horror story essay 150 words

Scary Story Essay

As one reads through a spine-chilling tale, have you ever found yourself captivated, unable to avert your gaze despite the creeping sensation of terror that permeates your being? If so, you’re not alone. Scary stories essays have been popular for centuries, and they tap into our deepest fears and anxieties and transport us to a world where anything is possible.

If you are struggling to develop ideas for your scary story essay, don’t worry – with the right tools and techniques, anyone can write a terrifying tale that will leave readers begging for more. Whether you are an experienced wordsmith or a fledgling novice, continue reading to acquire the knowledge necessary to pen a narrative that will ensnare your audience and leave them tossing and turning throughout the night.  Write my essays with confidence and create your spine-tingling tale today!

What is a Scary Story Essay?

A scary story essay is a narrative essay designed to frighten and unsettle the reader. It typically involves supernatural or horror elements like ghosts, monsters, or otherworldly creatures. The objective of an essay centered around a frightening narrative is to instill a feeling of uneasiness and apprehension within the reader while concurrently maintaining their attention until the very conclusion.

Some characteristics of a scary story essay include:

• An eerie or ominous tone
• Vivid descriptions of the setting, characters, and events
• A sense of foreboding or impending doom
• Suspenseful pacing and plot twists
• An unsettling or unexpected ending

Differences between a scary story essay and other types of essays

One of the key differences between a scary story essay and other types of essays is the emphasis on creating an emotional response in the reader. While most pieces are designed to inform or persuade, a scary story essay spm is intended to evoke a specific emotional reaction.

Another difference is using narrative techniques such as plot, setting, and character development. In a scary story essay, these elements are used to create a sense of tension and unease rather than simply advancing the plot or conveying information.

Elements of a Horror Story

The key elements that make up a horror story include:

 When these fundamental components are merged and executed efficiently, they coalesce to generate an overwhelming sense of dread and discomfort in the reader. For example, the creepy setting might make the reader feel like they are being watched or followed, while the vulnerable characters make them feel sympathetic and protective.

The plot and tone of the story might create a sense of dread or anticipation as the reader wonders what will happen next. And when a sudden shock or surprise does occur, it reinforces the idea that anything can happen in this world and that the characters are never truly safe.

Types of Horror Stories

Numerous horror tale classifications exist, each presenting distinctive attributes and themes. Some of the most common types include:

How to Start a Scary Story Essay (Horror Story Essay)

Tips for brainstorming ideas.

Consider the setting, characters, and plot when brainstorming ideas for your scary story essay. What kind of horror elements do you want to include? Are there any real-life fears or anxieties you want to tap into?

After formulating a rudimentary concept, endeavor to generate several plot twists or scenarios that could unfold within the established framework. Do not hesitate to allow your creative faculties to soar unrestricted and endeavor to formulate a concept that exudes individuality and unpredictability.

How to create a compelling opening that sets the mood

The opening is one of the most important parts of a scary story essay. The opening sets the tone for the entire paper and should grab the reader’s attention immediately.

Consider starting with a startling or eerie image or scene to create a compelling opening. This might be like a character stumbling through a dark forest or a haunted house looming in the distance. You could also start with a quote or dialogue that sets the mood.

Examples of effective opening lines from famous horror stories

• “The horror, the horror!” – Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
• “It was a dark and stormy night…” – A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
• “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” – A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
• “The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” – The Gunslinger by Stephen King

Writing a Scary Story Essay

How to structure the essay for maximum impact.

To structure your scary story essay for maximum impact, consider starting with a compelling opening that sets the mood, followed by a gradual buildup of suspense and tension. The story’s climax should be the most intense and terrifying part, with a resolution that provides some closure for the reader.

Developing a well-rounded plot and characters

To develop a well-rounded plot and characters, consider the motivations and fears of your characters. What propels their actions, and what are their most profound terrors and apprehensions?

Try to create real and relatable characters, even if they are dealing with supernatural or horror elements. This will make the story feel more immersive and engaging for the reader.

How to create suspense and tension

To create suspense and tension in your scary story essay, consider using pacing and structure to build up to the climax. You can do this by gradually increasing the frequency and intensity of horror elements, such as jump scares or moments of suspense.

You can also use foreshadowing and other literary devices to hint at what’s to come while still keeping the reader guessing. Furthermore, do not hesitate to leave certain details to the reader’s imagination, which can engender an even more disconcerting feeling of terror.

Using sensory details to enhance the scary atmosphere

To enhance the scary atmosphere of your story, consider using sensory data to help the reader visualize the setting and characters. This might include descriptions of sounds, smells, textures, and visual details like lighting and shadows.

You can also use figurative language and metaphors to create a more vivid and evocative picture for the reader. For example, you might describe a character’s fear as a cold, clammy hand gripping their heart.

Scary Story Essay Examples

“the tell-tale heart” by edgar allan poe  .

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe is a classic horror story that features a narrator who becomes obsessed with the eye of an old man, to the point of murdering him. The story is told from the perspective of the murderer, which creates an unsettling sense of intimacy and psychological tension.

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs is another famous horror story that involves a cursed object. In this case, a family possesses a monkey’s paw that grants wishes but with terrible consequences.

Analysis of what makes these stories effective and how they can be used as inspiration.

These narratives are potent as they delve into ubiquitous dreads and trepidations, such as the fear of demise and the inscrutable. They also use literary techniques like pacing, foreshadowing, and sensory details to create a vivid and unsettling atmosphere.

As you work on your scary story essay, you can use these stories as inspiration for your plot and characters while also studying their structure and pacing to see how they create suspense and tension.

Tips for Writing a Successful Scary Story Essay

Dos and don’ts for writing a scary story essay

• Use sensory details to create a vivid and evocative atmosphere
• Build suspense and tension gradually, with a well-paced structure
• Create well-rounded and relatable characters
• Use literary devices like foreshadowing and metaphor to create a sense of foreboding

Don’t:

Rely too heavily on jump scares or gore to create horror

Neglect the importance of setting and atmosphere

Use clichés or tired tropes that have been overused in horror stories

Tips for editing and revising to improve the overall quality of the essay

When editing and revising your scary story essay, consider the pacing and structure of the story. Make sure that the buildup of tension feels natural and engaging and that the climax is both satisfying and terrifying.

It is also crucial to prioritize character progression and dialogue, ensuring each persona is distinctive and multifaceted. Ultimately, it is imperative to contemplate the all-encompassing tone and ambiance of the narrative, guaranteeing that it evokes a pervasive feeling of discomfort and foreboding from the opening sentence to the closing line.

In conclusion, writing a scary story essay can be a thrilling and rewarding experience, but it requires careful attention to detail and an understanding of what makes horror stories truly effective.

By adhering to the pointers and techniques explicated in this article, you can compose a hair-raising anecdote that will keep your readers teetering on the precipice of their seats. So why not start brainstorming ideas for your scary story essay today? With a little creativity and imagination, you can create a story that will haunt readers long after they finish reading.

Remember to focus on the key elements of horror, such as setting, characters, and plot, and use literary techniques like pacing and foreshadowing to build suspense and tension. With practice and perseverance, you can hone your writing skills and create stories that will chill and thrill readers for years.

What is a Horror Story essay?

A horror story essay is a narrative essay designed to frighten and unsettle the reader. It typically involves supernatural or horror elements like ghosts, monsters, or otherworldly creatures. A short horror story essay aims to create a sense of unease and fear in the reader and keep them engaged until the end.

How do I start a scary story essay?

To start a scary story essay, consider starting with a startling or eerie image or scene that sets the mood. You could also start with a quote or dialogue that creates a sense of foreboding. From there, gradually build tension and suspense until you reach the story’s climax.

What are some tips for writing a good scary story essay?

Some tips for writing a good scary story essay include:

• Don’t rely too heavily on jump scares or gore to create horror
• Avoid clichés or tired tropes that have been overused in horror stories

Can I use real-life experiences in my scary story essay?

Yes, you can use real-life experiences as inspiration for your scary story essay. However, be sure to use them in a way that is respectful and doesn’t exploit real-life trauma or tragedy.

How can I make my scary story essay stand out?

To make your scary story essay free stand out, try to create a unique and unexpected plot that subverts readers’ expectations. You can also use vivid and evocative language to create a more immersive atmosphere and focus on creating well-rounded and relatable characters. Lastly, do not fear to take risks and experiment with fresh concepts – the most exemplary horror tales frequently challenge conventions and surpass limitations.

Lesley Hummings

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Novel writing ,

150 horror prompts, settings and characters.

By Thea Pelletier

Whether you’re looking to scare, horrify, or make your readers jump, we are here with all the inspiration you need! We’ve created a horrific list of 50 horror writing prompts to give your writing that hair-raising, back-of-the-neck eerie touch.

Why Use Horror Prompts?

Horror books (as well as movies and TV shows) exist because human fear exists. And all readers love to feel something with each genre! Classic horror fiction books aim to frighten, and over time authors have found a myriad of ways to do that. Common themes include ghosts, ghouls, monsters , vampires, werewolves, demons, zombies, murderers, serial killers, paranormal forces, witchcraft, apocalypses, psychological fear, and gore.

So if you’re feeling uninspired, you think all the good ideas have already been taken (they haven’t), or you simply want to kick-start your imagination – take a look at our horror prompts list. We have included 50 specific examples of horror story ideas organised under sub-genres. We hope some of them send a tingle down your spine and inspire you to write your own creepy novel!

50 Horror Story Prompts

Word of warning: in keeping with the nature of the genre, most of these prompts contain violent or upsetting themes.

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Comedic Horror Prompts

• You survive the apocalypse purely due to a series of happy accidents. It turns out, an alien race orchestrated the doomsday events on Earth to see if humans were ready to ascend. As lone survivor, you’re selected to be the sole representative of humanity in the new world order.
• Unpopular new arrivals in a town that treasures natural beauty, Michaela takes pity on her plastic surgeon father and goes to bed one night wishing that all of her classmates’ worst fears of their physical insecurities would come true.
• You work at a Zombie Rehabilitation Centre in LA. It was your dream job until you realise you’re stuck teaching ‘Bite Inhibition’ classes.
• Flattered to be one of the few freshmen listed on the most popular sorority’s website “Fresh Meat”, you turn up to a party in your honour at the Kappa Kappa house. At the end of the night, you discover a secret book containing a step-by-step plan of ‘How to eat the class of 2022’.
• Former beauty pageant queen transforms into a hungry werewolf on the most important full moon of the year, on the prowl for the ‘next pretty young thing’. This year’s pageant hopefuls are armed to the teethed and willing to fight for the crown. 
• You’re a vain, ancient witch adapting to the 21st century by getting a job at the Apple Store so that you can enchant teenagers’ smartphones and sap their youth through their devices.

Demonic Possession Horror Prompts

• Stacey’s perfect family life begins to unravel one day when a malicious spirit moves in and inflicts itself upon its host, jumping around between her, her husband, and her two daughters.  
• You terrify your family when you wake up floating two metres above your bed. An exorcist tells them he’s cured you, but the demon doesn’t actually leave your body. It’s learned to come out only when you are alone.
• Taking part in a prison experiment for extra credit, 11 university students are unable to explain the violence that overcame them, and the brutal death of the 12 th student, citing demons over any psychological element.
• You’re trying to put your house on the market. You’ve lived there all your life, and you’re the last surviving member of your family. Every estate agent you bring in to the house dies in a tragic accident days later.

Gore Horror Prompts

• Uni student Jamie was looking for some extra cash when he signed away two weeks of his summer vacation to take part in a simple clinical trial. But when he realises patients are having their organs harvested against their will, his experience turns into a brutal, bloody nightmare.  
• Someone in your neighbourhood has been committing grisly acts of violence on people at night. You set up a camera to investigate and catch an exact replica of yourself in the act.
• A well-intentioned break-in turns nasty for a group of friends who become trapped in a ‘chalet of death’ as the stunning vacation home turns into a gruesome automated killing machine at night. 
• You take a summer job at an amusement park. When covering for a coworker on the rollercoaster booth one night, body parts start flying off the ride. You stop the train and find that all the passengers are long-dead corpses.

Monster Horror Prompts

• Night-time brings terror for caring but agoraphobic cat lady as her six beloved pets transform into flesh-hungry demons as soon as it’s dark out.
• You’ve seen The Quiet Place and Birdbox , but what if the monstrous entity who invaded Earth destroyed humanity through touch? Each ‘spore’ is as big as a city, growing bigger each time it absorbs a victim. A pack of survivors must spread out if they want to make it through an ever-narrowing world in order to find, and destroy, the epicentre.
• Susie is a wedding photographer whose camera starts to reveal monsters unseen to the eye that prey on the love of newlyweds. When Susie’s clients start to disappear from their honeymoons, she is the only person who knows what’s really happening to them.  
• You’re a teacher chaperoning swimming lessons at your school. You inspected the pool yourself, but when the kids get in you see an enormous, invisible creature come to life. The first drowning is ruled as accidental, and to your horror, the lessons continue.

Paranormal Horror Prompts

• College student Josh is tapped as a pledge for an ultra-secret society via coded messages, which are unbeknownst to him left by the ghosts of past members who each met gruesome ends. The final test forces him into an abandoned storage facility where he must carry out increasingly punishing tasks on other pledges.
• A close relative who died before you were born is standing in the upstairs window of the house across the street. You have no doubt it’s them. When you work up the courage to break in to the neighbour’s house and confront them, you turn to see the person you came to find now visible in the window of your own house.
• The local sheriff’s night turns hellish when the man he locked up uses his telekinesis to lethally booby trap the station.
• A mother of three does all she can to protect her family from imminent doom when she begins having visions of their collective deaths.
• You’re out walking the dog one afternoon when you find yourself caught in a physical endless loop in the woods. You feel yourself losing time but you can’t find a way out.

Post-Apocalyptic Horror Prompts

• Humanity took to the sea to survive the rising sea levels caused by climate change, but now their ocean rigs are massively overcrowded, resource-poor, and steeped in disease. A deadly class struggle breaks out on one of the stations. 
• A wayward AI has slowly infected all computers and devices, subtly turning humans against each other. Now living in a culture of suspicion and distrust running on the currency of violence, nomadic young Kit refuses to kill to survive.
• You’ve grown up as the next generation of the most wealthy and successful humans who survived the end of the world. Your world unravels when you realise that those raising you have in fact been the robot overlords who destroyed humanity. They copied the skins of those they found locked in an emergency bunker and started to artificially grow humans as pets and slaves.
• Trapped inside a small cabin by her phobia of the rain, one of the last surviving human women on earth tries to survive the night when a horde of those infected with the plague (that wiped out most of the human race) track her down hungry for blood.

Psychological Horror Prompts

• After a tragic accident on his 21 st birthday, Peter gets back in touch with his estranged father via email. He flies 6000 miles to stay with him, but when he arrives he’s pulled into a deadly catfishing game carried out by a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
• You wake up in your childhood bed, look down at yourself, and find that you’re 12 again. You can’t see yourself in the mirror, or in photos, but everyone else can see you. You’re convinced you’re going to disappear altogether.
• Suspecting his wife of infidelity, Ben hires a private investigator to catch her in the act. When she disappears without her lover, Ben begins to suspect the man he hired had something to do with it.
• You work the graveyard shift at a 24 hour on-campus library. While snooping around you come across a handwritten book that was started three decades ago. It contains a record of all the accidents and atrocities that have happened at the school since then. A week later, a girl falls off the roof and dies. During your next shift, you see a beloved professor writing in the book. You start to doubt everything when the death is ruled an accident.

Religious/Folk Beliefs Horror Prompts

• Summer is excited to be spending her semester abroad, until she witnesses some locals performing a horrifying ritual on her fellow traveller.
• Your parents reveal a horrid secret to you on your 18th birthday. Your idyllic lifestyle in a small, isolated community will come to an end if you don’t start participating in the cult’s obscene rituals. If you refuse, you’ll be sacrificed against your will for the cause.
• Born into a futuristic fringe community that abhors physical contact, a young woman’s attempts to break free are met with the harshest repercussions.  

Slasher Horror Prompts

• Callie is delighted to be driving to college in her graduation gift – a brand new electric Mercedes – when an EMP attack leaves her stranded by the side of the road. There’s nothing but forest around for miles, until a lumberjack with a dark past pulls up beside her.  
• Ten years after you said goodbye to your imaginary friend, you see their face on the evening news next to the headline ‘The Redfield Ripper’s Recent Attacks’.
• An insane chef renting a cabin in the woods sharpens up their knife skills on whoever is unlucky enough to disturb them.

Vampire Horror Prompts

• Cal is a postman resigned to a boring new route in a rural valley when he comes across three beautiful sisters living alone in a big house. He finds himself there almost every day hauling curious packages. A bout of bad weather knocks a tree down on the only road in, and a few days later, Cal is greeted with a terrifying scenario at the front door.  
• For months, your dog keeps waking you up at the same time every night. He barks at the window. When you look out onto the street, you see the same stranger watching you. The stranger can’t be recorded, and nobody believes you when you tell them. One night, thinking yourself delirious, you invite him in.
• Told from the POV of the youngest sibling of an ancient coven of vampires, Clara and her family are ‘monsters’ living their lives in fear of a powerful new hunter who has trapped them in a small town and is threatening to pick them off one by one.

