they would see before they do.

I walked into April’s room, but there was no one there. I growled. She must have left for a walk or something. 

I sighed. Now I had to wait.

I hid behind a dark corner, and before long, April quietly opened the front door and slid in. She went to wash up, and I followed behind her.

I lifted up the knife, and plunged it into her chest. A small noise of surprise escaped her mouth as she fell to the ground. Her warm blood soaked into my clothes, and I sighed with pleasure as the metallic smell of blood filled the air.

“This is what you get for killing the love of my life!” I stabbed her again, just to make sure she really was dead. 

And then I turned around and walked away with a smile on my face.


************************************************************


She didn’t see it coming. The car flew into her lane, pushing hers out of it. The car swerved into another lane, crashing into an unexpecting vehicle.

She screamed as she sat back helplessly, watching her car smash into another.

Please… please let my beautiful daughter April and my kind husband Seth have a nice life. Please don’t make them grieve for me for too long. She grasped her hands together, praying, as her car crashed, and everything went black.


He couldn’t believe it. His wife was dead. He shook his head, unable to digest this fact. He rummaged through his brain, trying to find ways that he had done wrong, things that he could have done better to save her. But nothing came up.

He couldn't stand the fact that there was no one to blame for her death, he frantically shook his head, everything around him blurring, and he hit the floor unconscious.


************************************************************


It was done. The deed was done! I had killed her! I grinned joyously. I needed to celebrate! I decided to keep the body on the floor to remind me of my great victory. 

I sat down at the dining table, and poured two glasses of wine.

“This is a toast for my victory!” I set one of them down in front of me and the other on in front of the other seat.

“This is for you, sweetie.” I smiled affectionately at my wife.

“So you killed her? Perfect, now we can live together without any complications.” She smiled back at me, her eyes penetrating into mine. I remember falling in love with those beautiful brown eyes of hers.

I leaned in to kiss her, but as soon as my lips brushed upon hers, my wife started to change.

Her long, blonde hair melted to a chocolate brown that was stained with a dark substance. Her eyes became a shade lighter, and looked blood-shot. She looked different, but I would still recognize that look anywhere.

The question was, how is the person I had just killed still alive?


************************************************************


“Sir… you have to take the pills! I understand you’re going through a tough time right now, but you might put the people you love that are still alive in danger!”

“My daughter is the reason why my wife is dead! If only she wasn’t born, then I would be happy!”

“You need to calm down, Seth. Your wife died of a car accident, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. I’ve dealt with patients like you before, you are just looking for someone to blame. But it wasn’t anyone’s fault, you have to remember that!”

“Why don’t you understand? I saw it! I saw Alice die right in front of me after giving birth to that child!”

“That is just a figment of your imagination! Because of your grief, your mind is making things up. Listen to me. You need to move on and love your daughter! May I remind you, she just lost her mom as well?”

“I couldn’t care less about what happens to that brat! She could die for all I care!”

“Seth. You don’t mean that. I think it would be best for you to stay at the psychiatric hospital for a while.”

“... fine”

Seth knew he couldn’t argue, but he had a plan. He was always great at acting, and would act better whenever his doctor asked him how he was. They let him out in no time.

The fools. He had thought. They should have made sure I actually swallowed my pills. Whistling, he stuck his hand in the pocket of his jeans, and held up all the pills he had missed.


************************************************************


It’s not possible. I had even stabbed her twice! How is April still alive?

I squinted at her chest, and doubled back. She still had the knife sticking out of it, a coat of dried blood on the metal.

“Father…” she tsked. “How does it feel? You have killed me, your dreams have finally come true.” Seeing my confused face, she continued. “Yes, I am dead. But that doesn’t mean I won’t get my revenge…”

She stood up. “Do you feel happy now? Do you feel powerful?” She stepped closer, and I backed up.

“Didn’t they teach you that killing people isn’t allowed?” I tripped over my chair, landing on my back.

She advanced, laughing when I started to plead. “Please, April… I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done that and I’m sorry! I’m begging you…”

“How do you think I felt before you drove that knife straight into my heart?” She paused, looking thoughtful. “I guess you wouldn’t know, it wasn't you who got stabbed, anyways.”

