The vampire

Tom’s neighbour never came out of the house during the day. At night, he brought home guests who were never seen again. Tom watched obsessed,

One evening, he broke in, expecting a monster, perhaps a serial killer. Instead, he found himself.

Photos of him and a black cover journal cataloguing his routines were carefully displayed on an altar. “Subject, ready,” it read in red. Behind him, the neighbour spoke gently:

“You think I’m a vampire. But you’ve followed, watched, hunted me.” Tom turned, shaking, his fangs gleamed.

“But I didn’t cross the line,” the neighbour said. Tom smiled, then lunged.

~~~

©️Susan Fourtané, 2025 - All rights reserved

Authors’ Notes:

The psychological horror sub-genre features psychological tension, fear, and suspense to evoke feelings of dread and unease in the audience.

Psychological horror focuses on the psychological and emotional experiences of characters, often exploring their inner fears, anxieties, and perceptions.

Works of fiction in this sub-genre include The Silence of the Lambs, Psycho, The Shining, The Exorcist, Rosemary’s Baby, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.