Welcome to our 2019 $500 Halloween Horror 50 Word Story Contest. Yes, that’s right. It’s already here. Every year we run our contests, and those of you who have been frequent readers, this is what you’ve been waiting for.
First we will be doing a print issue! We will be doing 2 print issues, and we will pick entries from this contest to be in our issue. If you had a 50 word story designated to be in our print issue, from a past contest, please contact us.
Second, we will be giving out a $500 reward for the best 50 word horror story. This is not easy for us. Every Writer is not doing as well as it did in the past, but we want your stories. I believe writers should get paid for their work. I wish we could pay all of our writers, but it’s just impossible. So $500 for 50 words, I think is a unique and valuable statement to our readers. Ten dollars a word is what all writers really deserve.
So here are the rules:
• Story must be scary
• Story must be 50 words
• Story must be original and your own
• Story may not be published elsewhere
• Story must have a title (does NOT count in word count)
• Deadline is October 25, 2019
• Enter as many times as you want
• Story must be written in the comments below!
• Be nice or be disqualified
I love these stories. This is one of favorite traditions of Every Writer. I look forward to this every year, and this year I have extended the time we are going to spend with the contest.
The winners will:
• Be announced on October 31, 2019
• Will get $500
• Will be published in our digital and print issue.
• Will get an author page on our site
There is no entry fee for this contest. It would help us out greatly if you would donate 1$ or more, if you can, to help out the site. We would really appreciate it. A donation will not be considered in the deciding this contest.
If you want to keep up with me on Twitter, please follow me at @everywriter, I follow back all writers.
Good luck, and let the writing begin.
HERE IS THE WINNER
I have picked 4 stories. They all have times and days on them. If the winner does not respond by Friday 11/22/19 the money will go to the next story on the list. Here are the top 4 stories in order. ONLY OUR 1st PLACE WINNER gets the $500. Also, so this insanity never happens again, the winner will be invited back next year to be one of the judges.
WINNER 1st Place:
Kit Steward 10/13/19 5:20 pm
THE MIDNIGHT INCUBATOR
She heard mushy sounds for days and suffered from unbearable itchiness.
A doctor’s visit revealed earwig pupae nesting in her ear canal, it was flushed out.
Later, weary from stress, she crawled into bed.
That night while she slept, the creature returned.
And finding the eggs missing, it laid more.
2nd Place:
Elizabeth Lee 09/24/19 4:36 pm
Secondhand Doll
She didn’t want a secondhand doll so she flung it across the room. Porcelain cracked against the wall. Her mom made her glue the pieces back together. A thin shard sliced her hand, baptizing the doll in her hateful blood. The secondhand doll decided she didn’t want an ungrateful child.
3rd Place:
Alexander Daley Escobedo 10/25/19 3:38pm
Heirloom
We Buried my brother today. Suicide. He thought something evil was haunting him. He’d been medicated, institutionalized, shocked and secluded. He found his own way out. I wish I could tell him I’m sorry. Or had listened more closely. Because, when I got home, it was on my couch. Laughing.
4th place:
JB 10/25/19 8:12pm
TITLE: RESEVOIR
We should have known something was wrong when we first tasted the water. It was a little brown, but no more than usual in this apartment complex.
We kept drinking it until it turned black.
When they opened the water tank, they found the bloated, rotting corpse of my neighbor.
We usually always contact the winners first, but after all the trouble, we are opening up the process. I am again, very sorry for how late this is. I did not expect 4000 stories. Next year I will be ready.
After a family member’s phone number was posted in this thread, I have set comments to be held for moderation. If you post a comment, I will see it, but it will not appear until approved. Enough is enough. I will send the money to the winners. At this time, if you want to contact me, email. I have reported what I consider a threat to the authorities.
D.B. McDowell says
Pedobus
Late at night, on a desolate curbside waits a yellow bus,
It preys on the young and snatches them before they fuss,
With black window screens and smothered children’s screams,
Sharp claws gleam, pull them inside, and devour their dreams,
Heads hang low in requiem, quietly cautioning: Beware the Pedobus.
D.B. McDowell says
Abomination
Abortion is a perfectly normal process, Emily thought. Some people have one to avoid a serious medical complication while others have one simply because it is just not the “right time”. As the needle punctured her soft skin and her eyes became heavy, Emily wished she knew her mom’s reason.
J B says
TITLE: OH, DEATH
She laid in bed, staring at the dark figure in the corner of the room.
“Are you Death?” She asked nervously.
“Yes”
“You’ve come for me?”
“Not you.”
Just then, her husband walked in.