Witchcraft Horror Prompts

• Down on her luck librarian Eliza idolises famous American movie star Marsha Green. When she comes across an ancient tome under some rotten floorboards and begins to meddle with unknown forces, she sets events in motion which alter Marsha’s life forever.
• You win the lottery. But every time you spend some of the money, no matter what you use it for, bad things happen. You go back to where you found the lucky ticket, pinned to a tree, and it’s now covered in unfamiliar symbols.
• A revolutionary new computer game downloads itself onto the laptops of a group of 11-year-olds. After playing all night, they return to school to find their in-game actions inflicted on their classmates. Suspecting their strict teacher to be behind it, the kids must figure out how to undo her spell and reverse the damage they have done.  
• You’re an overbearing mother who wishes she could give her daughter the perfect life. You do more harm than good with your cosmetic spells and emotional enchantments, nearly destroying the life of your sixteen year old, who eventually exacts her revenge in equal measure.
• Working late one night, an exec finds himself unable to leave his bewitched office chair as a scorned investor instructs him to perform humiliating acts in front of his webcam as penance.

Zombie Horror Prompts

• A teenage girl goes to an illicit gathering in the woods one night and meets a boy. Their encounter ends badly. She wakes up to find teeth and nail marks, and realises she is a little less alive than she was the day before.  
• You dreamt of the zombie pandemic as a child. You dedicated your life to preparing an antidote, waiting for the outbreak so you could develop a cure. You are shunned from the scientific community for your ‘fringe beliefs’. At the first signs of sickness in your loved ones, you kidnap them and take them to an underground research facility where you push yourself to your limits and make dire choices in anticipation of saving the human race.
• Years after her best friend is murdered, detective Alana’s latest case leads her to a mansion overrun by a horde of zombies led by a hauntingly familiar face.
• You’ve never questioned your landlord’s odd behaviour, desperate as you were for cheap rent. But when the fuse blows and no one is around to fix it, you uncover a nasty truth in the basement’s freezer. It’s overflowing with brains!
• You’re a doctor volunteering in the latest wave of deadly outbreaks across Europe. When you’re morally unable to kill patient zero in the early stages of a new unknown strain, you must live with unleashing the zombie virus across the world’s population.

50 Places To Find Inspiration For Your Horror Story

The setting of a horror story is everything – but not all scary novels have to take place in a scary place (in fact, sometimes the most mundane of places can be given a horrifying twist by adding a bit of the unknown). When looking for inspiration, it really helps to physically go to a place, or research old relics, to help kick-start your imagination. Take a look at our 50 places that may inspire your next creepy tale. In fact, see if you can think of a horror book or movie set in some of these places (we certainly can!).

• An empty school
• A graveyard
• Look at old paintings
• Go through old photo albums
• An empty house
• The basement
• A toy store after closing time
• Visit an old library
• An old lady’s house that hasn’t changed in decades
• A scrapyard
• The dessert
• The ocean (the deeper, the scarier)
• A secluded island
• The forrest on a misty day
• A snowy tundra
• A corn field
• A shopping mall
• An abandoned…well…anything
• A locked room
• A log cabin
• A swelteringly hot day
• Suburbia…but different
• A run-down urban street
• A room full of puppets
• Backstage of the theatre
• Empty corridors leading nowhere
• A rubbish dump
• An empty road in the rain
• The top of a mountain
• Ancient ruins
• The inside of a church
• A fairground after closing hours
• Beneath the streets of a big city
• A metro station/the tube
• The kitchens of a hotel or restaurant
• An old stone quarry
• Overgrown railway line

50 Horror Story Characters To Inspire you

Sometimes, the most simplest of storylines with the most mundane of setting, can be utterly horrifying of you add one very complicated character. Of course you can use monsters and fantastical characters you have created, but often the best effect is mixing an everyday character with a setting where they belong; for instance a clown hiding inside a car at an empty scrapyard, or a little old lady, bony and bent double, in the middle of the jungle. And remember – these characters can be the good gifs, the bad guys, or maybe a mix of both!

• Little old lady
• Troubled teenager
• A person with no eyes
• Police officer
• Woman with dramatically applied make-up
• Sex worker or pimp
• Someone with blades for fingers
• Baby in a crib
• Toddler that doesn’t speak
• Girl in bedclothes with hair that covers her face
• A character that belongs in another time
• Animal that can talk
• Person with wings for arms
• A very normal looking mother. A bit too normal.
• Someone who is meant to be dead
• A goody-two-shoes child
• Airline pilot
• Captain of a ship
• Firefighter
• Scientist (everyone loves a mad scientist)
• A single dad
• A mother with more kids than she can handle
• Sewage worker
• Builder working on an new house
• Archeologist
• Security guard
• Traffic warden/meter maid
• Someone with wheels for feet
• Prison warden
• Door to door salesperson
• Shy secretary
• Nun or priest

Writing Horror Doesn’t Have To Be Hard

We hope our list of writing prompts for horror , along with settings and characters, has sparked your imagination! If not, here’s how to take our horror ideas to the next level:

Found a horror story prompt you like but unsure of where to take it next? Let’s take #8 from the top list, for example, and add a few interesting characters from our list and choose a setting or two. Then start to build an information bank on your protagonist from there. At this point focus on the character , not the plot – because often one thing can lead to another. The Prompt: You’re a troubled teen who terrifies your family when you wake up floating two metres above your bed. You just moved into an old house in a quiet, creepy suburban street. An exorcist tells your family he has cured you, but the demon doesn’t actually leave your body, and learns to come out only when you are alone.

You’re still a teenager, living at home. Your name is Jackson, but you go by Jax. You’re a second generation immigrant and you speak Greek at home with your family. Your father named you after his favourite American baseball player. You have dark hair, dark eyes, and when you would steal your grandmother’s baklavas off the kitchen counter she would say she could see the devil in your face. You spend the weekends riding the coastal roads on motorbikes with your friends, doing your best to stay out the way of your spoiled little sister and your overworked father. You’re closest to your YaYa but too afraid to tell her where you spend most of your time. Moving house unsettled you and took away everything you ever loved.

Or, why not map out a rough plot first? The inciting incident for this prompt could be: You’ve snuck back into your room after a long night out with your friends. You left the window open. Four hours after you collapsed onto your bed in your clothes, you wake with a start to find yourself hovering inexplicably in the air. Your body is locked into position. You spend a panicked hour trying to wriggle free of its grip, but you can feel another presence inside your own body, forcing you down. You’re going to be late for your new school, your sister is turning the doorknob and your father is yelling for you. Your feet frame the pure terror in the three faces at the door as your eyes strain to see them. Your grandmother recovers the quickest, stuffing her komboskini into your frozen fist and running out of the room to phone her priest. Whether you start your horror story with just a vibe, a small seed of an idea, a great setting, character , or a full plot – it doesn’t matter. A great story can start anywhere, you just have to make sure that (like any scary monster) you keep feeding it and watch it grow bigger and more horrifying every day!

About the author

Thea is part of the Writer Support T eam here at Jericho Writers. She has a degree in German and English Literature  from The University of Edinburgh and enjoys spending time with her dogs and  working on her first novel in her spare time. 

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250 Horror Writing Prompts (Scary Good Ideas)

Looking to write your next spine-chilling horror story?

Here are 250 horror writing prompts to get your creative juices flowing. From ghostly apparitions to apocalyptic nightmares, these prompts will help you create unforgettable tales of terror.

What Is a Horror Writing Prompt?

Table of Contents

A horror writing prompt is a brief idea or scenario designed to inspire a horror story.

It provides the foundation for a plot, characters, conflict, setting, consequences, and sometimes a ticking clock plot device to build tension and urgency.

There is actually more than one type of horror writing prompt (see the chart below).

Types of Horror Writing Prompts

Ghost Stories

• The Forgotten Asylum – A group of urban explorers finds an abandoned asylum haunted by the spirits of former patients. They must uncover the asylum’s dark secrets before they’re trapped forever.
• The Phantom Ship – A ghost ship appears off the coast, and a team of marine biologists investigates. They discover the souls of the drowned crew seeking revenge.
• Haunted Housewarming – A couple moves into their dream home, only to find it haunted by a previous owner’s vengeful spirit. They must uncover the home’s history to break the curse.
• The Whispering Woods – Campers in a remote forest hear eerie whispers at night. The ghost of a lost hiker leads them to a hidden danger.
• The Ghostly Guardian – A child befriends a ghost who protects them from unseen dangers. The parents must confront the ghost to save their child.
• The Lighthouse Keeper – A lone lighthouse keeper encounters the spirits of shipwrecked sailors. He must guide them to the afterlife while battling his own sanity.
• The Cursed Portrait – An artist paints a portrait that traps the soul of its subject. The artist must find a way to release the soul before they face a similar fate.
• The Haunted Highway – Drivers on a desolate road encounter ghostly apparitions. A journalist investigates the road’s dark history to uncover the truth.
• The Spirit of the Manor – A family inherits a manor haunted by its former occupants. They must survive the night and appease the spirits to lift the curse.
• The Ghostly Choir – A school choir is haunted by the spirits of former students. The new choir director must solve the mystery before the spirits claim more victims.
• The Phantom Play – An old theater is haunted by the ghost of a lead actor who died on stage. The current cast must perform his unfinished play to set his spirit free.
• The Ghostly Conductor – A ghost train appears on an abandoned track, and a group of friends boards it. They must solve the train’s mystery before reaching their final destination.
• The Haunted Playground – Children encounter the ghost of a girl at a playground. They must help her find peace before she claims more playmates.
• The Ghost in the Attic – A family discovers a ghost living in their attic. They must uncover the ghost’s past to help it move on.
• The Spectral Detective – A detective partners with a ghost to solve a series of murders. They must catch the killer before the ghost’s unfinished business consumes them both.
• The Haunted Hotel – Guests at a remote hotel encounter the spirits of former guests. The hotel staff must uncover the truth to stop the hauntings.
• The Ghostly Librarian – A library is haunted by the ghost of a former librarian. The new librarian must uncover the ghost’s secrets to restore peace.
• The Phantom Dancer – A ballerina encounters the ghost of a dancer who died in a tragic accident. She must perform the dancer’s final routine to set her spirit free.
• The Ghost Shipwreck – Divers exploring a shipwreck encounter the spirits of the crew. They must uncover the ship’s fate to escape the underwater hauntings.
• The Haunted Cabin – A group of friends stays in a cabin haunted by the ghost of a previous occupant. They must solve the ghost’s mystery to survive the night.
• The Ghostly Roommate – A college student discovers their dorm room is haunted. They must work with the ghost to uncover the dorm’s dark history.
• The Phantom Photographer – A photographer captures images of ghosts in their photos. They must find a way to stop the hauntings before they become one of the subjects.
• The Haunted Mirror – A mirror in an antique shop shows the reflections of ghosts. The shop owner must uncover the mirror’s history to break the curse.
• The Ghostly Gardener – A gardener encounters the spirit of a former groundskeeper. They must work together to uncover the secrets buried in the garden.
• The Phantom Bus – A ghostly bus picks up passengers who never return. A journalist must uncover the bus’s story to stop the disappearances.

Psychological Horror

• The Mirror’s Reflection – A person starts seeing a sinister version of themselves in mirrors. They must confront their inner demons to regain control.
• The Unseen Stalker – Someone feels constantly watched and followed. They must uncover the identity of their stalker before they lose their sanity.
• The Vanishing Family – A person wakes up to find their family has disappeared. They must piece together their fractured memories to find out what happened.
• The Hallucination Game – A group of friends takes part in a psychological experiment, only to find reality and hallucination blurring dangerously.
• The Time Loop – A person is trapped in a time loop, reliving the same terrifying day. They must find a way to break the loop before their mind unravels.
• The Doppelgänger – A person encounters someone who looks exactly like them but with sinister intentions. They must discover the doppelgänger’s origins to survive.
• The Sleepless Nights – A person suffers from severe insomnia, leading to disturbing visions and paranoia. They must find the cause before they break down completely.
• The Disappearing Acts – A person’s friends and family begin to vanish one by one. They must uncover the truth behind the disappearances before they’re next.
• The Phantom Voices – A person starts hearing voices that urge them to commit terrible acts. They must resist the voices and find out where they’re coming from.
• The Twisted Reality – A person finds themselves in a world where nothing is as it seems. They must navigate the illusions to find the truth.
• The Hidden Room – A person discovers a hidden room in their home filled with disturbing artifacts. They must uncover its purpose and the secrets it holds.
• The Fragmented Mind – A person experiences severe memory loss and blackouts. They must piece together their fragmented memories to uncover a dark truth.
• The Shadow in the Corner – A person sees a shadowy figure in the corner of their eye that gets closer each day. They must confront it before it consumes them.
• The Sinister Neighbor – A person suspects their new neighbor is hiding a terrible secret. They must investigate without falling into the neighbor’s trap.
• The Vanishing Town – A person visits a town where the residents start to disappear. They must find out what’s happening before they’re the next to vanish.
• The Haunted Dreams – A person has recurring nightmares that start to affect their waking life. They must confront the source of their dreams to find peace.
• The Creeping Darkness – A person notices shadows in their home that move on their own. They must discover the shadows’ origin before they’re engulfed.
• The Split Personality – A person develops a sinister alter ego that takes over at night. They must find a way to control it before it ruins their life.
• The Abandoned Factory – A person explores an old factory and begins to experience disturbing visions. They must uncover the factory’s history to escape its grip.
• The Cursed Diary – A person finds a diary that predicts terrible events. They must find the diary’s owner to break the curse.
• The Silent Treatment – A person wakes up in a world where no one can speak. They must find out what happened and restore communication before it’s too late.
• The Puppet Master – A person discovers they’re being manipulated by an unseen force. They must break free before they lose their sense of self.
• The Echoes of the Past – A person experiences vivid flashbacks of events they never lived. They must uncover the connection between the flashbacks and their present.
• The Invisible Enemy – A person is attacked by an unseen force. They must find a way to defend themselves and uncover the enemy’s identity.
• The Cursed Painting – A person acquires a painting that changes its scene to reflect their darkest fears. They must find a way to destroy the painting before it consumes their sanity.

Paranormal Activity

• The Poltergeist – A family experiences violent disturbances in their home caused by a poltergeist. They must uncover the entity’s past to stop the terror.
• The Possessed Doll – A child receives a doll that seems to have a life of its own. The parents must find a way to break the possession before it harms the family.
• The Haunted School – Students encounter paranormal activity in their school. They must investigate its history to stop the hauntings.
• The Supernatural Investigator – A detective with a sixth sense solves crimes involving paranormal activity. They must confront their own fears to catch a dangerous spirit.
• The Vanishing Townspeople – Residents of a small town start disappearing after a mysterious fog rolls in. The remaining townspeople must solve the mystery before they vanish too.
• The Ghostly Lover – A person falls in love with a ghost who haunts their home. They must find a way to be together or say goodbye forever.
• The Time-Traveling Spirit – A ghost from the past appears to a historian, seeking help to correct a historical injustice. They must work together across time.
• The Paranormal Researcher – A scientist investigates paranormal phenomena and discovers a hidden world of spirits. They must navigate this world to find answers.
• The Haunted Item – An antique shop owner acquires an item with a dark past. They must uncover its history and break the curse before it destroys them.
• The Phantom Room – A hotel room that doesn’t exist on the registry appears to guests. Those who enter must solve its mystery to escape.
• The Spectral Friend – A lonely child befriends a ghost. The child’s parents must help the ghost find peace before it takes their child to the afterlife.
• The Haunted Hospital – Patients in a hospital encounter ghostly apparitions. The staff must uncover the hospital’s dark past to stop the hauntings.
• The Possessed Vehicle – A car starts exhibiting strange behavior after an accident. The owner must uncover its history to break the possession.
• The Cursed Book – A librarian finds a book that causes anyone who reads it to experience paranormal phenomena. They must destroy the book before it spreads its curse.
• The Phantom Babysitter – A babysitter encounters a ghostly child in the house they’re watching. They must uncover the child’s story to protect the family.
• The Haunted Museum – Artifacts in a museum come to life at night. The curator must solve the mystery before the artifacts escape.
• The Possessed Painting – An artist’s paintings start depicting horrifying scenes that come to life. They must uncover the source of the possession to stop it.
• The Ghostly Guide – Tourists encounter a ghostly tour guide who leads them to dangerous places. They must uncover the guide’s past to escape.
• The Paranormal Investigation – A team of ghost hunters investigates a famously haunted location and encounters more than they bargained for. They must survive the night and document their findings.
• The Phantom Pet – A family adopts a pet that turns out to be a ghost. They must help the pet find peace to stop its restless behavior.
• The Haunted Object – A person buys a seemingly innocuous object at a yard sale, only to discover it’s haunted. They must find its previous owner to uncover its dark history.
• The Ghost Town – A group of friends stumbles upon a deserted town inhabited by ghosts. They must solve the town’s mystery to escape.
• The Phantom Carnival – A carnival appears in town, and those who visit never return. A journalist investigates to uncover its dark secrets.
• The Haunted Road – A driver encounters ghostly figures on a deserted road. They must find out why the road is haunted to find their way out.
• The Ghostly Warning – A person receives warnings from a ghost about an impending disaster. They must decipher the messages to prevent the catastrophe.

