October 2024 Halloween Fright Contest: 50-Word Horror Stories
Welcome to our bone-chilling Halloween 50 Word Horror Story Contest! We’re seeking the most spine-tingling tales to celebrate the spookiest season. Craft a complete horror story in just 50 words and submit it in the comments below by midnight on October 30th, 2024. Enter as many times as you dare!
The Rules:
- It must be a horror story
- It must be 50 words or less
- It must be a complete story
- Entries must be submitted by midnight on October 30th, 2024
- Enter as many stories as you like!
- Post your story in the comments below
- The scariest story wins
The Prize:
While there’s no cash prize, the winning entry will receive:
- Bragging rights on Halloween night
We’re desperately seeking hair-raising tales that leave us shivering with fear. Put on your master of macabre hat and unleash your most terrifying 50-word story. Make us tremble with terror in less space than a tweet. Our judges are prepared to reward the tiny tale that sends the most chills down their spines.
What nightmarish stories does your twisted mind conceal? Polish your most petrifying micro-tale and leave your horrifying submissions in the comments below. We can hardly wait to witness the spine-chilling horrors your imagination can create when restricted to a mere 50 words. Hold nothing back – let your horror take life in this compact space.
Enter as many times as you wish to maximize your chances of winning and being featured in our Halloween issue. Make us shriek with fright!
Leave your story below. Enter as many times as you desire!
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- October 2024 Halloween Fright Contest: 50-Word Horror Stories - October 1, 2024
I can’t locate the stories I submitted; I see only dates September 29 and 30. Where are the rest of the submissions?
Are you talking about for our 2024 contest here: https://www.everywritersresource.com/50-word-horror-story-contest-2024/ ? I can’t go through all the submissions at this time, but I do see you submitted 5 stories to our other contest on the 23.
“So… fifty words?”
“Fifty words.”
“Then it’s over?”
“Yep.”
“Everything?”
“Yeah.”
“Non-negotiable?”
“I don’t see how we would.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah.”
“Think I have time to call my wife?”
“Probably not. Word count’s getting pretty high.”
“Ah.”
“Yeah.”
“So… what do you think happens after all this?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“I want your soul,” the demonic voice hissed, crawling inside James’s body. “I crave your blood, and I’ll drag you to hell. Stay with me in eternal damnation. Refuse, and I’ll end your life right now.” The darkness tightened its grip, and James realized he was already lost.
Late at night, Judith heard whispers seeping from the walls. “Let us out,” they begged. She pressed her ear close, terrified. “Your blood will free us.” Heart racing, she turned to flee, but the walls pulsed, arms reaching through, dragging her into darkness, sealing her fate forever.
“Don’t breathe,” the shadows whispered, wrapping around Josephine like a noose. Her heart raced as she fought to exhale, but the darkness thickened. “We’ll take you,” they promised, their icy fingers closing around her throat. With one desperate gasp, she succumbed, her last breath stolen, lost to the void.
Alone in bed, Lily awoke to her mother’s soothing voice, “It’s just a bad dream.” But when she turned, her mother stood at the doorway, pale and trembling. “Don’t go near her,” she whispered, eyes wide with fear. Behind Lily, the reflection in the mirror smiled, imitating her mother perfectly.
In the dim light of the abandoned asylum, Sarah heard whispers of forgotten souls. Each step echoed, drawing her deeper. Shadows twisted, taunting her fears. Suddenly, a chilling hand gripped her ankle. Breath quickened, heart raced. She turned, but only saw darkness. The whispers grew louder, “You’re one of us now.”
“‘Kill the baby,’ an old woman’s voice spoke, full of fury yet tinged with seriousness. ‘Kill the boy!’ she shouted louder. ‘Kill the boy!’ Hahaha, she laughed. Magreth woke up from her nightmare. Oh dear, she was smashing her newborn baby. It wasn’t a nightmare; it was real.”
The babysitter found a child’s drawing on the fridge. It showed the family: Mom, Dad, and little Timmy. But there was a fourth figure—tall, shadowy, standing behind Timmy’s bed. “Who’s this?” she asked. Timmy smiled. “That’s my night friend. He says he’s hungry. He’s right behind you.”
Every night, Sarah covered her mirror before bed. One evening, she forgot. At 3 AM, she woke to a tapping sound. In the mirror’s reflection, she saw herself, smiling and waving. But her reflection’s eyes were pitch black, and its smile grew wider as it whispered, “Let me out.”
[Scritch scritch.]
Cindy shivered beneath the covers.
Her closet was making noises again.
She shook her head.
No. She had her nightlight. Everything would be fine.
[Scritch scritch.]
[Creeeak~]
Cindy opened her eyes.
A pale, slender arm beckoned to her, its needled claws reaching for the lamp.
[Scritch scritch.]
[Click.]