“Robert!” She screamed.
Robert clutched his chest and collapsed.
He was gone, and so was Death.
J B says
TITLE: WORK FUNCTION
“Where’s Randy?” Someone asked.
“Who cares!” Said another.
Nobody at the party particularly cared for their boss, Randy, but he was invited all the same.
Sarah, the party host watched as each of her co-workers gobbled down the special meatloaf.
She smiled. Little did they know, Randy was already here.
J B says
TITLE: MISSING
Police filled my home ever since my daughter went missing.
To clear my mind, I went to clean my sons room.
Ignoring the pentagrams and posters hanging on the wall, I started making his bed.
I stepped back and froze.
Why does his mattress smell so bad and feel lumpy?
Molly Connolly says
Trick Or Treat
Something was tapping softly on the door.
‘Who could that be; I’m in the middle of nowhere?’
“Hello?” the girl asked, leaning on the door.
The tapping continued.
“Who’s there?”
“Trick or treat,” it giggled.
“It’s not Halloween. Go away!”
The giggling grew. “Trick or treat, I smell fresh meat.”
ToJo says
The Misadventures of Detective Ezra & Ghost Jay
—
“This case is colder than my body.”
“Quit with the dead jokes.”
“What? Aren’t they funny?”
“No.”
“Just trying to lighten things up. Y’know, since we’re investigating my murder.”
Ezra was the culprit himself. His plot to quiet Jay upended since now that he was dead he wouldn’t shut up.
Christine Rae says
No Witnesses
Silently gliding in and out of darkened rooms, his chilling presence went undetected.
Ignoring the sixth commandment, he believed he was the only one who truly cared, deftly administering assistance to the elderly. Without a murmur, their spirits arose before daybreak, by which time he had vanished, leaving no witnesses.
Curtis Norris says
MISOPHONIA
That sound! That maddening sound! Every night, sitting across from him, listening to him smack his food, mouth wide open, bits spraying as he continues to talk through it. It drives me crazy! I want to just stab that mouth shut forever! But the people on his plate prevent me.
Jordan Fash says
Spooks
Gary didn’t want to visit that haunted house; his friends dragged him there. The costumes and strobe lights were fun until he got separated from them. He laughed while a clown swung a knife at him; he stopped when he felt a searing pain as it plunged into his chest.
Bailey Hart says
Don’t Look at Us
Stop staring, my sweet. I might hurt you,
Lose my grip.
We won’t suspect it, will we?
A silent moment before you howl
I warn us with honesty,
Would I ever lie to you?
Shh, Hold your tongue
Do not speak.
Look away
Run.
Before we lose control.
Before I
Jordan Fash says
Lost and Found
It started with a missing phone.
As I searched my apartment I noticed the front door had turned into a wall. Same for the windows. The fridge and faucets were gone too. It’s been three days now. The apartment is down to this one closet.
And it’s getting smaller.
Jordan Fash says
Roomies
I’ve always heard that living with roommates is annoying.
Things are never where I leave them. I get woken up by rummaging in the kitchen. Some nights, like tonight, there’s footsteps up and down the hall. They just stopped outside my door.
Now I really wish I didn’t live alone.
Jordan Fash says
Tricks and Treats
William was excited for trick or treating until Mrs. Kelly, out with her corgi, stopped by and convinced his mother that poisoned candy was a serious concern. Despite his disappointment, William gave the dog a treat as Mrs. Kelly left; he was surprised it didn’t notice the scent of bleach.
Bailey Hart says
Title: Lovely Bait
We’re going fishing tonight, my love.
How the moon glistens against your skin,
And shimmers atop the lake.
This will be fun!
I must say, you look…delectable.
How I wish I could keep you…
I regrettably wish you were still whole,
Still held together.
But that’d make for nasty bait
We wouldn’t want that.
Let’s witness what the fish will bite!
Jordan Fash says
First Call
Like most budding serial killers, Lawrence eventually got tired of mutilating animals. For years he fantasized about killing a human, of becoming the ultimate gatekeeper between life and death. As he reclined in his office that afternoon, he smiled at the intercom announcement:
“Doctor Lawrence to the operating room.”
keg says
“Bloodletting”
When I started to bleed-
from my nose, ears, mouth, pores-
I wrapped myself tightly in thick rags.
Bloated from effort of not seeping through, I lumbered.
A child, following my steps, pulled hard at my ends.
At once spurting, and-
“Monster!” I gurgled,
washed away quickly with the rain.
Clarke Wainikka says
Green Grape
She never used the word “lonely,” instead she referred to herself as self-sufficient.