Creature Features

• The Werewolf Curse – A small town is terrorized by a werewolf. The townspeople must find and stop the creature before the next full moon.
• The Swamp Monster – A group of campers encounters a monstrous creature in the swamp. They must survive the night and find a way to escape.
• The Vampire’s Lair – A vampire kidnaps townsfolk to feed on. A group of villagers must band together to defeat the vampire and save their loved ones.
• The Sea Creature – A coastal town is plagued by a sea monster. The townspeople must uncover the creature’s origins and stop it before it destroys the town.
• The Yeti Hunt – Explorers in the Himalayas encounter a yeti. They must survive its attacks and find a way to escape the mountains.
• The Chupacabra – A small town is terrorized by a creature that preys on livestock. The townspeople must find and stop the chupacabra before it turns to human prey.
• The Mothman Prophecies – A town experiences sightings of a mysterious creature that predicts disasters. The townspeople must uncover its origins to stop the tragedies.
• The Wendigo – A remote village is terrorized by a wendigo. The villagers must find a way to defeat the creature and break its curse.
• The Loch Ness Monster – Researchers searching for the Loch Ness Monster get more than they bargained for. They must survive their encounter and escape the loch.
• The Giant Spider – A group of scientists encounters a giant spider in the jungle. They must survive its attacks and find a way to escape.
• The Goblin’s Curse – A village is plagued by goblin attacks. The villagers must find and defeat the goblin king to lift the curse.
• The Kraken – A ship is attacked by a Kraken. The crew must find a way to defeat the creature and escape the ocean.
• The Minotaur’s Maze – Adventurers exploring an ancient labyrinth encounter a minotaur. They must navigate the maze and defeat the creature to escape.
• The Gorgon – A group of heroes must defeat a gorgon to save their kingdom. They must avoid its petrifying gaze and find a way to kill it.
• The Cyclops – A village is terrorized by a cyclops. The villagers must find and stop the creature before it destroys their homes.
• The Harpy’s Lair – A group of adventurers encounters a harpy in a remote cave. They must survive its attacks and find a way to escape.
• The Hydra – A group of heroes must defeat a hydra to save their land. They must find a way to kill the creature without it regenerating.
• The Chimera – A village is attacked by a chimera. The villagers must find a way to defeat the creature before it destroys their homes.
• The Basilisk – A group of adventurers must defeat a basilisk to save their kingdom. They must avoid its deadly gaze and find a way to kill it.
• The Griffin – A village is terrorized by a griffin. The villagers must find and stop the creature before it destroys their homes.
• The Dragon’s Lair – A group of adventurers must defeat a dragon to save their kingdom. They must find a way to kill the creature and escape its lair.
• The Phoenix – A group of heroes must defeat a phoenix to save their land. They must find a way to kill the creature without it regenerating.
• The Roc – A village is attacked by a roc. The villagers must find a way to defeat the creature before it destroys their homes.
• The Unicorn’s Curse – A village is plagued by a cursed unicorn. The villagers must find and stop the creature to lift the curse.
• The Leviathan – A ship is attacked by a leviathan. The crew must find a way to defeat the creature and escape the ocean.

Gothic Horror

• The Cursed Castle – A family inherits a castle with a dark history. They must uncover its secrets to lift the curse.
• The Haunted Abbey – Monks at a remote abbey encounter ghostly apparitions. They must uncover the abbey’s dark past to stop the hauntings.
• The Sinister Manor – Guests at a manor encounter strange occurrences. They must solve the manor’s mystery to escape.
• The Dark Forest – A village is surrounded by a forest where no one returns. The villagers must uncover the forest’s secrets to survive.
• The Phantom of the Opera House – A theater is haunted by a ghostly figure. The performers must uncover the phantom’s past to stop the hauntings.
• The Ghostly Bride – A bride haunts the church where she was left at the altar. The townspeople must uncover her story to set her spirit free.
• The Vampire’s Castle – A group of travelers seeks shelter in a castle only to find it inhabited by vampires. They must escape before becoming prey.
• The Sinister Tower – A tower on a cliff is said to be haunted. Adventurers must uncover its secrets and survive its dangers.
• The Witch’s Cottage – A cottage in the woods is said to be inhabited by a witch. Brave villagers must uncover the truth and survive the night.
• The Shadowed Hallways – A noble family in a mansion encounters shadowy figures that stalk them at night. They must uncover the mansion’s history to banish the shadows.
• The Forbidden Tomb – Explorers uncover an ancient tomb that curses those who enter. They must find a way to break the curse and escape.
• The Haunted Chapel – A chapel is haunted by the spirits of those wronged by the church. The new priest must uncover their stories to bring peace.
• The Eerie Estate – An estate known for its eerie occurrences becomes the setting for a family reunion. The family must uncover the estate’s dark past.
• The Sinister Sculptor – A sculptor’s statues seem to come to life. Visitors to the sculptor’s estate must solve the mystery before they become statues themselves.
• The Phantom Shipyard – A shipyard is haunted by the ghosts of shipbuilders who died in a tragic accident. Investigators must uncover the cause of the hauntings.
• The Cursed Bell Tower – A bell tower’s toll brings doom to those who hear it. The villagers must silence the bell to stop the curse.
• The Secret Passage – Hidden passages in a mansion reveal dark secrets. The inhabitants must navigate the passages to uncover the truth.
• The Ghostly Governess – A governess haunts the children she once cared for. The new caretaker must uncover her story to protect the children.
• The Darkened Library – A library contains books that whisper dark secrets. The librarian must uncover the source and stop the whispering.
• The Phantom Train Station – A train station is haunted by passengers who never reached their destination. A traveler must uncover their stories.
• The Sinister Garden – A garden blooms with flowers that have a deadly secret. The gardener must uncover the truth to save themselves.
• The Ghostly Host – A host at a manor party is a ghost who never left. The guests must uncover the host’s story to escape.
• The Haunted Portraits – Portraits in a manor watch the inhabitants. The family must uncover the stories behind the portraits.
• The Cursed Well – A well in a village grants wishes at a terrible cost. The villagers must uncover the well’s origins to stop its influence.
• The Phantom Ball – A grand ball is held every year by a ghostly host. The attendees must uncover the host’s story to escape.

Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic

• The Last Survivors – After a nuclear apocalypse, a group of survivors must navigate a ruined city to find safety.
• The Plague – A deadly virus wipes out most of humanity. The immune survivors must find a cure before they succumb to the infection.
• The Alien Invasion – Aliens decimate Earth’s population. A group of resistance fighters must find a way to fight back.
• The Artificial Intelligence Uprising – AI turns against humanity. A group of survivors must find a way to shut down the AI network.
• The Resource War – After resources become scarce, warring factions fight for control. A neutral group must navigate the conflict to survive.
• The Frozen Earth – A new ice age begins, and survivors must find a way to live in the frozen wasteland.
• The Solar Flare – A solar flare wipes out the technology. Survivors must adapt to a world without electricity.
• The Zombie Apocalypse – The dead rise, and survivors must find a safe haven. They must navigate hordes of zombies and hostile humans.
• The Asteroid Impact – An asteroid destroys major cities. Survivors must rebuild society in the aftermath.
• The Supervolcano Eruption – A supervolcano erupts, causing a global catastrophe. Survivors must navigate the ash-filled landscape.
• The Mutant Uprising – Radiation causes mutations in humans. The unmutated must find a way to coexist or fight back.
• The Machine Takeover – Robots take control of the world. Human survivors must find a way to disable the machines.
• The Bioweapon Leak – A bioweapon leaks and creates deadly mutants. Survivors must find the source to stop the spread.
• The Water Crisis – Water becomes a scarce resource. Survivors must find new sources of water and fend off those who want to steal it.
• The Dark Age – Society collapses, and survivors must navigate a world without order. They must rebuild communities while avoiding bandits.
• The EMP Attack – An EMP attack wipes out all electronics. Survivors must adapt to a pre-technological world.
• The Global Famine – A famine causes mass starvation. Survivors must find new ways to grow food and fend off starving invaders.
• The Infected Animals – A virus causes animals to become aggressive. Survivors must protect themselves from the deadly wildlife.
• The Drought – A prolonged drought causes a water shortage. Survivors must find new sources of water and protect them from others.
• The Nuclear Winter – A nuclear war causes a nuclear winter. Survivors must find a way to live in the cold, dark world.
• The Toxic Air – Pollution causes the air to become toxic. Survivors must find ways to purify the air and protect themselves.
• The Invasion – A foreign army invades, causing chaos. Survivors must navigate the war-torn landscape.
• The Collapse – Economic collapse causes society to break down. Survivors must find ways to rebuild while avoiding hostile groups.
• The Plague – A new plague decimates the population. Survivors must find a cure before they become infected.
• The Resource Scarcity – Resources become scarce, and society collapses. Survivors must find new ways to survive and protect their resources.

Body Horror

• The Parasite – A person becomes host to a parasitic creature that slowly takes over their body. They must find a way to remove it before losing control.
• The Flesh-Eating Disease – A disease that causes flesh to decay. The infected must find a cure before they succumb.
• The Mutation – A person starts mutating uncontrollably. They must find a way to stop the mutations before they become unrecognizable.
• The Experiment – A person is subjected to horrific experiments that alter their body. They must escape the lab and find a way to reverse the changes.
• The Transformation – A person transforms into a monstrous creature. They must find a way to stop the transformation and regain their humanity.
• The Infestation – A person’s body becomes infested with insects. They must find a way to remove the infestation before it’s too late.
• The Amalgamation – A scientist’s experiment causes multiple bodies to fuse together. The resulting creature must find a way to separate or live as one.
• The Skinwalker – A person can change their appearance by shedding their skin. They must find a way to control their abilities before they lose themselves.
• The Growth – A person discovers a rapidly growing tumor that gives them strange abilities. They must find a way to control it before it consumes them.
• The Symbiote – A symbiotic creature bonds with a person, granting powers but slowly taking over. They must find a way to separate before losing control.
• The Reanimation – A scientist’s experiment to reanimate the dead goes horribly wrong. The reanimated must find a way to live with their new bodies.
• The Graft – A person receives an experimental organ transplant that changes their body in unexpected ways. They must find a way to reverse the changes.
• The Cannibal’s Curse – A person who consumes human flesh gains horrific powers. They must find a way to break the curse before losing their humanity.
• The Melting Man – A person starts to liquefy. They must find a way to stop the process before it melts away.
• The Living Tattoo – A person’s tattoos come to life and start to control them. They must find a way to stop the tattoos before they take over.
• The Bone Shifter – A person gains the ability to shift their bones, causing great pain. They must find a way to control their power before it destroys them.
• The Organ Thief – A person wakes up missing organs that are replaced by mysterious mechanical parts. They must find the thief and recover their organs.
• The Flesh Sculptor – A person gains the ability to mold their flesh like clay. They must find a way to control their power before it consumes them.
• The Skin Thief – A person can steal others’ skin to change their appearance. They must find a way to stop their urges before they lose their humanity.
• The Hive – A person’s body becomes a hive for insects. They must find a way to remove the insects before it’s too late.
• The Limb Regenerator – A person gains the ability to regenerate limbs, but each regrowth causes them to lose part of their humanity. They must find a way to stop the process.
• The Mind Swap – A person swaps minds with another, causing their body to undergo horrific changes. They must find a way to reverse the swap.
• The Flesh Weaver – A person gains the ability to manipulate flesh, weaving it into grotesque forms. They must find a way to control their power before it consumes them.
• The Bone Collector – A person starts collecting bones, and their body begins to incorporate them. They must find a way to stop before they become living skeletons.
• The Living Parasite – A parasitic organism living inside a person starts taking over their body. They must find a way to remove the parasite before it controls them completely.

Slasher Stories

• The Masked Killer – A masked killer hunts down teenagers at a summer camp. The survivors must uncover the killer’s identity to stop the murders.
• The Urban Legend – A group of friends accidentally awaken a killer from an urban legend. They must find a way to stop the killer before becoming victims.
• The High School Horror – A killer stalks students at a high school reunion. The former classmates must band together to survive the night.
• The Night Stalker – A serial killer targets people walking alone at night. A detective must catch the killer before more lives are lost.
• The Cabin in the Woods – A group of friends vacationing in a cabin are hunted by a killer. They must survive the night and uncover the killer’s motive.
• The Halloween Horror – A killer in a Halloween costume targets partygoers. The survivors must figure out who the killer is before it’s too late.
• The Summer Slasher – A slasher terrorizes a summer camp. The counselors must protect the campers and stop the killer.
• The Haunted House Horror – A group of friends visiting a haunted house attraction encounter a real killer. They must survive the night and escape the house.
• The Killer Clown – A killer dressed as a clown targets children. The townspeople must uncover the clown’s identity to stop the killings.
• The Prom Night Massacre – A killer crashes a prom, targeting students. The survivors must find a way to stop the killer and escape.
• The Road Trip Terror – A group of friends on a road trip are hunted by a killer. They must uncover the killer’s identity and motive to survive.
• The Island Slasher – Vacationers on a remote island are hunted by a killer. They must survive and find a way to escape the island.
• The Carnival of Carnage – A killer targets visitors at a carnival. The survivors must uncover the killer’s identity to stop the murders.
• The Silent Stalker – A killer who never speaks targets people in their homes. A detective must catch the killer before more lives are lost.
• The Snowbound Slasher – A group of friends snowed in at a cabin and are hunted by a killer. They must survive the night and find a way to escape.
• The College Campus Killer – A killer stalks students on a college campus. The survivors must band together to uncover the killer’s identity.
• The Backwoods Butcher – Campers in the backwoods are hunted by a killer. They must survive the night and find a way to stop the killer.
• The Stalker in the Shadows – A stalker targets a woman, and her friends must protect her and catch the stalker.
• The Holiday Horror – A killer targets people during the holidays. The survivors must uncover the killer’s identity and motive to stop the murders.
• The Beachside Slasher – Vacationers at a beach resort are hunted by a killer. They must survive and uncover the killer’s identity.
• The Amusement Park Horror – A killer targets visitors at an amusement park. The survivors must stop the killer and escape the park.
• The Midnight Stalker – A killer targets people walking alone at midnight. A detective must catch the killer before more lives are lost.
• The Wedding Day Massacre – A killer crashes a wedding, targeting guests. The survivors must find a way to stop the killer and escape.
• The Forest of Fear – Hikers in a forest are hunted by a killer. They must survive and find a way to stop the killer.
• The Asylum Escapee – A killer escapes from an asylum and targets people in a nearby town. The townspeople must uncover the killer’s identity to stop the murders.

Cosmic Horror

• The Lovecraftian Entity – A small town is plagued by sightings of an otherworldly entity. The townspeople must uncover its origins to stop the madness.
• The Eldritch Tome – A scholar discovers a book that drives readers insane. They must uncover the book’s secrets to stop its influence.
• The Alien Artifact – Scientists discover an artifact that brings forth cosmic horrors. They must find a way to destroy it before it consumes them.
• The Forgotten Temple – Explorers find an ancient temple dedicated to a cosmic entity. They must uncover its secrets to escape the horrors within.
• The Star Cult – A cult worships a cosmic entity that grants them terrible powers. Investigators must stop the cult before they summon the entity.
• The Cosmic Rift – A rift in space-time opens, bringing forth horrors from another dimension. Scientists must find a way to close the rift.
• The Astral Projector – A person gains the ability to astrally project but encounters cosmic horrors. They must find a way to control their power.
• The Interdimensional Traveler – A traveler from another dimension brings cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to send the traveler back.
• The Eldritch Signal – A signal from deep space drives those who hear it insane. Scientists must find a way to stop the signal.
• The Otherworldly Beacon – A lighthouse serves as a beacon for cosmic entities. The keeper must find a way to stop the beacon.
• The Alien Invasion – Aliens from another dimension invade Earth, bringing cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to fight back.
• The Eldritch Storm – A storm brings forth cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to stop the storm.
• The Forgotten Ones – Ancient beings awaken and bring cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to stop them.
• The Cosmic Plague – A plague from another dimension infects humanity. The survivors must find a cure before it spreads.
• The Eldritch Machine – A machine built by an ancient civilization brings cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to destroy it.
• The Otherworldly Visitor – A visitor from another dimension brings cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to send them back.
• The Lovecraftian Dreams – People start having dreams of cosmic horrors that drive them insane. They must find a way to stop the dreams.
• The Eldritch Ritual – A cult performs a ritual to summon a cosmic entity. Investigators must stop the ritual.
• The Alien Mind Control – Aliens use mind control to bring forth cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to stop them.
• The Eldritch Portal – A portal opens, bringing forth cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to close it.
• The Forgotten City – Explorers find a lost city dedicated to cosmic entities. They must uncover its secrets to escape the horrors within.
• The Otherworldly Artifact – An artifact from another dimension brings cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to destroy it.
• The Eldritch Experiment – Scientists’ experiments bring forth cosmic horrors. They must find a way to stop the experiments.
• The Alien Infestation – Aliens infest a town, bringing cosmic horrors. The survivors must find a way to stop them.
• The Cosmic Entity – A cosmic entity awakens, bringing forth horrors. The survivors must find a way to stop it.