An old manuscript in her attic showed Advena how to grow the biggest pumpkin to win the cash prize in her town’s Halloween contest. She gave her plant water, fertilizer, plenty of sunshine, but those alone wouldn’t be enough. That’s when the neighborhood cats began to disappear, then the kids.
The darkness, a thick sheet of steel. Impenetrable. Even time’s fingers, not finding purchase, had slipped silently from the room.
The man scoured every inch by hand. Found nothing.
No door opened, yet… a change.
A bend in the air. Breath down his neck.
Someone was there with him.
Waiting.
In the attic, she found a dusty mirror. As she wiped it clean, her reflection grinned back, though she was still. Each night, the mirror whispered secrets, pulling her closer. One evening, she leaned in too far; the glass rippled. Now, she watches, trapped inside, while her reflection roams free.
Carla’s family mansion was clearly haunted.
The portraits of soldiers on the wall were scaring her.
They started to shake and fell to the rustic carpet.
Gunshots started going off in the distance and as Carla turned to look, she saw all of the soldiers pointing guns right at her.
The old doll sat in the attic, its eyes glimmering in the darkness. Every night, whispers echoed from the shadows, calling her name. One stormy evening, she climbed down, drawn by the voices. The next morning, the house was silent—except for the doll, now smiling on the empty bed.
In the stillness of night, Sarah heard a soft lullaby. Drawn to the window, she peered outside, where her reflection sang back at her, eyes hollow and smile sinister. The lullaby grew louder, and as she turned to flee, her reflection stepped through the glass, ready to take her place.
Every night, Sarah heard her mother calling from the basement. “Help me, dear,” the voice pleaded. But her mother had died years ago.
One stormy evening, driven by fear and longing, Sarah descended the stairs. As she turned the corner, she froze—her mother stood there, grinning, covered in blood.
How can this be ? Miss Gale called scream in fear; When she saw her late dead husband John Thomas body laying on the bed next to her. She didn’t know that he man that she had married a day ago was of the undead pretending to be of the living.
From the corner of my eyes , I saw a shadowy figure of an old man with long fingers nails like claws. His face looked nothing I have seen before.As he walk towards me with his palms open like he was begging me for something and it was my soul.
I ate the soldier’s heart and left a stone one in its place. I was full and he was empty. I was alive and he was barely so. He reached out to her too late. He was already changing into a bloodthirsty beast. I never forgot her piercing scream.
Billy gawked at the haunted house, which sat isolated in back of the carnival. He bought a ticket. Inside, his cart rolled through the darkness… then abruptly stopped. Silence. Billy heard a cage creak open. Snarling. Slow, heavy footsteps. Outside, the gloomy ticket taker sighed, putting the “Closed” sign up.
Chad lay beside the sinkhole, remembering his sister Anna, who had disappeared in these woods. Suddenly a grotesque hand emerged from the sinkhole and grabbed Chad’s ankle. Anna’s rotting face appeared. Chad screamed helplessly as his sister pulled him down into the darkness. Anna smiled. She was alone no more.
Halloween. 7:06. Arnold searched for a scary movie, accidentally pushing “666” on his remote. On TV: woods. Flames. Screaming. And a grim old man: “Welcome, Arnold.” A slow knock at Arnold’s door. Arnold turned, gulping. The old man grinned: “Sorry, Arnold. You picked the wrong channel… at the wrong time.”
Following dinner, Richard decided to turn in early. With the smell of campfire in the air, he slept peacefully that night. He awoke when he heard his wife, Debbie, crawl into the tent. He grinned as she cozied up beside him. But this thing wasn’t his wife. It had scales.
When they reached the top of the ferris wheel, the ride paused. Danny admired the view. He turned to Jenny in hopes of stealing a kiss, but Jenny seemed different. Her head was on backwards; she laughed grotesquely. Down below, Jenny yelled up at Danny, panicked. “That’s not me! Jump!”
Halloween was nearly over. Katie blew out the pumpkin, but it wouldn’t extinguish; it only flamed higher. The pumpkin angrily puked its guts onto Katie’s face and then rolled away. The pumpkins gathered and rolled across lawns, kids screaming. Old Mr. Davis, who hated Halloween, was the first to die.
Sunset. Bill cast his line out one last time. Finally a bite! He reeled it in. On his hook: a weathered toy clown. Bill cursed it, tossing it back into the lake. The other forgotten toys — dolls, animals, action figures — rose to the surface, surrounding Bill’s boat, glaring at him.
Benny bit into his hot dog, which yelped. Startled, Benny spit it out. Dad spit out his shrieking hot dog, which scampered into the forest. Around the world, desecrated hot dogs revolted. Dad was flogged by 27 wieners, then smothered in mustard. Sarah ate veggie dogs, so she was safe.
At dinner that night, mom pulled all of the skin off her face. When she removed her tongue, and then gouged out her eyes and slithered up the wall, I knew it wasn’t mom anymore. Dad and sis eyed me sadly before removing their own skin. No one ate dessert.