Maybe her family had left her because they were jealous of her money or of her accolades.
But what left her dead on the living room armchair was a small green grape, lodged in her throat.
Max McCauley says
Why Little Bear?
Dad tucked me into bed.
“Little Bear,” Dad said. “The police don’t think Mommy died by accident.”
I let out a whimper.
“What’s wrong Little Bear?”
“I saw you kill her.” I whispered.
Daddy sighed softly. “I wish you hadn’t.”
He gently slid the pillow from under my head.
Max McCauley says
Parked at Make-Out Point
Jasper had his hand up Kathleen’s shirt when the rock burst through the open window and caved in his skull.
Kathleen screamed.
The clown leaned in the window, grinning. He picked up the rock, and placed it on the accelerator.
Kathleen said “Please-“
The clown put the car in drive.
Daniel Londono says
Memento Mori
As I sit now writing, I am joined by a ghastly presence. It sits abreast of me, but I am much too fearful to turn my head to gain a full vision. It does nothing, but sidles ever closer and whispers in my ear the day of my death. Today.
Susan Stuhlman says
She lay frozen reciting the evil prayer. She channeled her energy and strength to her mother. “Use it. Use the knife. You hid it. Use it!”
She tracked her parents’ violent movement by their screams and body slams. They traveled the same direction every night.
“Use it!”
Nicole Cucci says
Speechless
She stumbled out of the alley, clutching her throat. Crimson dripped between her fingers, like candle wax. Unable to scream, she reached with her free hand at the first person she saw who could help her. He turned and smiled at her. He raised the knife and finished the job.
Nicole Cucci says
To the Mother of Shelby
In the yard, you’ll find her. Every body part I slowly cut off of her can be found in its own grave, marked by the teeth that I plucked from her skull one by one. But don’t worry. You won’t need to grieve long. There’s room in the yard, Mother.
Susan Stuhlman says
Susan Stuhlman
She ran toward the wild screams. The neighing and stomping added to the cacophony. She froze at the corner. One cougar peered from the hayloft poised to drop down on a mare and foal. His partner in crime pawed through the barred door. The perfect decoy.
Jessica Alpha says
The Killing
Invictus sucked another sheep dry and wiped his now burning mouth. Alarmed, he sniffed the sheep carcass. It smelled like garlic. He didn’t see the seasoned wood pitchfork, until it erupted from his chest. The farmer laughed and whispered lovingly into his ear; “I do love the taste of Vampire”.
Wendy Rich says
The Bowling League
The reek from new stock paled from the alley hosting twenty lanes with ten old limbs in staggered positions, dangling in the distance, as nearby conveyor belts rotated small, big, heavy and light heads. The intercom went on: “ Remember, all game losers will be escorted to the supply room.”
Wendy Rich says
The Six-Month Check-Up
Sitting reclined with a tray of tools close behind, I stared upwards into the chair’s bright lamp. With my face angled towards an unknown chest, its voice whispered in my ear after a deliciously sprayed mist replaced the dental air. Ten hours later, a decapitated head laid within my hands.
Ellie J. says
The Haunted House
The creature lurking in the shadows at midnight
The children in lion costumes trying to gain light
Soon the children are out til midnight and the creatures see
Pop goes the weasle as the creatures grasp at the children
By morning everything is set right
Only the midnight creatures remember
CW says
Ominous Spirit
Christian is asleep sound in his bed.
Something brushes his head, then he wakes up to find blood on his head instead. Christian walks down the hall to turn on the light. Then his body feels thin like a thread only to collapse dead. Or so Christians nightmare had said.
Lisa Randazzo Kearns says
KICKS
It was late when the clown pressed his gloved hand across my mouth before I could yell for Mommy.
“Shhh, Emma. It won’t hurt,” he whispered through the mask and scooped me out of my bed.
I started to cry. Then I saw his shoes- Daddy’s blue and gray sneakers.
Nicole Tunnell says
A Welcoming Atmosphere.
Sarah Anne stared almost hypnotized as the white lace curtains billowed and danced in a light breeze, the doorbell rang, she glanced around the room once more, and satisfied that there were no traces of blood left, she smiled and skipped downstairs to answer the door to her next guests.
Wendy Rich says
The Preyed
Finally invited downstairs, I meandered into friends gawking at another handwritten card…
Imagine your mum on your left; your dad on your right. You must kill one.
Just then, two battered and bound figures were pushed onto computer chairs on either side as a swarm of cellphones began filming me.
Lisa Randazzo Kearns says
SUCH COOL HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS
“Those skeletons are the best!”