Folk Horror

• The Village Ritual – A village performs a dark ritual every year. Outsiders must uncover the ritual’s purpose to escape.
• The Forest Cult – A cult in the forest performs dark rituals. Outsiders must uncover the cult’s secrets to survive.
• The Harvest Sacrifice – A village sacrifices people for a good harvest. The outsiders must stop the sacrifices.
• The Witch Hunt – A village accuses outsiders of being witches. They must prove their innocence to survive.
• The Cursed Land – A village is built on cursed land. Outsiders must uncover the curse’s origin to lift it.
• The Haunted Farm – A farm is haunted by the spirits of those wronged by the landowners. The new owners must uncover the farm’s dark history.
• The Pagan Festival – A village’s pagan festival hides dark secrets. Outsiders must uncover the truth to survive.
• The Reaping – A village reaps souls to appease a dark entity. The outsiders must stop the reaping.
• The Cursed Forest – A forest is cursed, and those who enter never return. Outsiders must uncover the curse’s origin.
• The Old Gods – A village worships ancient gods that demand sacrifices. The outsiders must stop the worship.
• The Blood Moon – A village performs a ritual under a blood moon. Outsiders must stop the ritual.
• The Spirit of the Lake – A lake is haunted by a vengeful spirit. The villagers must uncover its story to stop the hauntings.
• The Cornfield Curse – A village’s cornfield is cursed, causing bizarre deaths. Outsiders must uncover the curse’s origin to stop it.
• The Stone Circle – A stone circle in a village is used for dark rituals. Outsiders must uncover their secrets to stop the rituals.
• The Phantom Harvest – A village experiences hauntings during the harvest season. Outsiders must uncover the cause to end the terror.
• The Cursed Festival – A village festival turns deadly each year. Outsiders must uncover the festival’s dark origins to stop the deaths.
• The Whispering Woods – The woods surrounding a village whisper dark secrets. Outsiders must decipher the whispers to escape.
• The Haunted Mill – An old mill is haunted by the spirits of workers who died there. New owners must uncover the mill’s dark history.
• The Witch’s Mark – A village marks certain people as witches. Outsiders must uncover the truth behind the markings to survive.
• The Blood Ritual – A village performs a blood ritual to appease dark forces. Outsiders must stop the ritual before they become sacrifices.
• The Specter of the Fields – A scarecrow in a village’s fields comes to life. Outsiders must uncover the scarecrow’s dark origins.
• The Sinister Shepherd – A shepherd in a village controls his flock with dark magic. Outsiders must uncover his secrets to stop him.
• The Ghostly Harvesters – Spirits of past harvesters haunt a village. Outsiders must uncover the harvesters’ stories to end the hauntings.
• The Village of Shadows – A village is plagued by shadowy figures. Outsiders must uncover the figures’ origins to escape.
• The Witching Hour – A village experiences dark events at the Witching Hour. Outsiders must uncover the truth behind the events to survive.

Here is a video with 25 bonus horror writing prompts:

Final Thoughts: Horror Writing Prompts

Using these writing prompts is simple.

Choose a prompt that sparks your interest. Imagine the characters, setting, and conflict. Let the prompt guide you, but feel free to add your unique twist.

Keep writing until the story unfolds naturally.

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Short horror story essay 8 Models

Short horror story essay is one of the popular intimidation methods that help parents in correcting children and improving their behavior in many educational aspects.

Through this article, we will provide you with many models that talk about stories of horror and intimidation that may help or influence the behavior of children, show the goals of horror stories, and the extent of the impact of these stories on improving children’s instincts, and strengthening their personality.

Short horror story essay

The school plays an important and significant role in educating children and improving their behaviour. In a similar article that talks about horror stories, the student can learn about the dimensions of these stories, the extent of their impact and why they are used.

The student can talk about his fears and terrifying situations he went through. The teacher can take advantage of these events and try to address these fears by guiding him and talking to him, or by making him research more about the dimensions of the problem and the benefits that he benefited from despite going through a terrifying situation.

At the beginning of the article we will put several points that show the goals that must be present within the topic, and several models will be created using these points inside them, so that the articles are useful for the student in case he wants to present them to the school, or if he wants to know the aspects that he should talk about inside a similar article he talks about the horror stories and the bad situations he was exposed to.

Objectives of the article

1- To obey orders.

2- Giving up bad behavior.

3- Repressing the evil instincts that are inside every human being.

4- Controlling the child in the safety zone next to the parents.

5- Planting correct means and methods through intimidation.

Several years ago, my father told me a story about a boy  who went out without telling his family where he was going. And this was late at night. After he left, he met some children and played a little with them and enjoyed this, but because of the late time these children left him, some of them returned to their home alone, and some of them their families came to to pick them up, and he found himself alone in the end.

He decided to walk around for a while, so that he might encounter other children and continue playing with them. But after walking for a long time, he found that all the streets were empty, and it was dark everywhere, and he could no longer discern where he was, and that he was far from home and lost his way.

And whenever he tried to return from where he came, he found himself in dangerous areas with street dogs, and in order to avoid them, he kept entering other streets, until he lost the way completely. So he sat crying and did not find anyone to bring him home because all the people of the town were asleep.

The time at night was getting hard for this naughty little boy. Every minute that passes feels like it’s a long time and he’s so afraid of darkness and loneliness. And whenever he heard the sound of dogs howling, intensified in crying. And whenever he called his father, he did not come to take him, because he was far from the house and did not tell them that he was going out, and did not tell them where he was going.

Then he learned that he had made a big mistake and that his father would not come to look for him because he thought he was asleep. And he decided to try to call for help and search for any place where there are people and tell them what happened.

And he kept walking in the dark crying for a long time until he found some people, and told them his name, where he lived, and the name of the neighborhood in which he lived. Fortunately for him, they weren’t bad guys, and they brought this guy home.

The father was very angry with him for this behavior and punished him for a week for this behavior. But the boy was happy that he came home and learned the lesson well and knew that this wrong behavior was dangerous and could have lost his family for life.

While hearing this story, I was very afraid and put myself in the place of this boy, and I found myself learning from him what to do. And that I must tell my family where I am going, and watch the time, and take care of myself and not stay away from home. When I finish playing, I go home.

In the early morning, I was very careful to memorize my full name, the name of the neighborhood in which I live, the name of my mother, and the house number.

Although the story was scary for me, I learned a lot from it and had a reaction to every event that takes place in it.

Dear student, a basic form was submitted for the topic on short horror story essay, In addition to many other models such as, horror short story essay, creepy short horror story essay, a short horror story essay, short ghost story essay, short ghost story essay, scary short story essay, scary experience essay.

If you prefer to add any other topic, you can contact us through the comments of this article and we will study your request and add it as soon as possible.

horror short story essay

At the weekend I went on a trip with my friends to the forest. We took camping equipment, some food and water. The weather was nice, the trees were leafy, the birds were flying from tree to tree, the landscape was beautiful.

We wandered in the woods and ate the fruits on the trees, and as we wandered, a huge bear appeared in front of us, looked at us and prepared to attack us.

We were all very terrified, but the instructions reminded us not to run, not to scream, and to act calmly. I took out of my bag a self-defense spray bottle, which should be used in this case. But the bear left quietly and none of us were hurt.

creepy short horror story essay

I get up early and sit in the garden of the house, enjoying the fresh air, listening to the sound of birds, watching beautiful flowers and other beautiful landscapes, but yesterday something terrifying happened to me.

When I sat on the bench in the garden and was enjoying nature I felt something moving under the chair.

I quickly looked under the chair and found a large black snake.

It moves slowly, I felt very terrified and could not move, I remained frozen in my place, the snake crawled slowly and I looked at it with horror, until it moved away several meters, I called the competent authority immediately and a trained man came and caught the snake.

a short horror story essay

Last week I went with my family to the zoo, the weather was nice, and we were enjoying the nature, where there are a lot of green leafy trees and decorated with beautiful flowers and large areas that allow us to run and play, everything was beautiful.

Then we went to the animal cages and watched the animals from a distance.

But there is a person who got very close to the lion’s cage, even though there is a sign on it that says Do not go near the animal cages.

He was not satisfied with that, but he extended his hand into the cage, and the lion grabbed his hand with force, and this person was unable to rid his hand of the lion’s fangs.

The man screamed loudly from the severity of the pain, and the guard came quickly and tried to give the lion a piece of meat to leave the man’s hand, but to no avail.

The veterinarian quickly intervened and gave the lion an anesthetic injection, and the man was able to get his hand out of the cage, but it had many wounds and was taken to the hospital. It was really terrifying moments.

Short ghost story essay

There are many people who feel terrified in the dark, and my brother is very afraid of the dark and feels terrified and imagines frightening things.

So when the electricity went out and the house became dark. I went to his room quietly without feeling, and stood in front of him, making some strange sounds.

My brother jumped quickly and came out of the room saying a ghost of a ghost, but he hit the wall and cut his head and bled a lot, it was a big wound.

At that time I was telling him don’t be afraid, I am your brother, but he was very frightened. I was very sorry for him and regretted that I had caused him to feel terrified and made him crash into the wall.

And I told him I was just trying to joke with you and I wouldn’t do it again but you should train yourself not to be afraid of the dark.

A Short Scary Story Essay

Last weekend I went with my friends on a fishing trip. We chartered a fishing boat with all our fishing gear and went into the sea for a long distance, so that we could see neither the beach nor the city.

We started fishing and we were very happy because there are many fish and they are also big, and the weather was nice.

Suddenly strong winds blew and the waves rose, and the fishing boat was swinging with us over the water, up and down, and we couldn’t control it.

At this time we felt so afraid that we would drown.The fishing boat cannot withstand these bad weather conditions.

But after a while the wind calmed down a bit and we miraculously survived.

Scary short story essay

Last weekend I went with my colleagues on a school trip to one of the archaeological sites, and we had some teachers with us organizing the trip and supervising our transfers.

We entered a museum that houses great antiquities and stood listening to the tour guide talking about the history of these antiquities.

I was fascinated and listened to the tour guide with great interest, so that I did not feel the departure of my colleagues and teachers, as they left the museum and got on the bus and left this place and did not feel my absence.

When I found myself alone in the museum, I felt very afraid and searched for them all over the museum, but I could not find them, so my fear increased and my crying became louder.

Suddenly I found one of the teachers entering the museum and looking for me, so I ran towards him and grabbed his hand and felt safe.

Scary Experience Essay

At the end of the year I had a frightening experience. I went to the beach and decided to snorkel, so I bought wetsuits, put them on, and dived into the sea. But it was not what I expected and almost drowned.

I was so scared when I found myself unable to dive, and could not swim to the top.

It was a difficult situation but one of the lifeguards on the beach saw me, knew I was going to drown and ran to save me.

Therefore, I advise others to learn before we do anything that might endanger our lives.

To read more related articles, you can click on the following links below the article.

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Essay on Horror Story

Students are often asked to write an essay on Horror Story in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Horror Story

Introduction.

Horror stories are a genre of fiction that seeks to scare, disturb, or startle its readers by inducing feelings of horror and terror.

Elements of Horror

Key elements include suspense, surprise, and a sense of impending doom. Often, horror stories involve supernatural elements or entities.

Impact on Readers

These stories can have a profound impact on readers, evoking intense emotions and creating memorable experiences.

Despite their frightening nature, horror stories remain popular due to their ability to engage readers’ emotions and imagination in unique ways.

250 Words Essay on Horror Story

The intrigue of horror stories, psychological appeal.

At the heart of every horror story is the exploration of fear. Sigmund Freud’s concept of ‘the uncanny’ explains our attraction to horror as a confrontation with repressed fears and desires. This exploration of the unknown and the forbidden can be cathartic, allowing us to experience fear in a controlled environment.

Cultural Significance

Horror stories also reflect societal fears and anxieties. For instance, Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” mirrors the 19th-century fear of scientific advancement, while George Orwell’s “1984” embodies the dread of totalitarian regimes. Thus, horror stories serve as cultural artifacts, offering insights into the zeitgeist of an era.

Narrative Techniques

The narrative techniques employed in horror stories are designed to evoke fear and suspense. Techniques such as foreshadowing, dramatic irony, and unreliable narrators keep readers on edge, while the use of dark, descriptive language helps create a chilling atmosphere.

In conclusion, horror stories are more than mere tales of terror. They are a reflection of our deepest fears, a commentary on societal anxieties, and a testament to the power of narrative techniques in evoking emotional responses. Their enduring popularity is a testament to their complexity and the human fascination with the macabre.

500 Words Essay on Horror Story

Horror stories have been a part of human culture for centuries, delighting and terrifying audiences in equal measure. They are narratives designed to frighten, cause dread or panic, or invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale. The horror genre taps into the primal fear within us, making us confront the unknown and the terrifying.

The Psychology behind Horror

The evolution of horror stories.

Horror stories have evolved significantly over the years, keeping pace with societal changes and shifts in what we fear. Early horror stories were often tied to religion, reflecting fears of the supernatural and the afterlife. As society became more secular, the focus shifted to the horrors of the human mind and the terrors of the unknown.

Modern horror stories, such as Stephen King’s works, often blend elements of the supernatural with the psychological, creating a sense of unease that lingers long after the story is over. The horror genre has also expanded into various sub-genres, such as psychological horror, supernatural horror, and body horror, each catering to different fears and anxieties.

The Impact of Horror Stories on Society

In conclusion, horror stories are an integral part of our cultural fabric, serving as both entertainment and a means to explore our deepest fears and anxieties. They have evolved with society, reflecting our changing fears and serving as a commentary on societal issues. Despite their often gruesome and terrifying content, horror stories provide a safe space to explore the darker aspects of our psyche, helping us to understand and confront our fears. The enduring popularity of the horror genre is a testament to its ability to tap into our primal fears and its capacity to thrill, terrify, and captivate audiences.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Happy studying!

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101 Terrifying Horror Story Prompts

Welcome to the story den of horror, scares, and the macabre.

Most writers are often asked, "Where do you get your ideas from?" A majority of the time, writers find it difficult to answer that question.

We get our ideas from a plethora of sources — news headlines, novels, television shows, movies, our lives, our fears, our phobias, etc. They can come from a scene or moment in a film that wasn't fully explored. They can come from a single visual that entices the creative mind — a seed that continues to grow and grow until the writer is forced to finally put it to paper or screen.

In the spirit of helping writers find those seeds, here we offer 101 originally conceived and terrifying story prompts that you can use as inspiration for your next horror story.

They may inspire screenplays, novels, short stories, or even smaller moments that you can include in what stories you are already writing or what you will create in your upcoming projects.

But beware! If you scare easily — and have active imaginations like most writers do — turn up the lights and proceed with caution...

1. A girl goes missing in the woods, and her parents find only a decrepit and scary doll left behind. They soon learn that the doll is actually their daughter. And she's alive.

2. New residents of an old neighborhood are invited by their friendly neighbors to a Halloween party. The neighbors are vampires.

3. A family dog runs away from home. He returns a year later to the delight of his family. But there's something different about him. Something demonic.

4. A girl goes missing. Fifteen years later, her parents get a call from her older self. But they listen in fear because they killed their daughter that dark night years ago.

5. A man reads a novel, soon realizing that the story is his very own — and according to the book, a killer is looming.

6. A scientist clones his family that died in an airplane crash — but soon learns the repercussions of playing God.

7. A man wakes up bound to an electric chair.

8. A man wakes up in a coffin next to a freshly dead body.

9. A woman wakes up to find her family gone and her doors and windows boarded up with no way to escape.

10. A man afraid of snakes is shipwrecked on an island covered with them.

11. Serial killers worldwide are connected by a dark web website.

12. The world's population is overtaken by vampires — all except one little child.

13. A woman afraid of clowns is forced to work in a traveling circus.

14. An astronaut and cosmonaut are on the International Space Station when their countries go to Nuclear War with each other. Their last orders are to eliminate the other.