I stared at her with wide, fearful eyes.

“Well, I’m going to show you how it felt.” With that, she raised the knife high above her head, poised to strike my heart. Her mouth opened up into a big, gaping black hole, full of black smoke that poured out. I felt myself being sucked into it, unable to resist.

“Any last words?” She hissed.

“Please…” the word came out as a strangled whisper.

“Goodbye, father.” She plunged the knife into me, and I watched as red bloomed on my chest, a deadly rose. The knife lay next to me, but April was gone. 


************************************************************


Guilt and grief do horrible things to a person, poisoning their minds with black hatred. The helplessness of not being able to do anything to bring your loved one back can transform a person. It’s so easy to fall down the path of blame, and once you do, you can never get back up again.

Seth had lost his beloved wife in a horrible, accident, but he wanted to blame someone. So he turned to his daughter.

His mind created a series of pictures and images of what he wanted to happen, and not what really had happened. He was admitted in a psychiatric hospital, but it didn’t help him. His own mind tortured him to his death.

His hatred for his daughter only grew, and he started to imagine numerous ways that his wife could have died. These visions only made him hate her even more, until he decided to get rid of her. But these were all just figments of his imagination.

He no longer was the father that loved his family, instead he was a psychopath who eventually killed his own daughter. But somewhere, deep inside of him, he must have felt guilt when he saw the life leave April’s eyes. His guilt was what led to his own destruction, and he decided to end his life, unable to move on.

Not all stories have a happy ending.


January 23, 2021 02:19

You must sign up or log in to submit a comment.

149 comments

Radhika Diksha
03:16 Jan 23, 2021

By the way, I have updated the writers for the week in my bio. You choose a story. And in your free time do comment on the submission that I have given under the same prompt.

Reply

Kate Reynolds
14:05 Jan 23, 2021

Ooh ok!!! I will!!! :D

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Radhika Diksha
03:14 Jan 23, 2021

Honestly, to tell you, the summary was not required at the ending because the story was so smooth and thrilling. The characters have been itched in my brain. This is the best horror story I have read so far. The story was so thrilling and emotional at the same time. You have written a masterpiece. I loved the concept of the mental disease the father has. It showed a pretty rough side of him. The beginning was very nice. Keep writing.

Reply

Kate Reynolds
14:12 Jan 23, 2021

Really?? I just didn't want people to get confused XD THANK YOUUU!!!!! :DDDDD

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Radhika Diksha
17:11 Feb 05, 2021

Shout out writer IVY HATHERALL https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/ivy-hatherall/ FRANCES https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/frances/ Shout out story https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/contests/78/submissions/52220/ {This story is amazing. A must read} This week's list. Please do read their stories and give them feedback. It will boost their confidence and give them a nice moral support

Reply

Kate Reynolds
17:43 Feb 05, 2021

Got it thanks!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Radhika Diksha
18:12 Feb 02, 2021

New story out, would love your feedback on it.

Reply

Kate Reynolds
20:56 Feb 02, 2021

Sure I'll go read it!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Jasey Lovegood
04:55 Feb 02, 2021

HELLO KATE!!! I really enjoyed reading this story, the detail was spot on, and the dramatic ending tied very nicely to the title. Keep up the good work! :D

Reply

Kate Reynolds
12:41 Feb 02, 2021

HI!!! Aw thank you!!! Yay! That was what I was going for :D

Reply

Jasey Lovegood
08:34 Feb 03, 2021

:D

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Jasey Lovegood
04:54 Feb 02, 2021

HELLO KATE!!!! I really enjoyed this story and the detail was just spot on. I loved how dramatic the ending was, keep it up! :)

Reply

Show 0 replies
✰ Jennie ✰
01:34 Jan 24, 2021

OH MAH FRICKEN GODDDDDD 3 things I LOVED about this story! 1. 'Guilt and grief do horrible things to a person, poisoning their minds with black hatred... so easy to fall down the path of blame, and once you do, you can never get back up again' WOW this is really powerful and explains the father's action's perfectly... 2. Also the weaving of both his dreams and illusions and reality set an extremely horror based tone... so great job on that! (legit quaking) 3. WOW Character building! While in the mind of the dad, every sentence was written...