“Thank you, Jackie.”
“Amazing Jack-o-lanterns!”
“Thanks.”
“And those glowing eyes –“ Jackie peered into the hedge.
“Huh?”
“They look so-”
The shrubbery rustled violently as Jackie was yanked within. Gnashing and slurping intermingled with muffled cries. Blood pooled at the base of the stairs.
Lisa Randazzo Kearns says
MAUREEN’S MEMENTO
I stretch Maureen’s dress over my hips. My sister’s sickening, cotton-candy scent wafts from its velvety folds. We favored each other as little girls, but that didn’t last past puberty. I’d longed for a body like Miss Perfect Princess, Maureen’s. Now that her gasping has finally ceased, I have one.
Ivy Magner says
Last Meal
He tortured her daily.
“Scientific experimentation,” he’d explained.
But today he got too close when he brought her meal. She caught him with her talons. Her fangs ripped him open, blood saturating her fur.
She’d have to ration this feast because no one would be coming to feed her now.
Lisa Randazzo Kearns says
HUNGER PANGS
I was irritable having sustained myself on Lester’s unwanted scraps from last weekend’s bar troll. The neighbor’s poodle was starting to make me drool. A familiar engine rumbled nearby, announcing its delivery of the sweetest, most succulent meat. I could barely contain myself as the school bus rounded the corner.
Troy Jackson says
•snap
Snap
snap
Snap•
Ivy Magner says
Prey
Dead twigs crunched beneath her bare feet.
Her tongue skimmed the dried blood on her mouth.
Hungry and exhausted, she didn’t dare stop.
She was being hunted. They’d surely kill her.
Finally reaching the road, she flagged down a car.
The driver would be her savior.
And her next meal.
Curtis Norris says
GETTING TO KNOW ME
Want to get to know me? Then come inside! No, not there. Here, inside my mind! That’s it. Here I am. Oh, don’t scream! It’s nice in here. All twirly and twisted, full of mad adventures! No, no, there’s no way out, so enjoy. And listen! Here come the others!
keg says
“Nix”
I lurk in the shallow swamp,
warm as blood,
more ancient than weeping tree roots
and golden-eyed gators,
I wait.
He sank, like the others,
too deep in suckling Southern mud;
I cradled him close.
Despite his throes
and desperate thrashing,
he succumbed
and slept.
The gators had the rest.
Kattaryna Salzman says
Patchwork
She was followed by screams, it didn’t matter, small prices for others to pay. The flesh on her legs was maggot filled and rotting, but now she could replace them. With cold fingers she ripped her own legs off and put the young man’s legs on. Now for her face.
CC Parks says
THE BEEKEEPERS
My eyes, like glass in this -18 degree weather. My fingers, strips of stainless steel. Searching his frozen frame for a heartbeat, no smoke rises from his nostrils and mouth. I taste his cold lips… slick with maraschino honey. The bees sting my back… their sugars dripping down me.
Kattaryna Salzman says
Hallway
You dash through dark empty halls. The corridor twists and it’s too dark to make out clearly. You extend your arms as not to collide with the walls but this slows you down. You hear it scraping its razor claws against the wall behind you. You trip. It reaches you.
Kattaryna Salzman says
Time
A clock ticks.
The room is empty.
Just you, the chair, the television.
What should you do?
There is nothing.
No one wants to see you.
No one cares.
Age will do that to you.
Leave you alone.
You’re without children and spouse they’re already dead.
Just another hundred years.
keg says
“Wolf Spider”
Never kill a wolf spider,
she carries her children on her back,
all nestled and safe.
Until your unwise hand slays,
and they flee their mother’s corpse.
You’ll fail to snuff out
every one of those scattering black babes.
They will hide in the dark.
They will remember…
and grow.
keg says
“Soup”
He lived alone
in a quiet cabin
in thick woods.
He drew his bath
in the claw-foot tub
in this quiet cabin
in thick woods.
But when he twisted and slipped,
only trees could hear
as he drowned
alone
in his quiet cabin
in thick woods;
lonely corpse of soup
Andey says
Only My Insides Can Get Out
I’m trapped and I can’t stop puking. It’s not happening now but it will come back. Anytime I try to leave or communicate with the outside I retch horribly. All that comes up now is blood and pieces of my guts. My final scream for help will be a gag.
Alex Escobedo says
B&E
It was a robbery, she thought, sobbing picking through her broken and missing things. The shock of what had happened making her forget she needed to call the police, call anyone. At least she hadn’t been home, or hurt. Lights had been smashed, her bedroom was dark. There they waited.