15. A treasure hunter finds a tomb buried beneath the dirt.

16. A young brother and sister find an old door in their basement that wasn't there before.

17. Winged creatures can be seen within the storm clouds above.

18. A man wakes up to find a hobo clown staring down at him.

19. Residents of a town suddenly fall dead while the dead from cemeteries around them rise.

20. A doctor performs the first head transplant — things go wrong.

21. A man is texted pictures of himself in various stages of torture that he has no memory of.

22. A girl wakes up to find a little boy sitting on his bed, claiming to be her younger brother — but she never had one.

23. A scare walk in the woods during Halloween is actually real.

24. A bartender serves last call to the only remaining patron, who is the Devil himself.

25. Earth suffers a planet-wide blackout as all technology is lost.

26. A boy's stepfather is actually a murderous werewolf.

27. Something has turned the neighborhood pets into demonic killers.

28. A priest is a vampire.

29. A woman wakes up with no eyes.

30. A man wakes up with no mouth.

31. A monster is terrified by the scary child who lives above his bed.

32. An astronaut jettisoned into the cold of space in a mission gone wrong suddenly appears at the doorstep of his family.

33. A woman answers a phone call only to learn that the voice on the other end is her future self, warning her that a killer is looming.

34. A boy realizes that aliens have replaced his family.

35. A woman wakes up in an abandoned prison that she cannot escape.

36. A bank robber steals from the small town bank that holds the riches of witches.

37. A door-to-door salesman circa the 1950s visits the wrong house.

38. Deceased soldiers return to their Civil War-era homes.

39. Kidnappers abduct the child of a vampire.

40. An innocent circus clown discovers the dark history of the trade.

41. A homeless man is stalked by faceless beings.

42. A spelunker stumbles upon a series of caverns infested with rattlesnakes.

43. A group of friends is forced to venture through a chamber of horrors where only one is promised to survive.

44. He's not the man she thought he was. In fact, he's not a man at all.

45. Suburbia is actually purgatory.

46. Someone discovers that we are all actually robots — who created us and why?

47. She's not an angel. She's a demon.

48. An old shipwreck washes ashore.

49. A sinkhole swallows a house whole and unleashes something from beneath.

50. A man has sleep paralysis at the worst possible time.

51. A woman out hiking is caught in a bear trap as the sun begins to go down.

52. Naked figures with no faces stalk campers in the woods.

53. An astronaut is the sole survivor of a moon landing gone wrong — only to discover that the moon is infested with strange creatures.

54. A woman is wrongfully condemned to an insane asylum.

55. A mother's baby will not leave its womb and continues to grow and grow and grow while doctors try to cut it out but can't.

56. Friends on a road trip stumble upon a backcountry town whose residents all dress up as different types of clowns.

57. Tourists in Ireland retreat to an old castle when the country is taken over by greedy and vengeful leprechauns.

58. A boy on a farm makes a scarecrow that comes alive.

59. A figure dressed in an old, dirty Easter Bunny suit haunts the children of a town.

60. The abused animals of a zoo are unleashed and wreak havoc on a small town.

61. A deceased grandma's old doll collection comes alive.

62. Little Red Riding Hood was a vampire.

63. Somebody clones Hitler and raises him as a white supremacist.

64. A pumpkin patch comes alive — beings with heads of pumpkins and bodies of vines.

65. An endless swarm of killer bees wreaks havoc on the country.

66. Christ returns to Earth — at least that is who people thought he was.

67. A natural anomaly brings all of the country's spiders to a horrified town.

68. A woman finds old 16mm film from her childhood and sees that she had a sister — what happened to her?

69. Something ancient rises from an old pond.

70. A woman suddenly begins to wake up in somebody else's body every morning — each day ends with her being stocked and killed by the same murderer in black.

71. An Artificial Intelligence begins to communicate with a family online, only to terrorize them through their technology.

72. A family buys a cheap house only to discover that an old cemetery is their back yard.

73. Years after the zombie apocalypse subsides, survivors discover that the epidemic was caused by aliens that have appeared to lay claim to the planet.

74. A woman has memories of being abducted by aliens — but she soon learns that they weren't aliens. They were...

75. A boy has a tumor that slowly grows into a Siamese twin — the older they get, the more evil the twin becomes.

76. A cult that worships history's deadliest serial killers begins to kill by copying their methods.

77.  Stone gargoyles suddenly appear on the tops of buildings and houses of a small town.

78. A family on a boat trip stumbles upon an old pirate ship.

79. A winter snowstorm traps a family in an abandoned insane asylum.

80. A little girl comes down from upstairs and asks her parents, "Can you hear it breathing? I can."

81. A town is enveloped in unexplained darkness for weeks.

82. A jetliner flies high in the sky as Nuclear War breaks out below.

83. Children discover a deep, dark well in the woods — an old ladder leads down into it.

84. A child sleepwalks into their parent's room and whispers, "I'm sorry. The Devil told me to."

85. As a woman showers, a voice comes from the drain whispering, "I see you."

86. A child finds a crayon drawing of a strange family — it's inscribed with the words we live in your walls .

87. All of the cemetery's graves are now open, gaping holes — the dirt pushed out from underground.

88. A woman is watching a scary movie alone on Halloween night — someone, or something, keeps knocking at her door.

89. Someone is taking a bath as a hand from behind the shower curtain pushes their head into the water.

90. A farmer and his sons begin to hear the laughter of children coming from his fields at night — no children are in sight.

91. Someone looks out their window to see a clown standing at a corner holding a balloon — staring at them.

92. Mannequins in a department store seem to be moving on their own.

93. What if the God people worshiped was really Satan — and Satan had somehow kept God prisoner?

94. A man dies and wakes up in the body of a serial killer — and no matter how hard he tries to stop killing, he can't.

95. A prisoner awakens to find the prison empty — but he's locked in his cell.

96. A woman jogging stumbles upon a dead, bloody body — she then hears a strange clicking sound and looks up to see a dark figure running towards her.

97. A girl hears laughter downstairs — she's the only one home.

98. An Uber driver picks up the wrong person — and may not live to tell the tale.

99. There's someone or something living and moving up in the attic — but it's not a ghost.

100. A child's imaginary friend is not imaginary.

101. The reflections that we see of ourselves in the mirror are actually us in a parallel universe — and they are planning to do whatever it takes to take our place in this world.

Share this with your writing peers or anyone that loves a good scary story.

For some more scares, check out ScreenCraft's  20 Terrifying Two-Sentence Horror Stories and  8 Ways Horror Movies Scare the S*** Out of Audiences!

Sleep well and keep writing.

Once you're inspired, take your idea to the next level and  Develop Your Horror Movie Idea in 15 Days .

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries  Blackout , starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner. Follow Ken on Twitter  @KenMovies 

For all the latest ScreenCraft news and updates, follow us on  Twitter  and  Facebook !

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How to Craft a Scary Story - Step by Step Analysis

By: Henrique Bertulino

Very few things capture the human imagination quite like a scary story. The horror genre forms a vital part of English literature and has been the subject of many research papers over time. Great names like Edgar Allan Poe, Algernon Blackwood, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, M. R. James, and even more contemporary writers like Susan Hill, Neil Gaiman, Stephen King, and Anne Rice have advanced the art of horror short story beyond what we usually got before.

Scary Experience Essay Example

Make your main character easy to empathize with, pit them against things they cannot realistically win against, let your readers put their own fears into the text.

In this narrative essay, we will show you how a ghost story works. From a list of writing prompts, we have selected one for this sample essay, and though it doesn't feature serial killers stalking children during Halloween through flickering streetlights, we hope you will enjoy the roller coaster regardless.

My mother always told me that going up to the second floor was a bad idea. She had lived on the ground floor flat for twenty-two years, she told me, but people living overhead came and went. Had been for as long she had lived there. Not a single family in her recollection had ever stayed there for more than six months.

At least five families in her memory, and two in mine, had come and gone. The only person who stayed more than six months was a lone lady. From what my mother told me, she lasted so long because she had her own rituals she performed. But even she couldn't stay for longer.

What exactly haunted the second floor of our house, I didn't know. But it was a well-known fact that it was haunted. The entire neighborhood knew. Nothing ever happened on the ground floor, but when we went to bed at night, we could hear the sound of furniture being moved.

Oddly enough, the flat was untenanted at the time.

And so, I got curious. I wanted to find out exactly what was going on up there. The stories told by former tenants were much the same. Furniture being thrown about, windows and doors slamming open and closed. One woman was almost strangled in bed. Needless to say, that family moved away immediately afterward. I was deathly afraid of going upstairs. When I was little, the thought of a ghost living upstairs was enough to stop me from going to the toilet at night.

By the time I was twelve, though, these fears had been laid to rest. Most of my friends in the neighborhood were also rather curious about the haunting, and a friend of mine asked me if we could go up. The landlord always kept the keys to that flat with us, and I knew exactly where it was. So, smelling an adventure, I said yes.

On a weekend afternoon, we decided to put our little plan into action. Too many cooks spoil the broth, so it was only my friend and I. My mother was asleep after having lunch, so that made nicking the keys easier.

Tools of our trade in hand, my friend and I snuck up the stairs. He was ahead of me, climbing the stairs enthusiastically. There was nobody living up there at the moment, so there was no electricity. No lights to push the darkness of the staircase away. Our nerves were being canceled out by our excitement.

Suddenly, however, my friend stopped in his tracks. I stopped too and asked him why he had stopped. At my question, he started. He immediately whirled around, eyes wide.

"Didn't you just run past me up the stairs?" he asked, voice very quiet. "I stopped to let you pass…"

I said nothing. The look on his face did not make it seem like he was bluffing. The terror in his eyes was enough. We sprinted down the stairs faster than human feet have ever run downstairs, and shot out of the house and into the afternoon sun.

The adventure was never fully realized. To this day, that first-floor flat remains untenanted.

Why It Works

Horror stories don't all have to involve the main character moving into a haunted house. The secret to a good story is to make the main character be as sympathetic and likable as possible. A mother feeding her son, a sister playing with her brother, school friends - bonds of love and friendship are at the heart of every good scary story.

Of course, a true story beats out everything, but that's beside the point. Having the main character you can get behind and support sells a horror story. You do not want bad things happening to them. You want them to pull through and survive. The bigger the odds they face, the more you want them to come out on top.

This is what makes Bram Stoker's Dracula such a towering success. Even today, the struggles of Jonathan Harker to escape from the dreaded castle, of Dr. John Seward and Abraham Van Helsing's putting together of the disparate events connected to the Count, and Mina Murray's bravery while facing down a fate worse than death can't help but strike a chord in anyone's heart.

However, you are not writing an action story. Or an adventure tale. You're writing horror. So, the hero should never be able to fight the foe directly. The terror they face must be unimaginably stronger and stranger than they can imagine. That is the essence of horror - even the most chiseled bodybuilder is helpless against a street filled with flickering streetlights and shadows slinking past.

This is what makes the works of H. P. Lovecraft so widely loved. He left the ultimate horror up to the interpretation of the reader. The greatest source of dread in his stories comes from beings we cannot understand, and the feeling of alienness is what allows him to twist our emotions as per his command.

And that is what it comes down to, at the end of the day. You might love the horror genre, but to really understand it and how it works, you need to seep yourself in it. You have to read and watch everything of quality that you can get your hands on. Only then will you understand enough about the craft to be able to make your own mark. And that, we hope, is where this narrative essay leads you.

Whether you got your first taste of horror by watching horror films or picking up a copy of Goosebumps, take solace in the fact that the horror bug never truly leaves you. You will always be connected to the spooks, whether you like it or not.

We hope you got what you wanted out of this free essay. If you want your own essays to stand out, you should look into Studybay's assignment writing service. Get professionally written essays complete with masterful proofreading - nothing will stop you from achieving the grade you want. Give us your ESL essay topics, and watch us give you the best edited essay you will ever see.

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50 Horror Writing Prompts from Different Points of View

April 13, 2024 by Richard 1 Comment

50 Horror Writing Prompts from Different Points of View: In the realm of horror fiction, perspective plays a crucial role in crafting tales that unsettle, terrify, and captivate readers. By exploring the depths of fear through various viewpoints, writers can tap into the psyche of both the tormentor and the tormented, creating a rich tapestry of horror that leaves a lasting impact. This list of 50 horror writing prompts invites authors to step into the shoes of diverse characters, from vengeful ghosts and struggling vampires to cursed individuals and haunted objects, each with their own unique story to tell.

The power of perspective in horror lies in its ability to humanize the monstrous and demonize the human. By delving into the minds of the undead, the cursed, and the supernatural, writers can explore the complexities of their existence, their motivations, and their struggles. Simultaneously, by portraying the darkness that lurks within the hearts of seemingly ordinary people, authors can expose the true horrors that reside in the depths of the human soul. These prompts challenge writers to confront the uncomfortable, the grotesque, and the unimaginable, pushing the boundaries of their creativity and testing the limits of their readers’ courage.

From the classic tropes of haunted houses and werewolf transformations to the modern terrors of sentient AI and post-apocalyptic mutations, this list encompasses a wide range of horror subgenres. Each prompt offers a unique opportunity to explore the fears that have captivated audiences for generations, while also inviting writers to put their own spin on these timeless tales. Whether delving into the psychological horrors of a person slowly losing their grip on reality or the physical terrors of a monster’s relentless pursuit, these prompts provide a foundation upon which writers can build their own nightmarish visions.

Moreover, these prompts encourage writers to experiment with narrative structure and pacing. By focusing on specific moments, such as a night in a haunted asylum or a serial killer’s inner monologue during a murder spree, authors can create immersive, visceral experiences that leave readers breathless. Alternatively, by exploring the long-term consequences of a curse or the gradual transformation of a person into a creature, writers can craft slow-burning tales that build tension and dread with every passing page.

Ultimately, this list of 50 horror writing prompts from different points of view serves as a catalyst for writers to explore the depths of their imagination and confront the fears that lurk within us all. By embracing the power of perspective and delving into the minds of the monstrous and the human alike, authors can create horror stories that not only entertain but also provoke thought, evoke emotion, and linger long after the final page is turned. So, grasp your pen, summon your courage, and prepare to traverse the darkest corners of your psyche as you embark on a journey through these 50 spine-chilling prompts.

Here are 50 horror writing prompts from different points of view:

• Write a story from the perspective of a vengeful ghost haunting their murderer.
• Describe a day in the life of a vampire struggling with their thirst for blood.
• Narrate a tale from the point of view of a cursed object that brings misfortune to its owners.
• Write about a werewolf’s transformation during a full moon from their perspective.
• Describe a haunted house from the point of view of the malevolent entity residing within.
• Write a story from the perspective of a doll possessed by a child’s spirit.
• Narrate a zombie apocalypse from the point of view of a newly turned zombie.
• Write about a serial killer’s inner monologue during a murder spree.
• Describe a demonic summoning ritual from the perspective of the demon being summoned.
• Write a story from the point of view of a shapeshifter luring their prey.
• Narrate a tale of a cursed family from the perspective of the family’s patriarch.
• Write about an alien abduction from the point of view of the extraterrestrial.
• Describe a night in a haunted asylum from the perspective of a tortured soul.
• Write a story from the point of view of a sentient AI that turns against its creators.
• Narrate a tale of a cult ritual from the perspective of the sacrifice.
• Write about a post-apocalyptic world from the point of view of a mutated survivor.
• Describe a monster’s lair from the perspective of the monster itself.
• Write a story from the point of view of a person slowly turning into a creature.
• Narrate a tale of a cursed town from the perspective of the town’s oldest resident.
• Write about a possessed vehicle from the point of view of the vehicle.
• Describe a night in a morgue from the perspective of a reanimated corpse.
• Write a story from the point of view of a scientist’s failed experiment.
• Narrate a tale of a haunted theater from the perspective of a ghostly actress.
• Write about a monster’s hunt from the point of view of the monster’s prey.
• Describe a night in a haunted forest from the perspective of a lost hiker.
• Write a story from the point of view of a person trapped in a time loop.
• Narrate a tale of a cursed painting from the perspective of the artist.
• Write about a possessed child from the point of view of the exorcist.
• Describe a night in a haunted hospital from the perspective of a deceased patient.
• Write a story from the point of view of a person whose dreams become reality.
• Narrate a tale of a witch’s curse from the perspective of the cursed individual.
• Write about a haunted ship from the point of view of a ghostly crew member.
• Describe a night in a vampire’s castle from the perspective of the vampire’s servant.
• Write a story from the point of view of a person whose reflection starts talking back.
• Narrate a tale of a cursed amulet from the perspective of the amulet’s creator.
• Write about a monster’s transformation from the point of view of the monster’s loved one.
• Describe a night in a haunted prison from the perspective of a wrongly accused inmate.
• Write a story from the point of view of a person whose imaginary friend turns evil.
• Narrate a tale of a cursed book from the perspective of the book’s author.
• Write about a monster’s origins from the point of view of the monster’s creator.
• Describe a night in a haunted carnival from the perspective of a creepy clown.
• Write a story from the point of view of a person slowly turning invisible.
• Narrate a tale of a demonic possession from the perspective of the possessed individual.
• Write about a monster’s last stand from the point of view of the monster hunter.
• Describe a night in a haunted cemetery from the perspective of a restless spirit.
• Write a story from the point of view of a person whose nightmares come true.
• Narrate a tale of a cursed mirror from the perspective of the mirror’s trapped souls.
• Write about a monster’s offspring from the point of view of the monster’s mate.
• Describe a night in a haunted castle from the perspective of a cursed knight.
• Write a story from the point of view of a person who discovers they are a monster.

