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.

Monster Under My Bed
The exact details are hazy. I was in college, my junior or senior year, and it was a creative writing class. We were in the computer lab that day, working on our personal essays, but many of us were stuck. “Take a snapshot from your life,” our professor told us. “Select a good one- a hard one, a happy one. Take your pick. And then write about it. How hard can it be?” Behind the glib tone, however, a smile; he was heckling us, and we returned it with equal fervor. Mock fervor; pretend outrage. Our relationship with him was easy, comfortable. An older man, tall and slightly stooped, he occasionally read us the stories he’d written himself; and sometimes- ridiculously so, now that I think back on it- he’d pass them out for us to read, giant stacks of them, with the option of censored copies (black Sharpie streaked across whole paragraphs); and uncensored ones, rife with…I can’t remember, exactly. Sexual stuff? Gore? What else could it be? So funny how this professor, teaching a college level class, was so parsimonious, even protective. Sweet, really.
By Varsha Kewalramani4 years ago in Horror
From a child’s mind
The ominous click of the door sealing shut was always the beginning. And Peyton hates it. This is when the monster comes Every night. First, that creepy loud click; then the dark inky shadows creep closer and closer to his bed. He jerked his soft blue flannel blanket over his head and squeezes his eyes tightly shut.
By Varsha Kewalramani4 years ago in Horror
Stuck
“Don’t look under the bed.” Mom said and gave me a good night kiss. “Why?” I just had to ask. “Your favorite question again. ‘Why, why, why.’ Well, you might find something you don’t want there. That’s why. Good night.” Mom left the room with the door slightly opened so I could see the hallway light. Then again in the morning, the light was always off. That spooked me each time when I thought about it.
By Varsha Kewalramani4 years ago in Horror
The Visit
The candle on the bedside table flickered briefly. Afraid of the dark since a small child, I could not find the solace of sleep without the security of light.
By Varsha Kewalramani4 years ago in Horror
The Friendly Ghost of the Forest: The legend of Emily and her nightly guidance."
Once upon a time, deep in the heart of a dense forest, there lived a ghost named Emily. She had been wandering the forest for as long as anyone could remember, ever since she died in a tragic accident many years ago. Despite her ghostly nature, Emily was a kind and gentle spirit who never hurt anyone. In fact, she often helped lost hikers find their way out of the forest by leading them to the nearest path. But there was one thing that Emily feared above all else: the full moon. On the night of the full moon, Emily would flee deep into the forest, hiding from the light of the moon. She believed that the light of the full moon had the power to harm her ghostly form, and so she avoided it at all costs. One night, a group of hikers stumbled upon the forest during the full moon. They had heard the legends of the friendly ghost who helped lost travelers, but they had never seen her for themselves. As they walked deeper into the forest, they saw a figure in the distance. Thinking it was Emily, they called out to her, but there was no response. As they got closer, they realized that the figure was not a ghost at all, but a young woman who had been lost in the forest. She told the hikers that she had been wandering the forest for days, and had been helped by a ghostly figure who had guided her to safety. The hikers were amazed and asked the young woman to describe the ghost. She described a woman with long, flowing hair and a kind face, who had been wearing a white dress. The hikers were convinced that they had just met Emily, and they set off to find her. But as they searched the forest, they saw no sign of the ghost. The full moon was shining brightly overhead, and they realized that Emily must be hiding from its light. As they were about to give up their search, they heard a soft voice calling out to them. They followed the voice and soon found themselves standing in front of a small clearing. In the center of the clearing stood Emily, her ghostly form illuminated by the light of the full moon. She thanked the hikers for trying to find her, and she explained that the full moon had always been her enemy, but that she was no longer afraid of it. With that, Emily disappeared into the forest, never to be seen again. But the hikers knew that she would always be there, watching over the forest and helping lost travelers find their way home. And they knew that, on the night of the full moon, they could always find her in that clearing, bathed in the light of the full moon and at peace. From that day on, the hikers would often return to the forest, hoping to catch a glimpse of Emily. They would always head to the clearing where they had first met her, and they would sit and wait for her to appear. Some nights she would come, and they would talk and laugh together, as if they were old friends. Other nights, she would not come, and they would leave the forest feeling disappointed. As the years passed, the hikers grew older, and some of them passed away. But their love for Emily and the forest never died. They would tell their children and grandchildren about the ghost who had helped them, and they would take them to the clearing, hoping that they too would be lucky enough to meet her. And so the legend of Emily, the friendly ghost of the forest, lived on. People would come from all over, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, and they would leave the forest feeling uplifted and at peace, knowing that they had been helped by a kind and gentle spirit. But there were some who did not believe in the legend of Emily. They would scoff at the stories, saying that they were nothing but tall tales. But they would always change their tune when they found themselves lost in the forest, with no hope of finding their way out. It was then that they would hear a soft voice calling out to them, guiding them to safety. And they knew that it was Emily, the friendly ghost of the forest, who had come to their rescue. The forest was always a place of mystery, and it was said that those who entered it would either come out changed or never come out at all. But for those who believed in Emily, it was a place of peace, and a place where they knew that they were never truly alone.