Elizabeth Silvestri says
He’s Here
“Goodnight Laney!” I said across the room. We were knocked out before our heads hit the pillow. I oddly slept through the whole night. My head pounding, I woke up. No Laney. The room’s covered in blood. I’m covered in blood. He’s at the foot of my bed, I’m next.
ToJo says
Social Anxiety, the Welcome Party, & Queer Flavors
Where was the restroom? Molly was embarrassed to ask.
Hilda pushed a brownie into her hand. It tasted like desiccated dirt but Molly ate it with a smile.
She cleansed her palate with punch- sanguine, warm, and copper-ish in flavor.
What was in it? Molly sipped it quietly without asking.
Georgina Lau says
“An eerie date”
I climbed out of the car. The harsh wind hit my face as it picked up. Though the diner looked empty, I went in quickly, hoping my friend would hurry. The door opened suddenly. Freezing, I looked up. “Sorry I was late” he smiled, wiping the blood off his hands.
Georgina Lau says
I climbed out of the car. The harsh wind hit my face as it picked up. Though the diner looked empty, I went in quickly, hoping my friend would hurry. The door opened suddenly. Freezing, I looked up. “Sorry I was late” he smiled, wiping the blood off his hands.
Bonnie says
“My Hero”
Rain caused my unwise decision to cross at the dangerous intersection. Brakes screeched, as the young girl ran out and shoved me hard. I struggled to catch my breath, looking for my savior. My gaze found her face in the photo on the pole, surrounded by flowers and teddy bears.
Bonnie says
“The Wake”
My husband looked so sad, as he dressed for the wake. He had been inconsolable and distant since the accident that killed his sister. We drove to the funeral home in silence and went inside. Confusion washed over me as two coffins came into view. I’d forgotten I’d been driving.
Troy Jackson says
Clever
Timothy Hence says
Under the Bed
Colder nights presented themselves as October came to an end. October 25, 26, 27….. each night the horrible voice under my bed loudened. I told myself it was my mind playing tricks until October 30, “Don’t run”. I didn’t listen. “Sorry” It said. Then took everything, yet I am here.
Lisa Randazzo Kearns says
GERTRUDE’S SNICKER
Gertrude admired her homemade pumpkin cookies.
Still, some would want candy.
Twilight indicated the little ones would soon be knocking.
She used Harold’s tin snips to cut the head off of a straight pin. She gently pushed it through the bottom of the fun-size Snicker’s wrapper.
“Perfect.”
DING DONG
“Coming.”
Cameron Sparks says
Amongst Us
Some find isolation to be troubling, but is that really so? Or does the shadow linger more so in the crowd? So many untreated souls walk about, it’s as though nothing has changed since the time of Shakespeare. Description’s present as ever “hells empty, and the devil’s are all here”…
Troy Mannos says
Jack & Sally
All alone in the park, at night sally walks.
Concealed in the shadows, Jack silently stalks.
With a bottle of chloroform, a rag, he taints.
Sally whimpers softly; she struggles, then she faints.
Bound and gagged, she lands with a clunk.
With a sly, smug grin jack closes the trunk.
Cameron Sparks says
My Curiosity
The pages brushing against my finger tips, that old familiar smell of print proliferating my nostrils. My curiosity had my mind ensnared at what I had found tucked away in the attic. As I read becoming more enchanted the lights flickered. As if by magic, creatures arose from the book.
Cameron Sparks says
A Feeling
Something was off, couldn’t put my finger on it but I knew. The hairs seemed to stand, my stomach churned nauseous, I knew, was told I was tripping but I knew. If the devil is real it was him. No one gazes so analytically, so lifelessly cold, it’s just inhuman.
Nina Gerardi says
To Whom It May Concern
If you’re reading this, they’re already watching. You’re vulnerable.
Avoid darkness. Don’t even LOOK at darkness–if you see ANYTHING strange in unlit areas, run! It’s NOT a trick of the light. It’s NOT your pet!
Oh god, they’re here. I glanced up and it’s over. Listen! Whatever happens, don’t ytsdtrust
Troy Jackson says
Cool beans
Cameron Sparks says
Overnight
The house walls almost transparent had so many windows, but the offer was hard to refuse. Night broke out across a blue sky like a black veil. Minutes turned into hours unnoticeably, much of the day seemed a blur. The door bell rang, was then the real price revealed itself.
Cameron Sparks says
Dream Within a Dream
Time has come and gone leaving not much more than scars in my mind. An echoing rythm not belonging to a heart, but the raging monster inside. Demeanor so cold, and frozen yet some how still alive. Searching for a memory, left with ghost, it’s like waking from being hypnotized.