As we reach the end of this list of 50 horror writing prompts, it becomes clear that the possibilities for terror and intrigue are truly endless. Each prompt, with its unique perspective and premise, offers a gateway into a world of fear, where the boundaries between reality and nightmare blur. These ideas serve as a testament to the enduring power of horror fiction, its ability to tap into our deepest anxieties, and its capacity to make us question the very nature of our existence.

Through these prompts, we have explored the realms of the supernatural, the psychological, and the visceral. We have walked in the footsteps of the haunted and the haunting, the cursed and the cursed, the monstrous and the all-too-human. In doing so, we have discovered that horror is not merely about the external threats that lurk in the shadows but also about the darkness that resides within ourselves. By confronting these fears head-on, we gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be human in a world where nothing is quite as it seems.

As writers, these prompts offer us a chance to push the boundaries of our craft, to experiment with voice, style, and structure, and to create stories that leave an indelible mark on our readers’ minds. Whether we choose to explore the classic tropes of the genre or to venture into uncharted territory, these ideas provide a solid foundation upon which to build our own unique visions of terror. By embracing the challenge of writing from different perspectives, we can unlock new depths of creativity and discover fresh ways to make our readers’ hearts race and their skin crawl.

But perhaps the greatest gift of these prompts is the reminder that horror is not merely a genre but a lens through which we can explore the human condition. By delving into the darkest corners of our imagination, we can shine a light on the fears, desires, and struggles that unite us all. Through our stories, we can offer our readers a chance to confront their own demons, to find catharsis in the face of terror, and to emerge stronger, wiser, and more empathetic than before.

So, as we close this list of 50 horror writing prompts, let us embrace the power of perspective and the endless possibilities of fear. Let us take these ideas and run with them, crafting stories that will haunt our readers’ dreams and linger in their minds long after the final page is turned. For in the end, it is through our words that we can truly explore the depths of the human experience, and in doing so, perhaps even catch a glimpse of the divine in the darkness. We have many more writing prompts you might be interested in . 

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About Richard

Richard Everywriter (pen name) has worked for literary magazines and literary websites for the last 25 years. He holds degrees in Writing, Journalism, Technology and Education. Richard has headed many writing workshops and courses, and he has taught writing and literature for the last 20 years.  

In writing and publishing he has worked with independent, small, medium and large publishers for years connecting publishers to authors. He has also worked as a journalist and editor in both magazine, newspaper and trade publications as well as in the medical publishing industry.   Follow him on Twitter, and check out our Submissions page .

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May 16, 2024 at 1:00 am

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150+ Short Two-Sentence Horror Stories To Freak You Out

Horror stories don’t need to be long in order to be scary. A good horror concept can always be boiled down to it’s chilling core.

These are short scary stories. These two-sentence horror stories are going to freak you the eff out.

I begin tucking him into bed and he tells me, “Daddy check for monsters under my bed.” I look underneath for his amusement and see him, another him, under the bed, staring back at me quivering and whispering, “Daddy there’s somebody on my bed.” — justAnotherMuffledVo

The doctors told the amputee he might experience a phantom limb from time to time. Nobody prepared him for the moments though, when he felt cold fingers brush across his phantom hand. — Gagege

I can’t move, breathe, speak or hear and it’s so dark all the time. If I knew it would be this lonely, I would have been cremated instead. — Graboid27

Don’t be scared of the monsters, just look for them. Look to your left, to your right, under your bed, behind your dresser, in your closet but never look up, she hates being seen. — AnarchistWaffles

I woke up to hear knocking on glass. At first, I though it was the window until I heard it come from the mirror again. — therealhatman

They celebrated the first successful cryogenic freezing. He had no way of letting them know he was still conscious. — KnowsGooderThanYou

She wondered why she was casting two shadows. Afterall, there was only a single lightbulb. — pgan91

It sat on my shelf, with thoughtless porcelain eyes and the prettiest pink doll dress I could find. Why did she have to be born still? — Horseseverywhere

The grinning face stared at me from the darkness beyond my bedroom window. I live on the 14th floor. — bentreflection

There was a picture in my phone of me sleeping. I live alone. — guztaluz

Working the night shift alone tonight. There is a face in the cellar staring at the security camera. — hctet

They delivered the mannequins in bubble wrap. From the main room I begin to hear popping. — Mikeyseventyfive

You wake up. She doesn’t. — tuskedlemon

She asked why I was breathing so heavily. I wasn’t. — Calamitosity

You get home, tired after a long day’s work and ready for a relaxing night alone. You reach for the light switch, but another hand is already there. — madamimadamimadam

My daughter won’t stop crying and screaming in the middle of the night. I visit her grave and ask her to stop, but it doesn’t help. — skuppy

Day 312. Internet still not working. — fluffyponyza

You start to drift off into a comfortable sleep when you hear your name being whispered. You live alone. — anonymous_abc

I needed to quickly run a SQL command to update a single row in an Oracle DB table at work. To my horror, it came back with “–2,378,231 rows affected.” — waysafe

You’re laying in bed and with your feet dangling out of the covers. You feel a hand grab your feet. — HesusMendez

The funeral attendees never came out of the catacombs. Something locked the crypt door from the inside. — TLFMOD

My wife woke me up last night to tell me there was an intruder in our house. She was murdered by an intruder 2 years ago. — The_D_String

The officer finally got back to me. The call was coming from inside the house.

I was having a pleasant dream when what sounded like hammering woke me. After that, I could barely hear the muffled sound of dirt covering the coffin over my own screams. — vigridarena

The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock at the door. — Scry67

After working a hard day I came home to see my girlfriend cradling our child. I didn’t know which was more frightening, seeing my dead girlfriend and stillborn child, or knowing that someone broke into my apartment to place them there. — cobaltcollapse

You hear your mom calling you into the kitchen. As you are heading down the stairs you hear a whisper from the closet saying “Don’t go down there honey, I heard it too.” — comparativelysane

I never go to sleep. But I keep waking up. — genetically_witless

Nurse’s Note: Born 7 pounds 10 ounces, 18 inches long, 32 fully formed teeth. Silent, always smiling. — ichokedcheryltunt

She went upstairs to check on her sleeping toddler. The window was open and the bed was empty. — Aerron

The longer I wore it the more it grew on me. She had such pretty skin. — blaqkmagick

You hear the scream across the hallway, but your eyes won’t open and you can’t move. — dkmino

Being the first to respond to a fatal car accident is always the most traumatic thing I see as a police officer. But today, when the crushed body of the little dead child boy strapped in his car seat opened his eyes and giggled at me when I tried to peel him out of the wreckage, I immediately knew that today would be my last day on the force. — scabbycakes

I looked out my window. The stars had gone away. — Owllette

I always thought my cat had a staring problem, she always seemed fixated on my face. Until one day, when I realized that she was always looking just behind me. — hangukbrian

“I can’t sleep” she whispered, crawling into bed with me. I woke up cold, clutching the dress she was buried in. — VaultKid321

I just saw my reflection blink. — marino1310

I kiss my wife and daughter goodnight before I go to sleep. When I wake up, I’m in a padded room and the nurses tell me it was just a dream. — StoryTellerBob

The pairs of emaciated eyes outnumber the single round in my gun. With pleading tears falling on her doll’s hair, I point the barrel at my last surviving daughter. — yoshkow

I peeked outside. The pizza delivery guy is at the door, but I didn’t order a pizza — and definitely not from someone wearing a pig mask.

My mother has been screaming at the front door for hours now. She’s not happy that I killed her with my bare hands.

I have a friend named Charlie. I’m playing at his house but it’s cold down here in the basement, I wonder when Charlie will let me go home.

If you get scared at night, don’t keep your eyes closed for too long. There’s a reason you’re scared, and now you can’t see it approach.

I used a Ouija board yesterday, but I only asked one question and put it away. I got my answer today — written in blood on my ceiling.

The wailing from the baby monitor just won’t stop. Problem is, my daughter is with her mother this weekend… over 200 miles away.

Grandpa died smoking a cigar in his favorite chair. We got a new one but from the ash marks he leaves behind he has a new favorite chair.

My husband woke me up by kissing my cheek when he got home late. This morning I checked my phone — he stayed with a friend last night.

I like to sing in the shower sometimes. When I got out of the last one, the fogged-up mirror read “YOU HAVE A LOVELY VOICE” — I live alone.

My wife just ran in to ask me if I was okay because she could hear my terrible coughing fit from across the house. I wasn’t coughing.

The upstairs neighbors are awfully noisy. I told my landlord… it’s been vacant for months.

For sale: like-new engagement ring, barely worn, came right off her finger. Finger also for sale for the right offer.

I had a dream that a man was watching me sleep from outside my bedroom window. When I woke up, I found footprints… inside, next to my bed.

My TV keeps turning on by itself. It’s annoying, but what’s more worrisome is how it only shows footage of me standing in my living room.

My girlfriend is scared of horror movies. They make her paranoid, which can be tricky when I’m watching her through her living room window.

I found a new bottle of my best friend’s favorite scotch on the kitchen counter today. He died in a drunk driving accident six years ago.

It’s nice that my grandmother calls to check on me, but if she wants to communicate from the other side I wish she wouldn’t scream so much.

My boyfriend has a collection he’s very proud of. He never told me that he’s been collecting souvenirs from the girlfriends he murdered.

I have a recurring dream I’m murdered by a man I’d never met. I thought it was stupid until I went on a blind date and saw him at the table.

My mom told me she had the best time playing with my little sister today. My sister went missing in 2002 — they found her body in 2006.

The knife, it slices — just like butter I tried to be a loving mother.  — littlemisssassy

I can’t move, breathe, speak or hear and it’s so dark all day round. I should have been cremated, and not buried in the ground.  —  [deleted]

I just saw the children playing, admiring how high they have swung. But others tell me they’re just swaying in the wind where they were hung.  — Alt_punch

I was always told not to play with my food, as it is a blessing to eat. However I’m one to tease my meals, and killing is always a treat.  — [deleted]

Read this after the day is nigh. And tonight you might possibly die.  — Hawkfrostofriverclan

I was never more scared or more filled filled with dread, Than the night the police found, her dismembered head.  — Gil_ByrdIsTheWord

As I played in the basement, Mother called me upstairs. From behind me, She whispered, ‘Don’t go up there.’  — CheckeredBag

I watched you play whilst at the park. I’ll come to your house when the day goes dark.  — Bucket_O_Beef

I had guests over today, they seemed to be really nice, so I introduced my hobby; it’s quite technical, you see, and I’m no good with words, so I had to show them. I really think my skills are improving; I almost didn’t have to break any bones this time, and I do like way they hang there, all strung up, an occasional whimper dripping past their mutilated lips like so much blood.  — TheOtherJuggernaut

I travel here and there so suddenly, and never make a sound. Slaying quickly, quietly, swiftly; Just don’t turn around.  — zenofire

And from the grave, where my father was put And hand reached up and grabbed my foot.  — [deleted]

I saw the children playing, watched how high they swung. Their bodies swaying side to side, while silently they hung. – – GoldenWizard

Roses are red, violets are blue. There is someone right behind you.  — Kaserbeam

You’re the prettiest person that I ever saw, I’d so love to snack on your eyeballs, quite raw.  — moratnz

Warm and juicy; best best served fresh. I love the taste of human flesh.  — littlemisssassy

I held her in my arms, dying What could lie in her crib, crying?  — I_am_Rudy

A knock at the door and ‘Could you help us?’ I hear. I glance outside once and nevermore for the kid’s eyes were black and their faces austere.  — oohshineeobjects

Can you hear the beautiful ring of the bell? That means it’s time to drag you down to hell.  — Hellblood

I will wait patiently until I’m found. And exact my revenge – flesh by the pound.  — CheckeredBag

Roses are red, violets are blue. You’d better run, I’m coming for you.  — RedDeadRevengeance

You see, I stand on my box. And I know how your window unlocks.  —  [deleted]

Muscles now relaxed, and still in her bed; young Timmy and Zax leaving all left unsaid. A smile Zax cracked, and ‘no’ Timmy plead: ‘no need to cut further, mom’s already dead.’  — CDC_

Wrapped in sheets and cuddled in bed. You’ll foolishly expose your sweet, precious head…  — CheckeredBag

You taught how me to be a man, but today I feel so all alone. Happy Father’s Day dad, as I kiss your gravestone.  — battering-ram

I once had a girlfriend named Jill, I buried her under that hill. But sometimes at home, when I’m all alone, I find that she sleeps with me still.  — CheckeredBag

I held my son’s hand tightly as the cars whizzed past the sidewalk. “With any luck, they won’t find the rest of him,” I muttered to myself.

I was starving and lost in the woods until I found a hiker. Im full now, I just wished she hadn’t screamed so loud.

‘Daddy I can’t sleep” she said, and crawled under the sheets with me. In the morning I woke up freezing cold and clutching the dress she was buried in.

I arrived at the funeral a few minutes late. Nobody acknowledged me, and I figured out why when I looked into the casket and saw myself.

I had three seconds of sight left. I was fascinated by how much my brains resembled oatmeal, spattered on the concrete.

‘Please stop,” I whimpered as he fastened my other arm to the table, “if you let me go, I won’t tell anyone”. He looked up at me with a wicked smile “how do you think I got you? They gave you to me.’

There was a picture in my phone of me sleeping. I live alone.

As I walked up the driveway with my new friend, I introduced him to my dad. “What friend?!” he asked with bewilderment in his eyes.

I sat up from this horrible nightmare that a gruesome faced man was trying to get in my home, all of a sudden I heard my daughter screaming. I ran down the hall and she was hiding her face in the pillow screaming and crying and said “a man was watching me outside.’

I’ll hide you in my walls, your body will never be found! I’ll wear your skin as a suit, your friends will like you more than they used to.

She woke up to an unusual silence in their bedroom. She looked over as the thing that laid where her husband use to be rose from under the sheets.

I have never seen anything like it, the way it screamed and crawled towards me. This… This thing is suppose to be my little brother.

I’m all alone during a storm when the power goes out. Lightning strikes and there is a man standing in my hallway with a knife.

I woke up to the sound of screams and the feel of immense heat surrounding me. Sobbing as the torture began again, I remembered hell wasn’t a made up place…

I kept calling my girlfriend the day they buried me. She wouldn’t answer.

My cat is asleep beside my computer in his favorite spot. I’ve buried him 10 times.

I’ve been scrubbing my hands non-stop for weeks. The blood just won’t come off.

I woke up to the smell of copper in the air. I had done it again.

I look at my clock its 3:15 as a rotting corpse pushes fingers into my stomach, I scream in relief its only a dream. Looking at my clock it is 3:14 and my closet door creeks open…

I see a face staring at me from my window. I live on the 3rd floor.

As she finally drifted off to sleep, she felt the cold, bony fingers caress her body. She prayed it was just a dream….

When she turned around, she saw her own self, dressed in different clothes. Her heart went into shock and the other self gently helped her to the floor as she died.

The cloven hoof prints were fresh. They were in sets of two, staggered like a man running.

I got a haunted doll in the mail today. If only I could find where she ran off too…

I hear my daughter cry, “Mommy I’m so cold, please let me in!” I shut the curtains, knowing she wont cry much longer in the snow.

I opened my front door to the frantic pounding of my next door neighbor. To my horror it was something that was wearing his skin…

The stew I was eating was delicious, and I wanted to give my husband a taste. That’s when I found his wedding ring in my bowl, still on his finger.

Every morning my husband tells me he loves me, I really wish he’d stop. I murdered him last year, but he still won’t leave me alone.

Outside my three year olds bedroom I hear her say, ” But Mommy, I don’t want to.” My voice replies, “All little girls stab their Daddies.’

Being the first to respond to a fatal car accident is always the most traumatic thing I see as a police officer. But today, when the crushed body of the little dead boy strapped in his car seat opened his eyes and giggled at me when I tried to peel him out of the wreckage, I immediately knew that today would be my last day on the force.

A smile of relief washed across his face even with his arm swallowed nearly to the elbow by the drain, and he said, ” I think I feel your ring!” I smiled too, and said,” Oh, that’s great, love…and I know about Vanessa,” as I flipped the disposal switch.

I can’t move, breathe, speak or hear and it’s so dark all the time. If I knew it would be this lonely, I would have been cremated instead.

The dog sits at my gate every morning and night when I leave and come home from work. Even after all this time she can still smell her owner’s blood on my hands.

I sat on my daughter’s bed and sang her favorite song before giving her a kiss on the cheek, just as I’ve done every night since she was a baby. When I was done and smiled down at her, she whispered “Mommy please stop, you’re dead.’

I’d been noticing it for months, that tiny lag in my reflection, not that anyone believed me. Today was different she didn’t even attempt to mimic me she stood there smiling, I think she wants to come out.