Reply

Kate Reynolds
02:38 Jan 24, 2021

AHHHHHH THANK YOU SO MUCHHHHHDJLGBSGBLSDJB 1. Yeah I quite liked that as well lol 2. Yay!!! :DD 3. Thank youuuuu (yeah, I try to use as less fluff as possible lmao) :DDDDDD I'M GLAD IT'S SCARYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Sunny 🌼
13:30 Jan 23, 2021

Hooooo-ly shit- THAT WAS AMAZING! I didn't know you could write horror! Oh my god, it was so well written. And the ending too! Chills, literal chills!

Reply

Kate Reynolds
14:05 Jan 23, 2021

REALLY?????? THANK YOUUUUUUU :DDDDDDD

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Kate Reynolds
02:34 Jan 23, 2021

Hello! Okay so I love a bit of horror, and I decided to write about it as well! A few things: 1. Is it a bit confusing? And if so how could I make it better? (Like I put the transitions into another POV in italics) 2. Is it horror enough? Honestly that is one of my biggest concerns bc (as much as I like horror) I don't usually write it. 3. Any critiquesss??? (At all?) Also I included like a summary of the story at the very end, so please tell me how that fits with the story overall.

Reply

Show 0 replies
Radhika Diksha
14:45 Feb 05, 2021

Any suggestions for this week writer or story.

Reply

Kate Reynolds
14:56 Feb 05, 2021

No, I've been kinda busy and didn't have time to check out people's stories.

Reply

Radhika Diksha
16:55 Feb 05, 2021

Ok, should I directly mention them then?

Reply

Kate Reynolds
16:58 Feb 05, 2021

Yeah, go ahead! Actually... now that I think of it I would like to nominate someone! Name: Danny Glipo (I don't think we did Danny yet) Link to bio: https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/danny-glipo/

Reply

Radhika Diksha
17:00 Feb 05, 2021

*telepathy* I was just going to take her as the writer of the week.

Reply

Kate Reynolds
17:00 Feb 05, 2021

:O Great minds think alike!!!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Danny -
01:33 Feb 05, 2021

AHHHHHHHHH I LOVE ITTTTT, YOU'RE AMAZING, THIS STORY IS SOOOOOO GOOD...the imagery, it's amazinggg, the last part/scene, you ended the story soo well! Alsooo, excited for next weeks prompts?? lol I can't think of anything for this week :p

Reply

Kate Reynolds
01:40 Feb 05, 2021

THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH You have no idea how much I needed that so thank youuuu :) YESSSSS!!! I am!!! I mean I had this one idea for this week's prompts, but idk, I'm not really feeling it this week... But who knows maybe I'll post it tomorrow! So how are you??

Reply

Danny -
01:44 Feb 05, 2021

Ooohhh what was it about?? I can't wait for it :)) I'm sure it'll turn out great! I'm great :)) I stepped on something last night, though, idk what....and it hurts sooooo bad :(( Hbu? :DD

Reply

Kate Reynolds
01:49 Feb 05, 2021

It's inspired by a song! (That is IF I get it out..) Aww thank you!!! :D That's wonderful! Oh noooooooo! Hope you feel better!!! I'm ok. My life's been pretty crazy lately, recently I just accomplished a goal (I guess you can call it that??) that was really important to me so I was reallyyyy happy, but something else came up that wasn't as good so I honestly don't even know anymore. Lmao I have such mixed emotions these daysssss

Reply

Danny -
01:55 Feb 05, 2021

OoohhHh, what song was it? that's sounds exciting! ...........aww, I hope it turns out well for you :(( I can deal with mixed emotions, hit me up if you ever want to talk :)) Do you have any pets??

Reply

Kate Reynolds
01:59 Feb 05, 2021

It's a secret! ;) I'll let people guess it when and if I post my story!!! Thank youuuuu Awww you're too kindddd (Imma add you in my biooo) Yes! I do! I have a dog named Teddy and a turtle named Little Bridge! Funny story about the naming of my turtle, my parent's friends brought him to our house and told us that we could keep him, and they had already named him in another language. But that was when I was really young, so I thought that the translation of that language into English was "Little Bridge" even though it was completely off XD I l...

