Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Horror.

Cryptococcus... something
“This is it,” Lilah says to Sal, who's panting heavily in the back seat. Lilah reaches a sweaty arm over the seat and runs her hand over Sal's smooth chestnut head. "This is the best mailbox I can find," she says, "and if someone lives to find my letter, it'll mean something, even if it's to just that one person." Sal's tongue disappears into her mouth and then reappears lolling over the side of her jowls.
By Laura DeRue5 years ago in Horror
The House
I parked my car on the street over from the cafe; giving myself a little bit of a walk out of habit. I already had an app on my phone to pay the meter downloaded and I clicked through the app with a pace that told me I was not as excited for this blind date as I should be. I was already five minutes late, and I was never late for anything. I was wearing a nice light blue dress, I’d washed my hair, and I felt like that should be enough for this guy. I did have a thought, somewhere in the back of my mind, that it would be nice to kiss someone. It’d been a long, long time since I’d kissed anyone, and now it was finally a possibility. My friend from work had set this up, saying that he felt like we were both workaholics who often ignored our own needs to meet deadlines, so we were a match. This didn’t fill me with much confidence, but at least he would understand my life a little more than most.
By Jack Gosney5 years ago in Horror
What Ever Happened To Them, Uncle Xavier?
“Get me the piece that looks like a read staircase.” “Um, there are none left.” “What, that can’t be. Wait, was it that you’re making?”
By Brandon Nephew5 years ago in Horror
Balm of Briar
The sterile white walls of the chapel seemed to go on forever as Anne’s eyes studied them, finding vaguely familiar shapes in the stucco. A cloud, a rose, and the devil himself were hidden in plain sight amongst the congregation. Anne, entranced by the shapes of the stucco, dared not to make eye contact with those around her. Anytime Anne managed to make eye contact with the members sat beside her, she could sense the weight of their scorn. The hiss in every ‘Amen’ whispered by the congregation throughout the sermon made her recoil even more behind a tattered hymn book. Avoiding eye contact with the members, her eyes searched for a new focal point other than her father leading the sermon and the stiff elderly Sunday Christians wrapped in silk and wool. Anne pulled at the loose stitching of her shapeless beige dress while she became entranced with the dust that glittered as it swirled in the ethereal chapel light. How can a simple thing such as dust be so beautiful? Anne wondered.
By sarah martineau5 years ago in Horror
Catawba River Beast
"Are you sure this is ok?", I said to my best friend, Dean. He nodded and replied, "Sure, no one will know and we will back before anyone wakes up." The year was 1975 and we had decided to sneak out and head to the lake. The movie Jaws had just been released and everyone was raving about how scary it was. We got dressed and carried our sneakers to the backdoor so as not to wake Mom or Dad. We lived in a small town and no one ever locked their doors but the hinges were sometimes squeaky so I took a can of 3-in-1 oil from a shelf and squirted a couple of drops on the door hinges before we opened the door. We stepped outside and closed the door behind us. Mission accomplished. It was 2 a.m. on a Friday night in mid-July and it was surprisingly cool for upper South Carolina.
By Joey Lowe5 years ago in Horror
gas leak
The smell really wasn’t too bad, in fact, I was starting to get used to it, and it really didn’t bother me anymore. It didn’t smell good, but I didn’t really notice it anymore. But that was because I lived there.
By trina schuler5 years ago in Horror
Midnight Burial
Four figures labored at the top of a hill, barely illuminated by the cold autumn moonlight. Dirt was thrown onto a mound, landing with muted thumps that spoke of death. The only other sound to be heard was the grim scraping of shovels across earth and rocks. Two men stood in the hole they were digging, the edge of which already reached above their heads. Ben threw the last shovelful of dirt over his shoulder and the two silently climbed out of the pit. The others began dragging a wrapped up blanket over to the hole. Ben broke the eerie silence. “Hurry up,” he said, reading the time from his pocket watch. “We don’t have long.”
By Jacob Fike5 years ago in Horror
Nighttime Ritual
Delia flits around the house like a horsefly in a hot barn. Dust this room. Vacuum that room. Check the pot on the stove. Dusk is settling in, the sun turning in for the night and the moon about to start its evening rounds. So much to do and so little time left to make sure things are just right for this perfect evening.
By Scott Sholder5 years ago in Horror
The Gaunt-Faced Rider
Marla shivered and pulled her coat tighter around her as the fierce wind tried to rip it away. The muddy road pulled at her boots and made the walk miserable. She had been on her way from her home town to visit her uncle’s manor when a wicked tempest swept in suddenly and caused her buggy to crash in a ditch by the side of the road. She had decided to leave the buggy behind and come back to try to salvage it when the weather was better, and so went trudging through the storm and the forest, hoping she could get to her uncle’s manor before the storm killed her or she passed out from exhaustion. She wished she had brought a hat. Her beautiful bright red hair was getting drenched by the rain that lashed against her face.
By Jacob Fike5 years ago in Horror
The Polisher
As I ran to school, I could feel the heat from the sun and my feet slapping on the tile pavement. I looked down and saw the odd dark spot ranging from different numbers on each panel. As I ran and felt gravity moving on my backpack, I noticed the shadows from a building. The architecture was quite upsetting. I looked through the window and saw an older gentleman with glasses. I developed the mentality, that if I’m late, then there’s no point to try to rush to school. I walked into the small furniture store. I heard the bell ring when I opened the door and saw him touching the tables placed around the store. I touched the leather and the texture felt so different compared to other stores I’ve seen. A nice old man turned around and smiled at me. I could see on his face that he was passionate about the store and just happy to be alive. I read his stature and could tell he was well calm and collected.
By Pablo Balderos5 years ago in Horror
The Pain Eater
“Guaranteed salvation of the mortal condition is a heavily sought after gift, a gift that does not come at a material price. If something so deeply and profoundly primal were to be erased from the body, what ethereal chain would fill that immediate void?”
By Rosewood Anthill5 years ago in Horror
The Counter-Intuitive Optimism of Frank Darabont's "The Mist"
In November of 2020, BloodyDisgusting.com published an article titled "The 10 Most Depressing Endings in Horror Movie History." For fans of the genre, it was hardly a surprise that The Mist (2007) made the list. The Mist is one of those movies that's developed a reputation over the years. Just thinking about the ending can ruin your whole day. However, it's also one of those cultural artefacts that seem almost perfectly calibrated for the world we've found ourselves in after this past year of plagues and lockdowns, and I think that context merits giving The Mist another look. Parts of the story that used to feel otherworldly and abstract now land surprisingly close to home, and that famously depressing ending can actually be the source of a counter-intuitive hope. In case you aren't familiar with said ending or the Stephen King novella upon which the movie is based, consider this a big ol' spoiler warning for both of them.
By Littlewit Philips5 years ago in Horror