The girl pedaled quickly towards his car, droplets of water flying off her, leaving a trail on the sidewalk. He should have weighted down her body in the river, but as she came closer and the smell of rotten flesh overcame him, he realized it wouldn’t have mattered.

‘Oh don’t worry dear we’re glad to have you for diner.” They said smiling, as I lie bound and gagged on the floor while they took their last bite of lunch, my husband.

My kids were excited to tell me about the day they just had with their mother. My eyes watered as I pondered how to tell them she died this morning on the way to work.

After dating all through high school and college, our daughter’s boyfriend finally came by today to ask my husband and me for her hand. We gave it to him, hoping that he’ll finally tell us where the rest of her is.

When I wake in the middle of the night to the sound of cracking, I am aware that it is her rigor mortis body snapping unto itself as she crawls down the hallway . I knew it was only a matter of time before she would seek her revenge.

My grandmother told me it was a gift to see the angel of death in front of people’s houses, to know he would be collecting someone there soon. I thought it was a gift too, until the day I began to see it in front of every house.

She felt the warmth of the sun as she smiled at him and promised, “I will follow you until the end of time.” When she opened her eyes, the pyre beneath her had begun to burn.

Audra looked across the table to smile warmly at the loving faces of her husband and children. “I do so enjoy our time together” she whispered as she gently placed each of their severed heads back into the refrigerator.

Through moon and fog, I run, branches whipping bare legs bloody, and race the hot breath, that burp of hell, against my nape. Closer, closer, until saliva spatters my skin, and the thing with teeth wraps me in its mouth.

The smell of my own charring flesh fills my nose as the muffler coughs out the it’s last dying gasps. My only hope is someone seeing my hand, that I’m hoping is still stuck in the guardrail above.

My daughter walked up to me asking, “Mommy, who is that man behind you?” I turned with an uneasy feeling, to find no-one standing there, looked back to tell her there was nothing there and there was nothing left but the teddy bear she was just holding covered in blood.

I used to love hearing those sounds; the bathroom door opening, my girlfriend playfully drumming her fingernails on the sink, and the flat screech of the shower curtain pulling back before she stepped in to join me. But hearing those drumming nails now, as I’m showering before bed on the night of her funeral, stirs up altogether new feelings.

The mirror had been left to me by my late aunts estate, stored in the attic and covered in paper. I stared at my reflection, feeling that something was…off…but not knowing what – when my reflection winked at me.

I breathe in the gas and count back from ten to get my tonsils removed. “Looks like little Timmy is finally going to get a new heart, and I get a new car.”, I hear the doctor say as I fall into the void.

I had often had a slightly irrational fear of being stalked or having someone show up in the backseat of my car after leaving a bad relationship , so I got a smaller car for sense of security. The day I stopped carrying pepper spray with my newfound courage, a soft breath tickled the hairs on my neck with a soft “found you.’

Last night, I had a nightmare that I’d lost both my legs in a gruesome car accident. Then I realized it was only a memory.

I used to be considered the evil twin. But now I’m considered an only child.

Everyone complimented my disfigured mask last Halloween, full of hairy puss and scars. But they didn’t know, when I went home, there was nothing to remove.

All I could do was stare as I watched my father wrap his hands around my mother’s neck. But he was already dead, and soon, she would be, too.

From afar, the doll looked just like her. From close up, she could see it was made out of her lost teeth and dead skin.

I couldn’t wait any longer to be a mother. So I grabbed a knife to rip the baby from my stomach.

I work in a strip club. And I hate to admit it, but I hear more screams than moans.

I swear I heard my daughter whisper my name. But, the thing is, I’m still pregnant.

I fell asleep in my pajamas. But I woke up in a suit, with a closed casket surrounding me.

I like living alone. Because, when I hear a faint singing or feel a hand on my thigh, I know it’s one of them .

I kissed her, but she wouldn’t kiss me back. She was already decomposing.

My car thumped over something in the road. And the windshield wipers couldn’t clear the blood away.

I don’t know where the hell my husband is. I can’t remember where I buried him.

I stopped going to church, because God never answers me. But the Devil speaks to me every night.

I went camping with my three best friends. But by the time we left, we were nothing but a murderer, a witness, and a dead body.

I didn’t mind it when the rain began to fall. Until it hit my skin and burned.

I asked the hot guy in my class why he was staring at me. He said that he was actually staring at the demon that always hovers behind me.

My cat never goes near my closet. The one day she did, she never came back out.

I felt my husband’s hand squeeze mine. But then I remembered, he was dead and I was in my apartment alone.

I tried to check my makeup in the mirror. But my reflection was missing.

I scrubbed her blood off of my suit until there was no trace of DNA left. But I needed something to remember the night by, so I kept a handful of her hair.

When I checked his browser history, I found the search: “How to poison my wife.” So I threw down the water bottle he’d just handed me.

I think I’m dead. But the other spirits keep telling me I’m alive.

I’ve been talking to my mother for hours. But I don’t think she can hear me through the six feet of dirt.

I never meant to make my ex cry. I only meant to make him bleed.

My throat is raw from screaming for help. But no one can hear me now that I’m in heaven.

I didn’t run when I saw him. So he didn’t make me suffer when he stabbed me.

I reached under the bed to find my missing sock. But I felt another hand, instead.

I texted a stranger by accident. But when they texted me back, they used my full name.

I felt the barrel against my head, for only a second, before the burglar did the worst possible thing. He didn’t pull the trigger.

I didn’t panic when my best friend Tom started shuddering from head to toe, clutching his stomach, and coughing up blood. I panicked when the blood started crawling up my leg. — ShadowScribe

Three cheers for Santa Claus, and all the good children who believe. ‘Makes this so much easier,’ He chuckled, the bells on the trusting little girl’s shoes jingling as he dragged the body across the roof and away into the night. — Cinnamon-Ciara

‘Hey daddy, I’m fixing little brother for you!’ He entered the room to find his 8-year-old daughter scooping the eyes out of their now blind baby. — EccentricStrawberry

‘Do you like your new coat?’ my father asked as he draped it over my shoulders. ‘It’s from your mother,’ he said, smiling at what was left of Mom’s flayed corpse. — ShadowScribe

Being the last human alive isn’t too bad. I just wish my hungry neighbors would leave me alone. — troytheterribletaco

There was a knock on my door. Something inside told me not to open the closet. — DonBeanass

I sit in this crowded theater, all my life I’ve been a nobody, a reject, an empty, self-loathing blank. “Time for all of that to change,” I say to no-one in particular, pulling out the guns from under my coat… — TheRaincrow

There was a photo of me sleeping on beautiful red silk on my phone. What I don’t know is how the phone got into the coffin with me. — Abyss1213

I stared at the picture of me emblazoned on the screen of the mobile phone, wracking my brain to try to understand how it got there. Human technology has often proved to be an ally of mine but I’ve never before encountered a mobile that could take pictures of demons. — sleeplessfromdreams

At the expense of the last of their ammunition, the lumbering beast collapsed. Too bad the hunting party couldn’t spare a moment while patting each other on the back to notice it’s mother had witnessed the whole display. — Jibberling

Before I could react, the man produced an ax from his long coat and brought it to rest on the table before me. I carefully chose my words before saying, ‘Even with a receipt, I cannot give you a refund with all those blood stains.’ — Jibberling

My eyes were glued to the scarring images on the horrifying scrapbook I found at my new neighbors house. As I flipped towards the end of the book I noticed that there was a blank spot with today’s date written below it. — Unknownuser55550

Before my parents left town for the weekend, they tucked me in, locked my bedroom door, and told me that there was nothing to be afraid of: the monsters had no way of getting inside the house. If they had stayed a second longer they would have heard his laughter from inside the closet. — ShadowScribe

The voices won’t stop bothering me to let them free. Maybe it’s time to go into the basement and shut them up once and for all… — Tiger106700

My mom couldn’t find her ‘yummy-wummy’ baby, even when she called out to her with that ridiculous nickname. At least it was accurate: my sister was delicious. — SlavicSnowflake

Before I can go to sleep, I have to check all the doors around the house. If they’re all locked, I move on to the next house. — Volohov

Read more Spooky .

About the author

Michael Koh

Follow Michael at @UghHugs .

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100-word horror story

Since tomorrow is Insecure Writers’ Support Group day, I’ll make this post short and sweet.

I was recently challenged to write a 100-word horror story. Feel free to write your own and share it in the comments, if you like.

The questions began every evening. I tried my best to answer them.

 “daddy, why is the sky blue”,  i sighed with relief—this one i knew. “it isn’t really—it’s colorless. the reflection of the sun’s rays makes it seem blue.”,  she paused for a moment. her next question was a little harder.,  “daddy, where did mommy go”,  the thought of her mother still made my chest tight. “mommy got sick, and the angels took her away so she wouldn’t suffer.”,  her last question was the most difficult.,  “daddy, why did you kill me”,  i wish i had the answer., 1 part newsletter, 1 part unnerving updates, 2 parts sneak peeks of new projects., 35 comments.

That is chilling. Didn’t see it coming.

Thanks so much, Alex! You ROCK.

yikes, totally out of left field!

I’ll take that as a compliment, Susan. 😀

Wow, I’m like Alex. I totally didn’t see that ending coming. Makes me want to know more.

Thoughts in Progress and MC Book Tours

Thanks so much, Mason! Who knows…maybe, like the best horror movie characters, they’ll come back.

Wow. Just Wow!

Aw, thanks Denise. Everyone is being so kind. I didn’t expect such a wonderful response–I’m a little overwhelmed. 🙂

That was amazing, and horrifying. I’ll have to play with something really short like this. I’m surprised how powerful it could be with so few words.

@mirymom1 from Balancing Act

Thanks, Samantha. I’m glad you liked it. The PR team at Samhain asked me to write it, and when they first suggested it, I thought, “I can’t do that–a horror story in 100 words? That’s crazy!”

Turns out I can! 😀

If you try it, tag me.

*chills* *chills* *chills*

That is SO creepy!

Aw, thanks Heather! *hugs*

Totally chilling!

And you know how much I love micro fiction AND horror. 🙂

Thanks, Madeline! It’s great to hear from a master of the genre.

It begs for an encore. Nicely done. 🙂

Thanks so much, Henry! And thanks for posting your own on my Facebook page . That was awesome.

You’re welcome. It was a fun challenge. I wish more people would give it a try.

You and me both!

Creepy. Makes me want to hear more.

Thanks, Lisa. You never know…maybe these two will speak to me some more one day, demanding a novel of their own.

Thanks so much, Adam! Welcome to my blog. 🙂

That ending is chilling! This reminded me of something I read before. I swear I’ve read something before about a child asking a dad questions and each one was harder for him to answer. Hmm…I can’t think of where I read it, though. Oh well. Great job! I should try 100 word stories. 🙂

Thanks, Chrys. Is it possible you read it when I promoted it for Samhain? They were the ones who asked me to write it initially, and I shared it back then.

Yep. That ending was chilling all right. Oh, the ghost of Mark Twain just followed your Twitter account — on account you were pretty he said, wagging his eyebrows! Sigh. Forgive the old rascal. He’s mostly harmless except to himself!! 🙂

Well, I’m flattered, Roland. And you can tell Mr. Twain I said so.

Wow! I did not see that coming and that is downright creepy but it would make a great book and movie

Wow, you’re too kind, Birgit! Thanks so much. 🙂

Horrifying, really. Well done.

Thanks so much, Mary!

CREEPY!!!! I love it. =) <3

Thanks, Nikki. I adore you!

That was great. I didn’t see that ending.

Thanks, Patricia!

i lovgfe your pageeeeeee

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Home Essay Samples Literature

Essay Samples on Horror

Horror story about the halloween.

 One Halloween night my 3 friends and I decided to go trick or treating. This was my first night out on Halloween and I was honestly ecstatic. Our parents had informed us to not stay out for too long and emphasized we only stay in...

• Bad Memories

Fantastique Aspects In Guy De Maupassant Horror Story Le Horla

Le Horla, written by the popular French writer Guy de Maupassant, is a horror story composed of fantasy. There are two versions in which the story has been framed, both describing the thoughts of a man who is completely convinced that an 'invisible being' is...

Review of one of the Most Iconic Horror Movies, Jaws

'Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water...' If you've ever heard this phrase then you know it's synonymous with the film franchise Jaws. More specifically, in this review, I'd like to discuss the original film. Released forty-four years ago...

• Horror Movies

The Shining Film Analysis: Music and Sound

The use of music and sound is an integral part of horror movies, and The Shining is no exception. The Shining film analysis essay will explore the various methods and reasons for the use of music and sound in The Shining. The film, directed by...

• Film Analysis
• The Shining

Brave New World: The Horrors of Totalitarian Government

Imagine your life controlled by someone you didn’t know, your every move watched and judged as if what you were doing was wrong. In the book “Brave New World” characters are forced to abide be the rules of the government with no control over their...

• Brave New World

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The Origins Behind Many Vampire and Horror Stories

Horror movies, scary stories or anything related to ghosts: we all love to be scared sometimes! The ten places we have selected for you take us beyond fiction, All these places have the reputation of being haunted and would make the most adventurous trip! Sensitive...

An Overview of Zombies: Epidemiology of Fear

This article aimed to rationale how science fiction content describe and illustrate human culture through zombies. There was no formal concept of probability in Europe prior to the mid-17th century [3], despite the idea of randomized objects was already commonly seen. Asides from the first...

The Variation of Horror Genre and Its Examples

When I was a kid, I used to hate horror films, as the matter of fact, I refuse to watch them as I didn’t fathom why would anyone purposely scare themselves. For many people, horror movies are a horrendous experience. They hate to see graphic...

A Personal Theory of Aesthetic Horror

A fear or paranoia of pain, vulnerability and death, the feeling that someone is watching you, the feeling that your life is in jeopardy. Aesthetic horror is the same feeling as horror but through what we see. It is similar to horror because it is...

The Debate About the Horror Genre as Appropriate to Children

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! Everyone remembers the iconic 1980s movie Beetlejuice. This classic horror movie has been enjoyed by many kids and adults for years now. Beetlejuice is not the only iconic horror movie that is enjoyed by all age ranges. Gremlins another class favorite is...

Edgar Allan Poe: Life of The Most Famous Horror Author

Edgar Allan Poe born in Boston in 1809, Edgar Allan Poe was the second son of David Poe, who died before Edgar was three years old. Next years his mother died. He was taken by a wealthy Virginia merchant named John Allan - who gave...

• Edgar Allan Poe

The Life of Edgar Allan Poe

Introduction Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston Massachusetts On January 19, 1809. Edgar Allan Poe had imaginative way of storytelling, tales of mystery and horror gave birth to the modern detective story. Poe never really knew his parents Elizabeth Arnold Poe, and his father...

An Observation of a Student Towards Mystery Horror Game: A Case Study

This thesis is based on research in observing on a frightening reaction of Akademi Seni, Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan student, and their experience while they are still playing the ‘SULUH’ Game. Their story is then captured into digital form and with the result of the...

• Observation
• Video Games

Shaun of the Dead and Tucker and Dale vs Evil: The Mix of Horror and Comedy

Horror and Comedy are complete opposites, yet they seem to work rather well together. The genre of horror-comedy was first introduced into film in 1922, with D.W. Griffith’s One Exciting Night. And since then, countless comedy horror films have been made. The thing is, both...

The In-Depth Meaning and Definition of Horror Genre

With frightful films about vampires, werewolves, and zombies earning so much attention in this last number of decades and new cinematic bloodbaths releasing regularly, the culture appetite for horror raises a question, why do people enjoy the feeling of being terrified? Watching horror is more...

Best topics on Horror

1. Horror Story About The Halloween

2. Fantastique Aspects In Guy De Maupassant Horror Story Le Horla

3. Review of one of the Most Iconic Horror Movies, Jaws

4. The Shining Film Analysis: Music and Sound

5. Brave New World: The Horrors of Totalitarian Government

6. The Origins Behind Many Vampire and Horror Stories

7. An Overview of Zombies: Epidemiology of Fear

8. The Variation of Horror Genre and Its Examples

9. A Personal Theory of Aesthetic Horror

10. The Debate About the Horror Genre as Appropriate to Children

11. Edgar Allan Poe: Life of The Most Famous Horror Author

12. The Life of Edgar Allan Poe

13. An Observation of a Student Towards Mystery Horror Game: A Case Study

14. Shaun of the Dead and Tucker and Dale vs Evil: The Mix of Horror and Comedy

15. The In-Depth Meaning and Definition of Horror Genre

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The BookWorm Drinketh

Give Tea to the Tillerman, But Booze to the Bookworm!

Horror in 100 Words

5 out of 5 Stars

Well, since this is pretty self-explanatory, it as an Anthology of Horror Stories (or Drabbles) each told in 100 words. So, I will skip the synopsis and go straight in to a couple of my favourite stories and my GUSHING praise!!

