fiction

Horror fiction that delivers on its promise to scare, startle, frighten and unsettle. These stories are fake, but the shivers down your spine won't be.

"The Whispering Shadows: A Tale of the Forgotten House". Content Warning. AI-Generated.
In the heart of a small, forgotten village stood a house cloaked in silence. Its windows, cracked and weathered, seemed to stare out like hollow eyes, and the door creaked as if it had not been opened in years. The locals called it the "Whispering House," a place where no one dared to venture after dusk. For years, the house had been abandoned, its dark history buried beneath the rubble of time, yet there was one who could never forget the house—Elise. Elise had grown up in the village, surrounded by warnings from the elders, who spoke in hushed tones of strange happenings. They said that at night, the house would come alive with whispers—voices that carried in the wind, murmuring things no one could understand. Children who wandered too close would report hearing their names called, soft and urgent, by unseen voices. But Elise, curious and undeterred, had always felt a strange pull towards the house. There was something about it that fascinated her, something that whispered her name in her dreams. And so, one cold winter evening, she found herself standing before the crumbling structure, determined to uncover its secrets. The door groaned as she pushed it open, the air inside thick with dust and the scent of decay. As her footsteps echoed through the empty halls, Elise felt a chill settle over her, but she pressed on. The whispers were faint at first, barely audible, like the rustling of leaves in a faraway forest. But soon, they grew louder, closer. "Elise," the voice hissed. Her heart skipped a beat. She froze. There was no one else here. "Elise, come closer," the voice whispered again, this time clearer, more urgent. With a deep breath, Elise followed the sound, her feet guided by the eerie pull that seemed to grow stronger with each step. She arrived at the staircase that led to the basement—dark, foreboding, and sealed off with a heavy iron door. The whispers came from beyond it, an unholy chorus beckoning her closer. Without thinking, she grabbed the rusty handle and pulled. The door squealed as it opened, revealing a stone staircase descending into blackness. Elise hesitated, but the voices were too compelling to ignore. She descended. The air grew colder, the darkness suffocating. The whispers had become chanting now, a rhythmic, hypnotic sound that filled her ears. At the bottom of the stairs, she found a small chamber, its walls covered in strange symbols that seemed to twist and shift as if alive. In the center of the room stood an old wooden chest. The whispers rose to a crescendo, urging her to open the chest. Elise, her breath shallow, approached it slowly. The moment her fingers touched the lid, a sudden gust of wind blew through the room, extinguishing her flashlight. The whispers stopped. Silence. Then, a soft click. The chest creaked open on its own, revealing a dark, shadowy form. At first, it was just a shape—a moving darkness, like smoke, swirling around the room. But as Elise's eyes adjusted, she saw something that made her blood run cold. A figure, human yet not, emerged from the shadows. Its face was a blur of shifting darkness, with only empty, hollow eyes staring back at her. "Elise," it whispered, its voice a low, rasping sound. "You shouldn't have come." Before she could react, the figure lunged at her, its cold, shadowy tendrils wrapping around her arms and legs. The whispers returned, louder now, filling her mind with chaos. In that moment, Elise understood the truth. The house was not abandoned—it was alive, and it had been waiting for her. The forgotten house was not a place of shelter but a prison, a dark entity that fed on the souls of those who dared to enter. As the shadows closed in, Elise screamed, but her voice was drowned by the never-ending whispers. And when the villagers searched for her the next day, they found only the house standing in silence—no trace of Elise, no sign of the terror she had experienced. From that day on, the house was left untouched. The whispers had found their new voice, and the shadows had claimed another soul. The Whispering House remained, waiting, for the next curious soul to wander too close.
By ba bi2 years ago in Horror
Abyssal Ascent (Part III). Content Warning.
“Your partner’s gone quiet,” Friedrich swipes his station ID card before an airlock connected to a wing of the station labeled Engineering & Atmospherics in rust colored print. “Cat’s got her tongue?”
By Siowas Strange2 years ago in Horror
The Occupant of the Empty Room
The boarding house stood at the end of the street, an aging structure with peeling paint and creaking floors. Among the tenants, one room remained unoccupied: Room 404. Its door, unlike the others, was always locked, and whispers of eerie occurrences floated among the residents.
By Indira Fania2 years ago in Horror
Kill! The Cowboy!
“Yes babe, I remember what today is, the 26th…our anniversary! I remember because it’s the same as your name, June. Ok, I’m not a complete loss I remembered to make the reservation 7:30pm…2 hours are plenty of time look I’ll just need to head back to the station, let the chief know I’m calling it for the weekend, then I’m all yours…
By (JERJ) Thudd Walker2 years ago in Horror
Cursed Music Box
The little wooden music box lay neglected in a corner of an antique shop, its once shiny finish now muted by the passage of time. The intricate carvings of winding vines and fragile roses suggest a history that predicted the shop itself. It had gone unnoticed by most until Emma stepped inside one rainy afternoon, looking for refuge from the downpour.
By Indira Fania2 years ago in Horror
The Curse That Flows . AI-Generated.
The mirror had always been more than just a reflection. Even as a child, I felt something watching me through its silvered surface—a presence that seemed to breathe with a life of its own.
By Tales by J.J.2 years ago in Horror
The Shadow in the Mirror. AI-Generated.
As I stood in front of the mirror, I couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching me. I had always been sensitive to the energies around me, but this was different. This was a presence that seemed to seep into my bones, making my skin crawl.
By Tales by J.J.2 years ago in Horror
The Forbidden Resurrection. Top Story - December 2024.
Author's note: This was my entry into the 2024 Autumn Short Story Writing battle. Now that the competition has concluded, I am publishing it here on Vocal. The prompts I had were "Cemetery Tale," "Film Set," and "Soulmates." Enjoy!
By Bradley Ramsey2 years ago in Horror
Beyond the Battlefield: Ghostly Legends of Gettysburg
The Fight of Gettysburg, battled from July 1 to July 3, 1863, checked a turning point in the Respectful War and stands as one of the deadliest fights in American history. By the conclusion of the strife, over 50,000 warriors had been murdered, injured, or detailed lost. About one million individuals visit Gettysburg each year. But they’re not coming fair for the purpose of history—many are too drawn to the stories of waiting spirits that include a puzzling and chilling layer to this notorious Pennsylvania town.
By Shams Says2 years ago in Horror
Top 10 Hollywood Best Horror Web Series of All Time
In the recent years, web series on horror have gained quite importance as a thrilling genre of spooking and nail-biting suspense. With the proliferation of the streaming platforms of Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video, terrifying stories could now be watched straight from their homes. The demand for horror content has increased. The result is some of the best and most innovative shows produced in Hollywood. If you are a horror lover, this article will explore some of the top 10 best Hollywood horror web series ever produced.
By soman Goswami2 years ago in Horror
Oh Christmas Tree. Content Warning.
Santa isn't real. Not that I ever believed in him. For some kids, the magic ends at a young age. Others, the rich kind, with six different Christmas trees, and a second vacation home up in Aspen or some other ridiculous tourist destination, I've seen go as far as eleven years into the con.
By Lauren Hodges2 years ago in Horror
Interview of Harold Barlow part three
When he woke up that morning, Howard got ready for the event. Being quiet to keep from waking up his youngest son. Not wanting him to be drowsy before his next shift. Going downstairs, he headed to the kitchen and started making breakfast for himself and his daughter. Howard wanted Melanie to be well fed before the event. Making Melanie’s favorite cheese omelet with bacon and hashbrowns. Along with starting to make some coffee so that she would wake up faster. As it takes her a longer time than it does him.
By Raphael Fontenelle2 years ago in Horror