Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Horror.

'Til Death Do Us Part
Sloan Evans drummed her fingers anxiously on the armrest of her office chair. She had painstakingly assisted countless clients on completing the questionnaire she now faced herself. Sloan knew how to soothe their nerves and guide them through the most important decisions of their lives. She inadvertently glanced down at her modest engagement ring and wondered silently if her fiancé was struggling as well. Sloan and Edgar had yet to set a wedding date, but she knew nothing could move forward until they submitted the pre-nuptial forms mandated by the federal government.
By ALEXA L. DAVIS5 years ago in Horror
The mirror
Prologue: The Elite Divide The shimmering colonies of Mars were a testament to human ingenuity and ambition. Towers of glass and steel pierced the ruddy Martian sky, their tops reaching for the thin atmosphere, while sprawling domes housed gardens and marketplaces. The planet had become a new Eden—if one could afford it. For beneath its veneer of perfection lay an unbridgeable chasm between the elite and the common folk. The "Mars Needs You" bill had been the cornerstone of Senator Richard Mars' legacy. It promised a brighter future for humanity, but it also reinforced the rigid hierarchy that governed Martian society. Only a select few non-elites were allowed to migrate, their work visas granting temporary reprieve from Earth’s decaying ecosystems. They were workers, not equals—servants to the powerful. Among the elites was Victoria Mars, the Senator’s only daughter. Born into wealth, she was a symbol of Martian aristocracy: beautiful, charming, and utterly ruthless. Chapter 1: The Accusation Victoria was only twelve when she destroyed Maria Gonzales' life. Maria, a non-elite hired to care for Victoria, had been more of a parent than her own mother and father. Yet, when boredom struck, Victoria saw an opportunity for amusement. "She stole my locket," Victoria declared, holding the delicate diamond heart pendant up for all to see, a cruel smile playing on her lips. Maria’s protests fell on deaf ears. The accusation was all it took. Guards escorted Maria off the property, her tears staining the hem of her uniform. Within days, she was deported back to Earth, leaving her young son, Julian, stranded on Mars. Victoria felt no remorse. If anything, she reveled in her power. Chapter 2: The Gift Years later, at 21, Victoria had blossomed into a true elite. Her beauty was legendary, her charm irresistible, and her cruelty sharper than ever. She ruled her social circle with an iron will, hiding her malice behind a dazzling smile. One evening, Victoria returned to her apartment after a gala, her heels clicking against the polished floor. A large box sat outside her door, adorned with a crimson envelope. "Another admirer," she muttered, rolling her eyes as she carried it inside. The letter inside bore an elegant script: "My Dearest Victoria, Though the years have passed, I have never forgotten you. I wanted you to have this—a reflection of the beauty I once saw in you. May your inner beauty outshine your outer. Yours always, Maria Gonzales." Victoria’s laugh echoed through the apartment. “How pathetic,” she sneered. Yet, curiosity compelled her to open the box. Inside was an ornate mirror, its frame etched with strange symbols that seemed to shimmer in the dim light. Chapter 3: The First Glimpse The mirror was captivating, its surface unnaturally clear. Victoria placed it in her living room, admiring how it caught the light. But as the hours passed, she noticed something unsettling. Her reflection seemed... off. Her cheeks appeared slightly hollow, her hair less lustrous. Dismissing it as exhaustion, she went to bed. By morning, her reflection had worsened. Dark circles ringed her eyes, her skin was blotchy, and her teeth had a yellowish tint. Panic set in. She smashed the mirror, shattering it into countless shards. Relief washed over her as she inspected herself in another mirror. Her beauty was intact. Whatever curse had befallen her was gone—or so she thought. Chapter 4: The Haunting Victoria awoke in the middle of the night, a strange compulsion pulling her toward the bathroom. When she flicked on the light, she froze. The mirror above the sink revealed a haggard, decrepit version of herself. Her reflection stared back with hollow eyes, its gray skin sagging over brittle bones. “No!” she screamed, clawing at her face. Her hands felt the truth of what she saw. Fleeing the bathroom, she stumbled into the living room—and there it was. The shattered mirror stood whole, as if it had never been broken. Chapter 5: The Revelation Maria’s face appeared in the mirror, serene yet resolute. “Do you see now, Victoria?” Maria’s voice echoed, soft but firm. “The mirror reflects your soul. This is who you truly are.” “You cursed me!” Victoria screamed. “Why?” “I did nothing but show the truth. You have lived a life of cruelty, and now the weight of your actions is laid bare. But there is a way to undo it.” “What do I have to do?” “Redemption is earned, not given. You must help those you have wronged, one by one. Only then will your true beauty return.” Chapter 6: Confronting the Past Victoria’s journey began with Julian, Maria’s son. She found him in the slums of Mars, a man hardened by years of struggle. “You ruined my life,” Julian spat, his anger palpable. “You think an apology will fix this?” But Victoria persisted. She used her resources to help Julian secure a home, a job, and the education he had been denied. Slowly, she saw changes in her reflection. Her hair regained its shine, her skin smoothed, and her eyes lost their hollow look. Chapter 7: The Temptation As Victoria continued her journey, the mirror presented her with choices. Each act of redemption came with a test: would she continue helping others or use her restored beauty to reclaim her elite status? The temptation was overwhelming. At times, she faltered, succumbing to old habits. Each misstep brought back the decay, a stark reminder of her inner darkness. Chapter 8: The Final Test Months later, Victoria had nearly completed her journey. Her beauty was almost fully restored, and she felt a glimmer of hope. But the mirror demanded one final act of redemption—one that would cost her everything. Maria’s voice echoed from the glass. “You must give up your elite status. Live as the people you scorned.” Victoria hesitated. Could she truly abandon the life she had always known? The power, the privilege? Epilogue: Reflection Eternal Victoria stood before the mirror, her decision made. She lifted it carefully and carried it to the slums, leaving it outside a community center. As she walked away, her reflection shimmered in the glass, no longer twisted or grotesque. For the first time, the woman staring back was truly beautiful. The mirror remained, waiting for its next victim—a reminder that true beauty comes from within, and justice is never far behind.