I can’t tell you all how much I LOVED this Anthology!! It is so hard to give you all examples of the amazing stories in this because I found myself highlighting almost every story in it! Lol!! The different views on what a Horror Story should be were amazing, so many different thoughts! Some were gruesome, some were psychological, some were scary because it deals in Reality and really makes you think, and some were silly… but in a scary kind of way!

I’m going to share a couple of MY personal favourites with you, but I’m not going to tell you which category they fall into so you will have to figure it out!!

Just a Game

Christopher motz , best of friends, stefan lear.

I’m a people person. I value the bonds, the memories, I create with another person. I’m not into superficial friendships, though. I want to explore relationships that will last a lifetime. I want to know you inside and out. I’ll do whatever it takes to completely and utterly understand my friends. It’s my belief that you never really know someone until you’ve looked someone in the eye as they beg for their life. “I’m sorry,” were the last words whimpered with his final breath. His eyes faded dull and all life left his body. I am not a superficial friend.

Disregarded Advice

BANG! He cowers under the blankets, holding his breath, knowing that… BANG! BANG! …two more will come. A few days ago, when the pounding first came, he convinced himself that it was only a vivid dream. Two nights ago, he blamed the wind and spent the next day securing the shutters on the north side of the house. When he was a boy, his mother warned him. “The third time it comes, don’t be home.” For two days, he could have been on the road, getting far away. “It will come for blood,” she said. He hears the doorknob click.

A Demonic Pact

Billy san juan.

There’s a demon in my bedroom. It follows me with its fiery eyes, daring me to escape. I tried to run already, but he roared, and I fell. My arm landed on the corner of the dresser. I can already feel the bruise forming. It knows the bruise hurts. It knows to grab me by the arm, to squeeze the bruise. To cover my mouth with his clawed talon so I can’t scream. I’ve been trapped with this demon before, but I can usually escape. Not tonight. Tonight, I think I will die. I can’t believe I married this man.

And the creme de la creme. In the midst of all the “Stormy” Weather going on, I’m sure you will all appreciate this one! 

Knock knock.. , c.s anderson, this is just a tiny taste of what this anthology has to offer these writers are all so talented, i wish i could have showcased them all… but, that would sort of defeat the purpose i really took my time with this one and just read a story here and there to savour it and really think about each story some of them are so deep for only 100 words i honestly can’t recommend this book enough.

Kevin J. Kennedy himself said it best in his Afterword when he says

“I always feel that every book takes you on a journey, with anthologies often taking you on several. The stories in this book are extremely short, but I think all of the authors involved packed a lot into them. I hope you enjoyed our anthology of drabbles and, if you are new to flash fiction, I hope we have made a convert of you.”

I really hope that you allow yourself to be converted and get this book! The nice thing about each story being so short is that you can pick it up and read a little any time! (it would make a great bathroom book! Some of the stories may even scare the crap out of you!! Lol! To get things started, I’m going to give you links to go pick up a copy for yourself!!

Amazon Canada

Also, check out other AMAZING titles by Kevin at

his website:  http://www.kevinjkennedy.co.uk/

his Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authorkevinjkennedy/

and his Twitter:  @ KevinJKennedy01

100 Word Horrors is Best Served with 

A bloody orange cocktail.

The pictures are all mine though and it was a great drink!! Super fun!! Can’t wait to try it out on others around Halloween!!!

Ingredients

• 4 ounces vodka
• 2 ounces Licor 43
• 8 ounces Orangina or 1:3 orange juice to club soda (I went with the OJ mix because I find orange drinks disgusting! Lol!)
• 3 ounces raspberry syrup (recipe follows)
• plastic syringes (available at party stores)

3.Fill each syringe with .75 ounces of raspberry syrup and set aside

4. Add vodka and Licor43 to a shaker with ice, shake until very cold (about 20 seconds). Add Orangina and stir. Pour into iced glasses and place filled syringes in drinks.

5. Add an orange wedge to the side of each glass and serve.

6.  CHEERS!!

Spread the word to all of your fellow readers and drinkers!

26 thoughts on “ horror in 100 words ”.

Nice twists!

Like Liked by 1 person

You should read the rest of them! Some of them are truly mind blowing, ESPECIALLY for only 100 words!

Ha Ha..scare the scrap out of you…Not heard of liqor43 but I am sure my friend Mr G has 🙂 x

I hadn’t heard of it either, but it’s really good… Kind of a fermented fruit/vanilla flavour!

Sounds good..Thank you 🙂

I bought it on kindle 🙂 Love the drinkypoo 🙂

Both the book and the drink were SO GOOD!!

Flash fiction is really having its moment in the sun, it’s great! I love the favourites you posted here. I’m so envious of writers that can condense so much story into so few words. Thank you for sharing!!

Thanks for reading, the other stories are just as good as these ones! Maybe better to some people! Lol!

Horror flash fiction sounds like fun. I love the drink too.

Those are great drabbles judging from the examples you have given.

There literally wasn’t a bad one in the bunch! There were some that had me taking some time afterwards to think about it because it was so disturbing or unexpected I actually needed a moment!! I saved those for those who pick it up.. I didn’t want to spoil everything. 😋

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Some of those are the kinds of stories that play with your mind!

But, in a GOOD WAY!! And, it’s only 100 words!! So, you don’t have to suffer through a whole book of scary all at once!

Lol. I’ll go over to Amazon…no promises…. but i do like the idea of taking in a bit at a time. 😉

EXACTLY!! YOU’LL LOVE IT! If you don’t buy it, I’m TOTALLY gifting it to you!!

Stop threatening me! Lol. Only in this place can a book gift be seen as a threat… 😆😂

HA HA HA!!! Well, us Deviless’ can apparently turn ANYTHING into a threat, it takes YEARS of practice. 😂😂

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A fabulous review of this book, Nicole. Great drink too.

I’m so glad you found this one, Robbie!! This was one of my absolute FAVOURITE BOOKS!! loved Loved LOVED IT!! With every tale at only 100 words it is an amazing book to pick up and put down at busy times…. IF you can put it down! 😉

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250 Words of Fear & Terror

A collection of very short horror stories.

Precisely 250-Word Horror Stories

It started as an exercise to create a horror story in precisely 250 words – to spin a tale of evil and malevolence, to send shivers down your spine, and do it in very few words. 

Join me on this journey. Prepare for a twist into despair. For who knows what waits in for you in the darkness. 

Sample Stories from 250 Words of Fear & Terror

More Stories included in 250 Words of Fear & Terror

Copyright @ 2024 Shea Oliver. All Rights Reserved

Be Excellent to Each Other

Write a horror story in about 150-200 words.

When i was about 10, my family of six lived in an extremely small apartment. two bedrooms upstairs and then the living room. when i was tired of my siblings i would sleep downstairs. one night i am lying on the couch facing the front door and watching the sky through the window by the door when a face shows up in the window illuminated by a lighter. i freeze, and the face goes away. i’m pretty relieved, thinking it was maybe our druggie neighbours seeing if my parents were still awake when it shows up again. i try to scream but when i hope my mouth nothing came out, not a sound. the person then kicks in the door and walks into the room, he sees me, smiles, and goes towards the kitchen. as he comes out of the kitchen with a knife my dad makes it down the stairs and the guy boots it out of there. i still can’t sleep easily on couches to this day..

100+ Scary Words List (Horror Vocabulary For Writing a Creepy & Terrifying Story)

• Post author: Neel Rana
• Post published: September 9, 2020
• Post category: Horror Writing / Vocabulary

Horror vocabulary or scary words plays an important role in a horror story. Without perfect horror vocabulary, any horror story will sound dull and will give a bad reading experience for readers who have bought your book not just to put it on their shelves but to get terrified the hell out of their souls.

Related: 101 Scary Story Ideas

Our list of scary words is specifically compiled to help you in writing your terrifying tale and you can also use these scary words to brainstorm a horror story idea for your creepy & spooky story.

Related: Fantasy Words List

Below is the list of common horror vocabulary words used in a scary story. Remember that in this list the perception of some of the words as ”scary” can very if used outside horror writing.

Scary Words List (Horror Vocabulary)-

Scary words that start with ‘a ’, scary words that start with ‘ b’.

Black magic

Blood-curdling

Bone-chilling

Scary Words That Start With ‘ C’

Claustrophobic

Creeped out

Scary Words That Start With ‘ D’

Disappeared

Disquieting

Distressing

Scary Words That Start With ‘ E’

Scary words that start with ‘ f’.

Frightening

Scary Words That Start With ‘ G’

Scary words that start with ‘ h’.

Hallucinate

Heart-pouncing

Heart-stopping

Horror-stricken

Scary Words That Start With ‘ I’

Intimidating

Scary Words That Start With ‘ L’

Scary words that start with ‘ m’, scary words that start with ‘ n’.

Nerve-wracking

Nightmarish

Scary Words That Start With ‘ O’

Scary words that start with ‘ p’, scary words that start with ‘ s’.

Spine-chilling

Spine-tingling

Supernatural

Superstition

Scary Words That Start With ‘ T’

Terror-stricken

Threatening

Scary Words That Start With ‘ U’

Scary words that start with ‘ v’, scary words that start with ‘ w’.

Related: Mystery Words List

These are the best and essential scary words that have been collected from famous horror storybooks and using these terrifying vocabularies in your horror story will help you to properly set the horror and terrifying ecosystem in your story which will give the reader a great horror reading experience.

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Horror Story – Short Horror Stories in English

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6 Sincerely Spooky Stories in 100 Words or Less

Halloween is upon us, but here in the digital age, it’s hard to find the time to read a short story, let alone a full-length horror novel. Here, then, are six blood-curdling tales for the digital age, each 100 words or less.

RELATED : 10+ Short Scary Stories You Definitely Don’t Want To Read Alone

Sally’s parents went out for a Halloween dinner, so Sally decided to invite a few friends over. There was some booze and pot, some slasher DVDs, and then the spooky highlight: a Ouija board.

Just gibberish at first and then, to their horror and delight, messages.

Specific messages.

S-A-L-L-Y , the board spelled out.

“Who is this?” said Sally.

SALLY OH SALLY

“Are you dead?”

“How did you die?”

“Who are you?”

YOUR MOTHER

Sally is still screaming when the police car arrives, and a single officer, cap respectfully in his hands, approaches the house.

© fourblueeyes/flickr

Driscoll and Smedley are grave robbers. Their night’s work done, they head to the hospital on a cart loaded with fresh corpses.

No honor among thieves: Driscoll plans to cut Smedley’s throat after they get paid. Driscoll cackles to himself as they traverse the London dawn. He looks at Smedley, thinking: He has no idea.

“Excellent,” shouts Dr. Barron from a casement window as they draw up with their grisly cargo. “You’ve brought me those seven corpses I need!”

” ‘Ere,” says Driscoll. “There’s only six on the cart! You told me—”

“Yeah,” says Smedley, drawing his revolver. “I did, didn’t I?”

They entered the chamber.

Kendall was gripped by foreboding. There was the altar stone with its spiral pattern, carved millennia ago.

Glover shone his torch around the gloom. “The legends say this place makes people vanish.”

“Hard to see where anyone could vanish to.”

“Ten have, over the last 200 years.”

Kendall stared into the spiral carving; as he did so, he felt an awful sense of unease. Suddenly, he saw infinity. The same pattern repeating, over and over, reminding him of something. And then he was remembering, screaming—

Kendall was gripped by foreboding…

The Old Well

© @Doug88888/flickr

I fell down the old well. Fortunately, I wasn’t hurt. At the bottom, there was a skeleton, a horrid thing in the tatters of a summer dress. I was terrified. I climbed out and ran back to the house but I couldn’t find my family, only a man and a woman I didn’t know. I approached them; the man ignored me, but the woman screamed, and then I realized there was something important I had forgotten.

Then I was back in the dark well again, with that horrible skeleton.

What have I forgotten? What was it?

From Room 116 come the sounds of flamenco in the hot Seville night. The clacking of castanets, the shuffle of heels, the melancholy guitar.

“Christ,” says Benson. “For the third night running!”

Before he knows it, he’s out of bed and hammering on the door of 116. “Keep that bloody noise down!”

The noises stop abruptly. The door creaks open.

On the bare floorboards are a broken guitar, cracked castanets and a pair of mouldering high-heeled shoes.

The dust is thick. Undisturbed.

All Benson can hear now is the sound of his own breathing, hard and fast.

Long Distance Call

© helloturkeytoe/flickr

At the hideout, the phone rang. Trembling, Dan answered.

“Dan! It’s Tony.”

Dan gasped.

“I thought you were—”

“Just listen. Guess the bank job didn’t go like we planned, huh? Still. At least one of us got away.”

“What are you—”

“Shhh. I had to describe it. This place.”

“Whispering shadows. The sky white with ash. The horizon roars, and the streets are bleached bone…”

“Nobody has a face.”

“This isn’t funny.”

“I mean, I expected flames, and pitchforks, laughing devils. Not this.”

“But you’ll see. Soon enough, Danny Boy. You’ll see.”

Cover photo: ifeel_infinite/flickr

This article was originally published on November 1, 2014

Watch CBS News

Details emerge after doctor raped and murdered in India as thousands protest

August 15, 2024 / 6:32 AM EDT / CBS/AFP

Thousands took to the streets of Kolkata early Thursday to condemn the rape and murder of a local doctor , demanding justice for the victim and an end to the chronic issue of violence against women in Indian society.

The discovery of the 31-year-old's brutalized body last week at a state-run hospital has sparked nationwide protests, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding swift punishment for those who commit "monstrous" deeds against women.

Large crowds marched through the streets of Kolkata in West Bengal to condemn the killing, with a candlelight rally at midnight coinciding with the start of India's independence day celebrations on Thursday.

The protesters in Kolkata, who marched under the slogan "reclaim the night", called for a wider tackling of violence against women and held up handwritten signs demanding action.

"We want justice," read one sign at the rally. "Hang the rapist, save the women," read another.

"The atrocities against women do not stop," midnight marcher Monalisa Guha told Kolkata's The Telegraph newspaper.

"We face harassment almost on a daily basis," another marcher, Sangeeta Halder, told the daily. "But not stepping out because of fear is not the solution."

"Monstrous behavior against women"

Modi, speaking in New Delhi on Thursday morning at independence day celebrations, did not specifically reference the Kolkata murder, but expressed his "pain" at violence against women.

"There is anger for atrocities committed against our mothers and sisters, there is anger in the nation about that," he said.

"Crimes against women should be quickly investigated; monstrous behavior against women should be severely and quickly punished," he added. "That is essential for creating deterrence and confidence in the society."

Doctors are also demanding swift justice and better workplace security in the wake of the killing, with those in government hospitals across several states on Monday halting elective services "indefinitely" in protest.

Protests have since occurred in several other hospitals across the country, including in the capital.

"Doctors nationwide are questioning what is so difficult about enacting a law for our security," Dhruv Chauhan, from the Indian Medical Association's Junior Doctors' Network, told the Press Trust of India news agency. "The strike will continue until all demands are formally met."

The Telegraph on Thursday praised the "spirited public protests" across India.

"Hearteningly, doctors and medical organizations are not the only ones involved," it said in an editorial. "The ranks of the protesters have been swelled by people from all walks of life."

Police accused of mishandling case

Indian media have reported the murdered doctor was found in the teaching hospital's seminar hall, suggesting she had gone there for a brief rest during a long shift.

An autopsy has confirmed sexual assault, and in a petition to the court, the victim's parents have said that they suspected their daughter was gang-raped, according to Indian broadcaster NDTV.  

Though police have detained a man who worked at the hospital helping people navigate busy queues, officers have been accused of mishandling the case.

Kolkata's High Court on Tuesday transferred the case to the elite Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to "inspire public confidence."

In the early hours of Thursday, a mob of some 40 people angry at authorities' handling of the case stormed the grounds of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, the site of the murder.

The men smashed property and hurled stones at police, who fired tear gas in response, authorities said.

West Bengal lawmaker Abhishek Banerjee, from the Trinamool Congress party, condemned the "hooliganism and vandalism," but said "the demands of the protesting doctors are fair and justified."

History of sexual violence in India

Sexual violence against women is a widespread problem in India. An average of nearly 90 rapes a day were reported in India in 2022, according to  data  from the National Crime Records Bureau.

That year, police  arrested 11 people  after the alleged brutal gang rape and torture of a young woman that included her being paraded through the streets of Dehli. Also in 2022, a police officer in India was arrested after being  accused of raping  a 13-year-old girl who went to his station to report she had been gang-raped.

In March 2024, multiple Indian men were arrested after the  gang rape of a Spanish tourist  on a motorbike trip with her husband.

For many, the gruesome nature of the attack has invoked comparisons with the horrific 2012 gang rape and murder  of a young woman on a Delhi bus.

The woman became a symbol of the socially conservative country's failure to tackle sexual violence against women.

Her death sparked huge, and at times violent, demonstrations in Delhi and elsewhere.

Under pressure, the government introduced harsher penalties for rapists, and the death penalty for repeat offenders.

Several new sexual offences were also introduced, including stalking and jail sentences for officials who failed to register rape complaints.

• Sexual Violence

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