By Krish4 years ago in Horror
Marked
Marked 'MUM, BUT WHY? What happened?' asked Yvette. Tears welled. 'You've asked me every year on your birthday. And every year I've told you, year after year, I will tell you when you are celebrating your eighteenth. So, next year, as I promised.'
By Colin Devonshire4 years ago in Horror
Madness and Moonlight
Madness and Moonlight Madness And Moonlight is a Romance, fictive, history Short Story As I turn my back on you, the moonlight reflects in your eyes onto my path. I walk with my family away from my house, street, town, and what was once my country in the dead of night.
By Gabriel Toure4 years ago in Horror
Escape from the Zombies
The Beginning It was a typical Friday evening, and Emma and her friends decided to take a shortcut through the abandoned part of town to get to their favorite bar. They had heard rumors of the area being haunted, but they didn't believe in ghosts or zombies. They thought it would be a fun adventure.
By sarv4 years ago in Horror
Chirp, Chee, Chirp
Timothy’s mother said goodnight, turned out the light, and closed the door. He lay awake in his bed in the dark. The sound of the trees blowing in the wind outside kept him awake just long enough to hear his mother flush the toilet before she retired.
By Varsha Kewalramani4 years ago in Horror
Behind Closed Doors
“Go brush your teeth, honey.” Red and swollen were her eyes as she said it, her smile sad, her fingers digging into the supple flesh of his arms harder than she had intended to. He didn’t blame her, but he did flinch out of her grip and slipped his sleeve in his mouth, chewing. “Mama will be up in a couple minutes.” Nodding, he clenched his jaw and traveled up the stairs, climbed one step at a time until the fabric of his pajama was wet in his mouth. Focusing on the sounds he made helped; stepping stool scraping against the bathroom tiles, tap water running, bristles brushing against baby teeth, spitting and rinsing. He had gotten better at it—the ignoring. It was like background TV noise now, sort of, loud and garbled as the morning channels that told adult-only news on endless loops. He didn’t really like those, just like he didn’t like this, but he’d picked up the habit of tuning it out. Mama had taught him.
By Varsha Kewalramani4 years ago in Horror
The lonely hut
Oliver and Thomas’ Vacation Oliver and Thomas were very close friends, and they knew one another from their child hood. Oliver and Thomas studied in the same School at their hometown. Oliver's father was a merchant in the town. But Thomas's father was a Government employee. Since Thoma's father was a Government Employee he used to get transfers to many locations in the country. Accordingly Thomas needs to change his school often as his father gets transfer. But once in a while, Thomas visits his hometown to see his relatives and friends, especially Oliver.
By Ahamed Bilal4 years ago in Horror
Noctuary
Damian sat with his legs dangling over the edge of the rocking deck of the ship, holding onto the lower rung of the metal railing and gazing at the horizon. The waning sunset was a blaze of glorious color, the drifting clouds purple against the red western sky, with the swells of the Atlantic ocean sapphire-blue beneath. The old adage red sky at night, sailor’s delight bobbed to the surface of his thoughts.
By Varsha Kewalramani4 years ago in Horror