By K-jay5 years ago in Horror
‘False Positive’ Review—Darkly Fascinating
Pregnancy can be a scary experience, especially when you’re the protagonist of a horror movie. False Positive comes to us from director John Lee, the obvious choice for a horror filmmaker after his terrifying directorial debut, Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday.
By Jonathan Sim5 years ago in Horror
Good company
It is a wonderful afternoon, you are in a lovely restaurant, sitting around a large round table with your family, your partner, your loved ones.
By Patricia Krüger5 years ago in Horror
Brass Clockwork
Thunder rolled in the distance and the gentle sound of rain began to patter against the ramshackle roof of Heinrich's shack. As the last gravekeeper within the small town of Eiselbracht; he had spent the majority of his life living among decay and deceased. Chill had begun to creep down from the mountains near his home, bringing frost and cold mist in the mornings and evenings to settle upon his headstones and cobbled pathways.
By Adam Hardy5 years ago in Horror
Garden without Birds
I was nineteen years old when given the opportunity to try Radionuclide therapy. My lover was shipped away to Cyprus last year, I hadn’t been able to pull myself from the mud. I’ve always been taught to wipe the shit off my face and get up one more time. That time seemed impossible. I was a waste disposal site in every sense of the term.
By Rachel Milt5 years ago in Horror
Misty Road
The mist around the lights cast an eerie glow upon the road. Couples and groups could be heard laughing as well as muffled conversations due to distance. Though the path seemed eerie it led to salvation.
By Nikolle Freeman5 years ago in Horror
RED/GREEN
Red/Green By Aoife Nally So unripe, so unready. Oh my God, the thought of it, walking in silence beside him into a dark wood. A man so many years my senior. I’d never felt as young as that. It was the green of the year; first shoots brushed the cuffs of my upturned jeans. A place he didn’t show just anyone, a secret place only a few had ever heard of. We walked through the cathedral of trees, I felt verdant eyes blinking down on me, watching from ancient places. I was not prepared for this. There was a strange undulation on the forest floor, as if the earth had been carved out. A wild place forced to comply over hundreds and hundreds of years. I’d heard stories of men in vines and leaves, stag horns and heavy leather, up to strange rites in ancient places. Never heard of girls going there. I wondered why he wanted to show me this. I knew his sister, while she was alive, she was kind and quick and smart. Maybe he missed her so much he wanted to spend time with me. I knew they had been really close and sometimes in my dreams I could speak to her. I’d ask her about the oak wood and her much older brother and the men who danced in leaves. I never told her that the first time I met him the chain around my neck broke the heart shaped locket fell into my hands or that the first two words in my head when our eyes first met were “have me.” “A heart unchained” that’s what he said, taking the locket from my hands. I felt very naked without the weight of it on my neck. But for the first time I could feel the breeze across my throat. I guess he kept it. I haven’t seen it since.
By Aoife Anastasia5 years ago in Horror
Louisiana Voodoo
Voodoo, also known as New Orleans Voodoo or Creole Voodoo, is an African diasporic religion originating in the state of Louisiana. It developed through syncretism of various West African traditions, Roman Catholicism, and Haitian Vodou.
By Cynthia Gibson5 years ago in Horror
Brute Force
Some people say that you have to see it to believe it. At the moment when legend becomes reality in a first person sense, that is when some of the greatest memories are born. When the foundation of beliefs are created by facts and testimonies, blending together to create some of the greatest, passed down story telling one can encounter. Especially when you get to relive the story for yourself. What you're about to read is a rendition of a story that was told to me, then confirmed by my own testimony. It's been a story told and re-told by myself to my own children and friends around the campfire.
By Nathan Smith5 years ago in Horror
Trophy Hunting
There were never many days worth remembering, even before most of humanity was wiped out. One of the few was not long ago, my nineteenth birthday. My boyfriend of one month, Hunter, had came up from behind me to gently wrap a chain around my neck. A white gold heart shaped locket rested on my chest. It was the first real piece of jewelry I ever had. It was so beautiful. I was not used to such beauty in my life. I had thought for sure this was a symbol of love. It was not long after that day, that feeling of love was so harshly tested.
By C. Clark5 years ago in Horror
Ghoul School: A Spooky Pop-Up Book
I started collecting spooky pop-up books when I was in fifth grade. My aunt would take me to The Book Loft in Columbus, Ohio and I would run through the maze of 32 rooms, knowing exactly where to go — the fireplace in the children's section.
By Abby Draper5 years ago in Horror