Benjamin Lingwall says
School Day
“Bye, Mom.”
I caressed Megan’s sweet forehead. Then, inside, I watched Megan cheerfully skip into the dawn.
Returning to the window minutes later, I saw Megan being shoved into a dark van. I rushed outside, but it fled.
I ran until my feet bled.
But, I never saw Megan again.
Michael Devine says
‘NAM IS GNARLY
“Napalm is the bomb,” private Rourke exclaimed to his partner Joey as they piled up the charred bodies, and added, “crispy gooks rock.” But they weren’t gooks, and they started to slither and howl oozing black pus through yellow teeth. They pulled their guns, but too late. Soldier meat’s bodacious.
Scott Zhao says
“Friends aren’t what they really are”
Paul came over, since we got out of school rather late.
When we entered the house, something seemed uncanny.
Paul was smirking. He held something lustrous in one hand.
“Mom? Dad? Anyone home?” I called.
Silence. Paul wasn’t looking at me.
“Paul, are you okay?”
Paul said, “It was me”
stijn gauthier says
CONFUSION
A cold barren night. An icy cutting wind.
The numbness of my body is nothing to the confusion of my soul.
The slicing slithering sound of metal chills me to the bone.
A stabbing in my body,
a round silver face is the last I saw before darkness eats me whole.
Vic Raymond says
My Big Sister Katie
My sister Katie went missing last year. She was mean so I never missed her.
She seemed a whole lot nicer on the phone when she called us today, but mommy and I think that it isn’t really her. Actually, I’m pretty sure we left Katie’s body in the basement.
Colleen O'Neil says
A Birth
Klara was blessed with second sight.
As she labored to expel the infant within her, her mind was bombarded with apocalyptic visions of war and unspeakable human suffering. What kind of monster was capable of such horrors?
A cheery voice returned her to the present. “It’s a boy, Frau Hitler.”
Vic Ortiz says
OUR MEALS ARE MADE HAPPY
—
He wore a costume, face-paint, was in all the commercials. Led the factory tour, behind-the-scenes.
“Who wants chicken nuggets?”
A chorus of me-me-me’s.
The chicks went into the machine.
Bone and gristle snapped.
The chicks squealed.
The kids cheered.
The machine burped nuggets.
The kids ate.
The clown was happy.
Vic Ortiz says
WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP FOLLOWING US?
—
He was stuck in the empty asylum for decades.
Windows and doors worked backward, spat him back in.
It wasn’t damnation, he wasn’t crazy.
The asylum wasn’t a puzzle, had no solution.
His family didn’t know where he went.
They didn’t understand how or why that asylum followed them around.
Gerri Zimmerman says
Carved Pumpkin
The raven spotted the mouse as it crawled into a carved pumpkin. He landed inside the pumpkin to find the mouse gone and replaced by a black spider. The spider spun a web over the raven. A raven dinner was just as good as a delectable mouse might have been.
Vic Ortiz says
THE KINK
—
They went to her place after the party, got undressed.
She got a hammer and nails, he got uncomfortable.
She straddled him, said, “this is gonna be messy.”
She went over to her closet, dragged out a wooden cross.
“I wanna bear the world’s sin,” she said.
“Crucify me, daddy.”
Vic Ortiz says
10-63 ON MAPLE AND VETERANS, COPY THAT
—
…his way to the scene. Abandoned warehouse, routine.
Thought he’d arrest some hobos tonight.
The cop found a machine. Machine full of writhing bodies.
He saw himself. About thirty of himself.
With the smack of a shovel, plus-one.
The drifter went back in time for another cop-y.
The cop made…
Lisa Randazzo Kearns says
GRANDMA’S WEIGHT LOSS PLAN
Before she died, we used to go to Grandma’s house for Sunday dinner. Now she comes to us. I’ve taken away the spare chair, but she’ll stand, poking her gnarled finger in the risotto, drooling.
Nobody’s bothered.
They wonder why I’ve lost my appetite.
She always thought I was fat.
sarah gadon says
EYES ON YOU
It was still raining, having no choice Laura navigated the puddles and boot sucking mud, her flashlight flickering as the battery ran low. From the woods eyes blankly reflected the light, on/off, on/off. Suddenly she smelled wet fur as the howling creature lept, fangs hunting her warm blood.
Lisa Randazzo Kearns says
THAT TIME OF THE MONTH
She started bleeding after practice. Her menstrual cramps were bad. Leaning against the shower wall, she felt her insides stretch and tear.
