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.

I'm Here to Help. Runner-Up in Campfire Ghost Story Challenge.
The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. “Sick,” Lee said. “Shut up and let me read,” Edwin said.
By Addison Horner4 years ago in Horror
The cottage
“A cottage near the forest had been closed for decades, but one day a lamp lightened up” Elsa stopped because she knew the cottage had been locked for years and no one lived there. For a while she stood still, but as soon as she started walking, she noticed a white object passing through the window at the speed of light. She became very scared and wondered if she really saw something or if she thought it. She was just staring out the window when somebody came behind her and patted her on the shoulder. Ah, Elsa hollered out! Don't be afraid, I didn't come to harm you, but I was passing by and saw you standing here, so I came to you in case you need any help, the old woman replied. Let me know what happened. Why are you trembling like this? Elsa told that old lady everything she saw. She asked Elsa, "Will you come into my little house?" I'll tell you the entire story.
By Adan4 years ago in Horror
Phobus
The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. That's odd, you think to yourself as you walk by the old abandoned cabin on your way home. You stop to see what you can sense: The forest around you is calm and quiet; The daylight dims to dusk; The air is cool and dank with decomposition. All typical for spring.
By Sarah Rosanna Busch4 years ago in Horror
On October 3rd...
The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. It’s unknown how long it burned, but it wasn't until that October 3rd evening in 1776 when Major Joseph Shipman crossed the cabin in the Appalachian Mountains seeking refuge, after he had separated from his troops. Riding up on the welcome homely light as the sun quickly sank behind the trees, Major Shipman breathed a sigh of relief, having resided himself to sleeping outside with his horse, for he didn’t think he could go on much longer. Surely there wasn’t a resident in these mountains who wouldn’t house a stranded soldier for the night.
By Jessica May4 years ago in Horror
Tattooed Hearts: Ep1 The Inn
Episode 1: The Inn (Part 1) 1 Cynthia struggled to inscribe their names into the guest book with a pen that had long since run its course of usefulness. As she scratched out barely visible ink strokes, she heard a voice behind her call: "Welcome to the Farnsworth Inn."
By Jeff Newman4 years ago in Horror
An Element of Truth
The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. Emily scowled. These were her woods. She lived here to be away from people. Relied on seclusion to keep her sane. Craved total isolation as much as she craved breath. She needed it.
By Staci Troilo4 years ago in Horror
Hyacinth Haunting
The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. It felt like a miracle when I saw it, like a gift from whatever gods happened to be listening to the prayers I was screaming.
By Persephone Stylet4 years ago in Horror
The River Killer
The Ritual of a Thousand Suns hit my desk with a thump. I lowered my cold coffee, and thumbed the stack of pages. ‘What’s this?’
By B. R. Scott4 years ago in Horror
A leisurely tour around the forest.