Reply

Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Maya -
15:12 Feb 01, 2021

Hey! Hope you're having a nice day! :D ✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪✪ We're playing Skribble again today at 3:30 EST, would you like me to send you the link? :)

Reply

Kate Reynolds
02:23 Feb 02, 2021

Hello! I'm having a great day! Wbu?? Unfortunately I just saw this message QwQ But I will try my best to join the next game!!! (*crosses fingers*)

Reply

Maya -
02:25 Feb 02, 2021

That great! Same! :) That's fine. Today was kind of crazy during the game anyways cause a downvoter/ spammer from Reedsy (at least that's who we think it was) was crashing our game. :/ Okay! :)))

Reply

Kate Reynolds
02:33 Feb 02, 2021

That's good!!! Oh nooooooo Did you find out who it was??

Reply

Maya -
02:40 Feb 02, 2021

Noooo, they wouldn't say. :(

Reply

Kate Reynolds
12:40 Feb 02, 2021

Oh D:

Reply

Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply

HIII Kateeee!!! I wrote some more in my story(novel), in our doc!!! Do check it out:D and comment!

Reply

Kate Reynolds
02:30 Jan 31, 2021

Ooh I will check it out as soon as I have time!!!!!!!!

Reply

Thank you! Sure:D

Reply

Kate Reynolds
02:34 Feb 02, 2021

Your novel is legit a work of art. Like crafted from Da Vinci himself. That's all I gotta say! :)

Reply

Aww, u flatter me too much Kate:D, Urs is just the same! AMAZING!

Reply

Kate Reynolds
16:27 Feb 02, 2021

I only speak the truth! THANKSSSSS

Reply

Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Robert Hutchison
17:20 Jan 29, 2021

amazing i have now words

Reply

Kate Reynolds
20:26 Jan 29, 2021

Aw thank you!!!!!!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Robert Hutchison
17:20 Jan 29, 2021

amazing i have now words

Reply

Show 0 replies
Robert Hutchison
17:20 Jan 29, 2021

amazing i have now words

Reply

Show 0 replies
Robert Hutchison
17:20 Jan 29, 2021

amazing i have now words

Reply

Show 0 replies
Robert Hutchison
17:20 Jan 29, 2021

amazing i have now words

Reply

Show 0 replies
Maya -
16:11 Jan 29, 2021

Happy Friday! Hope your day has been great so far! ✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮ Would you like to join our skribble game later today at 3:30 EST? :)

Reply

Kate Reynolds
16:18 Jan 29, 2021

Hi!!! It is!!!!!! How are you?? :D Oooohhhh I will try my hardest to join! (Very sorry if I don't make it though..)

Reply

Maya -
16:18 Jan 29, 2021

That's great! I'm doing good! Yay! :DDD

Reply

Kate Reynolds
20:27 Jan 29, 2021

:DDD

Reply

Show 0 replies
Kate Reynolds
20:28 Jan 29, 2021

Do you have the link yet?

Reply

Maya -
20:29 Jan 29, 2021

https://skribbl.io/?QMzdRNtmkoMk :D

Reply

Kate Reynolds
20:30 Jan 29, 2021

Thanks

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Show 2 replies
Show 1 reply
Show 1 reply
Radhika Diksha
11:29 Jan 29, 2021

I have updated my bio. And included a writer that you mentioned too. You can check it out.

Reply

Radhika Diksha
11:37 Jan 29, 2021

Shout out writer Fearless Fox https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/fearless-fox/ Rachel Sundar https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/author/rachel-sundar/ Shout out story https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/contests/76/submissions/50251/ These are the shout out writers of the week. Oasis members please update your bio and give your feedback to these people.

Reply

Show 0 replies
Kate Reynolds
13:57 Jan 29, 2021

Great!!!

Reply

Show 0 replies
Show 2 replies
RBE | Illustrated Short Stories | 2024-06

Bring your short stories to life

Fuse character, story, and conflict with tools in Reedsy Studio. 100% free.