Slicing. Stabbing. Pain.
She screamed as a bloody mass flopped onto the tile floor. The horned creature shook off its gelatinous membrane and scurried over the tub wall.
Katherine Vickers says
All Grown Up
As a child I was always afraid of something. Everything from the dark to the monsters under the bed. How I wish I could go back and speak to those ghosts, ghouls and goblins. Now I know they were only trying to protect me from the real monsters. Other humans.
Oyinlola Abimbola says
THE GHOST
After the burial, Joel was left alone in his room. Suddenly, a thud came at the door, a westerly attacked the louvers, a zephyr caused a twitch, and in the respite that followed, the fluorescent bulb flickered and went out, then, a bioluminensce adhered a stare.
Oyinlola Abimbola says
IMMORTAL WANNABE
“To be immortal, take the dagger and cut out your heart” said the witch.
“But, I’ll die” Artur said.
“Yes you will, you’re immortal until death”
“I’m backing out!” Artur said, terrified.
“No, I need it” she said, “When I offer, I take”
He had to make for the door.
Jake McCann says
Madoline
Her screams lasted all night,
Drowned by the howls of coyotes.
Stabbed twelve times at midnight,
one for each bell chimed.
A man stood watch, an accomplice.
It ended as swiftly as it had begun.
Jake McCann says
Spooky Christmas
There were no gifts, nor, cheers, nor joy.
A dark night on Christmas Eve, for the darkest of all crimes had occurred. Santa was left dead, scavenged by wolves, with neither witnesses nor sign of foul play, only a faint sound of ho ho ho blowing in the wind.
Oyinlola Abimbola says
AT ‘150
Lee’s car broke down at the outskirts of Burry. While he was seeking the cause, two ambers blinked ten metres away. Riveted on the spot, the ambers approached. Suddenly, it disappeared and suddenly appeared before him. Luckily, the unconscious car came up, and the amber disappeared, he went on ‘150.
Nekidra Embry says
Witches Brew
“Look @ those lost souls!”
“They R trying 2 figure it out but it’s too late. ”
” Spare them not have no mercy”
“Sheep of the black market will B brought 2 light.”
The demised plot out.
“Witches brew stew FACEBOOK w/ B erased on 31st BOO!”
Lance Carpenter says
The Witch
He brought what she desired. Deerskin. Baby teeth. Bloodied magnolia. A scrap of his pajamas. She swallowed everything. She whispered on his neck. “You want your little boy back?” More than anything. Her teeth wrapped around his ear. He heard a dark forest. The slow laughter of children. Gnashing teeth.
Mike Fiore says
My leg hung off the bed.
Unable to move.
The intolerable feeling of cool air tickling my leg overwhelmed me.
Was I alone? Where was I?
Light creeped in as the door screeched open.
I saw only darkness.
The cold hand wrapped around my ankle, pulling me under the bed.
Jenna Busch says
Hide and Seek
“Ready or not, here I come!” She gave Timmy a minute, then tiptoed into his room. He was terrible at hiding, even for a kid. His feet were sticking out from under the bed. She stifled her giggles and pulled at his ankle, which came off, unattached to his body.
Joshua Goldman says
The Divorce
Waking up alone in an empty house, I staggered towards the bathroom. Filled with blood my mouth begins to throb. I aim for the sink, I grabbed the towel but my eyesight revealed a necklace crafted with 2 teeth, nail and my wedding ring dangling by my hair.
Colleen O'Neil says
Klara
Klara was blessed with second sight.
As she labored to expel the infant within her, her mind was bombarded with apocalyptic visions of war and unspeakable human suffering beyond her comprehension.
She grieved for her child’s future.
A cheery voice returned her to the present. “It’s a boy, Frau Hitler.”
Oklo Tsaku says
Dead Tales
Jack lived near the cemetery. Ugly deserted place that’s for sure!
“Dead adults rising? Yeah, yeah, piece of cake. Dead babies rising? I
shudder and damp my pants. Their hysterical laugh, far from cute.
This was no Child’s Play; they gather, suffocate and leave”, he adduced,
probably unconscious now.
Troy Jackson says
REPARATIONS: BY ANY MEANS
The overseer had beaten Titus mercilessly.. Mahalia was certain that he’d expire by the night….
But
Mahalia possessed the great Gris Gris bone of the ancestors.. And as she ceremonied to Papa Legba, all of Titus’ harm went into the one that hurt him
That man was dead by morning
Joel Reeves says
SATAN TEXTED ME
2 many souls to torture this week. Postponing Heaven’s overthrow until next Tuesday. R you still on board tho?