Across the blossoming meadows bursting with tall grass and wildflowers, you will come to an ever-present wall of oak trees. As thick as they are, when you find yourself about to breach their threshold against the burgeoning forest, there will be a path. This path was never made by hunters or by any mythological creatures. It is an ancient path, forged by the deer and other nomadic animals on their migratory paths. Trampled by hoof and claw along the rows of briars, after 4 kilometers, lies a dilapidated and centuries-old stone ruins. Ruins that were once inhabited by humans, but have not left so much as a trace of their existence. 4x4 meters cemented together with a mixture of mud-based mortar and bright green moss, the old dwelling still has a glimmer of it’s soul left. It breathes with the seasons. A small grove of walnut trees around the same age as the derelict cottage, almost intertwine themselves enveloping the grounds, shrouding it in partial darkness. The path ends at a wet grey 1/2 ton slab of shale sunken in around 10 centimeters in the earth. Flaked away from heavy footwork at this once bustling place. The stones that comprise these ruins are a deep and saturated grey stained by different hues of lichen brought up from the forest floor. They have colonized the outside since the dwelling was erected. Boulders ranging from 1-20 kilos make for a splendidly bulbous appearance to the facade. A slight green-yellowish glow softly pokes through loose stone and a small opening which used to circulate air. A bitter almond smells fill the air around the glow. Too dull to tell where the illumination begins, but too bright to view it’s nucleus. The light emits an aura a bit like a mild electrocution. What to really make of it’s origins is anyone’s guess. There is no roof, for it had caved in and been reclaimed by the forest. A touch of the thatch that is left was set alight years ago by a single lightning strike. Charred tips of stones reveal it had been blackened by wood burning somewhere around the south-west corner of the building. Bones of what once were feral animals litter the grounds on every side. When stepping closer and trying to catch a glimpse of the inside, through the eroded mortar and missing stones the smell of pastries fills your nostrils. Not just any pastries but cakes. Baking of fresh cakes with a vibrant almost overpowering almond scent. Simply intoxicating, you thrust your tongue out to taste what you smell. Following the scent as you circle the house trying to get a better view, you begin to revive thoughts of the once glowing light you had seen. It is now gone, but high noon has perforated the canopy of trees overhead as much as it can. Hoping for just another brief glance of the light you keep investigating. Just before you see a break in the rubble of a wall, your heart begins to race. This abrupt feeling starts to accompany mild respiratory distress. You kneel down now tightly clutching handfuls of a dark brown earth with moist leaves. White- knuckled and slowly gasping for air, you fall to your side curled in the fetal position. Spasms come like gradual waves ascending up your body starting from your toes. Writhing around in a feverish way. Lying parallel to the foundation of the ruins you lose control of your bodily functions, choking, only receiving fractions of previous inhalation attempts. The mind has set into a full-fledged panic. Thoughts come in tiny pieces never completing. Vision has almost completely blurred to a watercolor like mess. You try and scream for help but the spasms have your teeth clenched so tightly teeth begin to slowly fracture sending bits of enamel into the throat. This immediately triggers gag reflexes. In combination with the exposed raw nerves and the acidity of saliva, it brings new floods of pain. Esophagus filling with vomit making its way to your throat, will you be able to expel this? Or will you choke? A deafening scream resonates within the nerve wracked head. The vomit has made its way up the throat and pushes hard against the fracturing and bleeding teeth. The pain is unlike anyone has ever experienced. The contractions of muscles are so pronounced they tear ligaments and muscles inside and the sound of it echoes and compounded with the screams already in your brain. Ripples of napalm like burning sensations are sent up the entire length of the body. Fingers are contorting in ways you have never thought possible. A slight trickle of vomit is sent out in between the inner cheeks and broken teeth as they swell with bile and the last meal. Nostrils burn terribly from the thick bile oozing out. Kck! Kck! Kck! Kck! Vision finally fails. Breathing has completely ceased. Only seconds after crumbling to the ground, your life is now over.
By Adam 4 years ago in Horror
Don't Go Into The Woods
The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. Dad always told the same story on our first campout of the year. It was about the old cabin sitting on the west end of the property line, tucked away in the middle of the woods. It was just an old hunting cabin. Something mom assured me of when I went to bed. Dad loved to tell his stories, trying to scare us when we were young.
By Jason Morton4 years ago in Horror
Allen Sawyer
Before you read: This flash fiction horror story is my second reject from my newspaper submissions - here is the first. I consider it one of my creepier stories since the theme is obsession. Enjoy!
By Chelsey Louise4 years ago in Horror
The Cry
The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. It flickered and danced in the wind. It stood on top of the old window ledge all cracked and decaying. I tried to rationalise outcomes in my mind. That’s what my therapist told me to do in times like this. My inner voice told me, that it was the new recruits joining the summer camp this year, playing practical jokes on each other. I was hesitant, but they needed to be reminded of the rules, even if I really didn’t want to.
By Elizabeth Butler4 years ago in Horror