Prob not m8. I’m working late. Wednesday good?
Nah. That’s HIS T.V. night. Security’s gonna be tight.
You bet it will. LUCIFER.
. . .
God? Oh shit. I thought I deleted this contact.
Troy Jackson says
IT’S NOT HOMELESS, IT’S SHELTER DISABLED
He was by no means a stupid man.. He knew that their offer of ‘shelter’ was predicated on the fact that there would be abuse, possible organ harnessing..
Thing was, he just didn’t care anymore
Until he saw the children
They stood hillside together that night, watching the facility burn.
Rain Pollistery says
walks in door
“mom” he shouts
“hello” He’s worried
Walks into the back yard and searches here’s the crunches of the leaves
walks to the lake as he see’s his mother hanging from the old oak tree.
he yells and runs wondering were shall he go. as she slowly follows.
Lance Carpenter says
Home Burial
It’s been a week. She can’t eat anything. Thunder. She sees tiny, muddy footprints in the carpet. “Davie?” She follows them down the basement. “Where have you been?” A thump. Every lightbulb dies at once. Something runs against her leg. “My sweet baby boy.” Teeth. Blood blossoms in the dark.
kristina Gillespie says
Red Water
The red water runs.
It runs through my fingers fast
Death runs through water
Clear crystalline bloom so red
The red water runs
Fast, fast, fast, fast, with red blood.
Never mind, the bloods not mine
I just like to play in it.
Splashing, so much fun bodies free floating.
kristina Gillespie says
Weaveology
Poison coated every strand; mindless workers bind hair. Obeah man beamed with pride, soon his magic cover nations. Weave here, extension there, he could feel his power spread. Fingers reach to touch hair, fingers bitten, blood flowing, zombie nation born. The specter of death made him smile. He would rule.
Troy Jackson says
MARINER SAID IT BEST
“You never knew me, not really!”
he retorted “you never ever let me*
‘you stole what I had ‘
‘You never wanted, or needed it until it was gone’
‘it wasn’t yours to take! ‘
“Neither was it yours, all along! ‘
Long knives drawn
This would only be settled… in hot blood.
Cheryl Zaidan says
2 A.M
It’s been one full year since your husband died. Life is better without the bastard but the anniversary of his death seems bitter-sweet. At least you were never caught. You’re alone in bed, it’s 2:00 in the morning and all is dark. You drift off.
The bathroom light switches on.
Sofia Reiland says
Thomas Doherty
Thomas Doherty has a girl in his shed. Nobody believes me, but it’s true; Thomas Doherty has a girl in his shed. Sometimes when I walk past the shed I’ll see her looking at me through the wooden slats. She never speaks, though. I think he cut out her tongue.
sarah gadon says
It was still raining, having no choice Laura navigated the puddles and boot sucking mud, her flashlight flickering as the battery ran low. From the woods eyes blankly reflected the light, on/off, on/off. Suddenly she smelled wet fur as the howling creature lept, fangs hunting her warm blood.
Danna says
Ding, ding, ding…. the seat belt alarm rang. She was safely buckled in and the persistent ringing was giving her a headache. She pulled off the deserted road into an abandoned Route 66 service station. The passenger door opened and then closed. The alarm silent.
Alex Falk says
The Question
The word ‘Why’ slithers out of her mouth, wrapping around her neck. The beast created by the girl in front of her pierces at her desires. Finding the courage to answer her question she realizes the girl dispersed. She couldn’t ask what she wanted: ‘I want to be your friend’.
Troy Jackson says
UNSEEABLE
The serum had made him invisible
.but
There was an unforeseen side effect
A scientist, he should’ve realized that, with true invisibility ..there is no light for eyes to refract..leaving him blind
Next day, the man cliff side couldn’t figure out what he kept tripping over.. He couldn’t see anything..?
Troy Jackson says
HOW I MISS THE LEGACY HOUSE
“surrender the dark “
“Surrender the dark”
..the dubstep soundtrack played over and over, flowing through her entire being, her entire infrastructure…
She tried to resist
Tried.. And failed
Imagine her surprise then when a nightclub of shadows kept in time.. stepped in line, danced, pranced, and dipped along with her.
Troy Jackson says
A DISH BEST SERVED COLD
They wouldn’t stop
He hung for her
For them
For their crimes.
The perfect scapegoat
Slain..unsung
Didn’t want to know
No way he couldn’t
…either though.
Coming back from the dead wasn’t all it was cracked up to be
But hell would be paid
He wouldn’t be lonely
Anymore.