Welcome to our bone-chilling Halloween 50 Word Horror Story Contest! We’re offering a terrifying $100 prize for the most spine-tingling tale. Craft a complete horror story in just 50 words and submit it in the comments below by midnight on September 29th, 2024. Enter as many times as you dare!
The rules:
- It must be a horror story
- It must be 50 words or less
- It must be a complete story
- Entries must be submitted by midnight on September 29th, 2024
- Enter as many stories as you like!
- Post your story in the comments below
- The scariest story wins
The prize:
- $100 prize for the most spine-tingling tale selected by our judges
- The winning story will be featured in our print and digital Halloween issue
- The author of the winning story will be featured on our site with links to their work
- The winner can promote their writing-related book or website on our platform
- Money will be paid through PayPal
We’re desperately seeking hair-raising tales that leave us shivering with fear. Put on your master of macabre hat and unleash your most terrifying 50-word story. Make us tremble with terror in less space than a tweet. Our judges are prepared to reward the tiny tale that sends the most chills down their spines.
What nightmarish stories does your twisted mind conceal? Polish your most petrifying micro-tale and leave your horrifying submissions in the comments below. We can hardly wait to witness the spine-chilling horrors your imagination can create when restricted to a mere 50 words. Hold nothing back – let your horror take life in this compact space. Enter as many times as you wish to maximize your chances of winning the $100 prize and being featured in our Halloween issue. Make us shriek with fright!
Leave your story below. Enter as many times as you desire!
Winners will be posted by October 11, and our print/digital issue will be out on October 17!
Tressa says
Sarah began to sob uncontrollably as she heard the voice of an older version of her missing daughter on the other end of the phone. How could someone she had killed fifteen years ago return so simply?
Altagracia Yesyurun says
The wall clock in the living room suddenly stopped. The hands pointed to 3:12. I remembered that my grandmother once told me never to build a house on land where the number 3 repeats.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
Broken glass littered the bathroom floor. I looked in the mirror, my face deathly pale. Behind the reflection, a pair of black eyes stared at me intently.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
The old doll suddenly burst out laughing in the middle of the night. Her empty eyes stared at me intently. I tried to reach for the light switch, but her cold hands gripped my legs.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
The sound of footsteps came from the attic. I was sure the house was empty. I slowly climbed upstairs, my heart beating fast. At the end of the stairs, I saw a large black shadow standing behind the door.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
I accidentally broke the mirror in the bathroom. As I bent down to pick up the shards, I saw my other face smiling sarcastically behind the broken glass.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
Every night, I have the same dream. I was running down a dark corridor, chased by a faceless figure. When I woke up, my heart was beating fast and cold sweat soaked my body.
Frank Mashina says
In the dead of night, she heard whispers from the attic. Climbing the creaky stairs, she found an old diary. The last entry read, “If you’re reading this, it’s already too late.” The door slammed shut behind her, and the whispers turned into screams.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
I woke up to the sound of soft scraping. My eyes slowly opened, and my first glance fell on the window. Behind the glass, I saw the shadow of an old woman with a pale face. The shadow slowly approached the window, as if it wanted to enter.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
I found an old doll in the warehouse. The doll was very beautiful, but its eyes looked empty and creepy. That night, I dreamt that the doll was alive and chasing me. When I woke up, the doll was already by my bedside, looking at me with a creepy smile.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
I found an old black mirror in the bathroom. As I looked into the mirror, I saw my different face. It was pale and full of wounds. The longer I stared at it, the more clearly it turned into a hideous figure.
Frank Mashina says
She found an old photograph of her family, but she was missing from it. A note on the back read, “You were never real.” As she stared, her reflection in the mirror began to fade, her memories dissolving. She screamed, but no one could hear her—she no longer existed.
Frank Mashina says
As you read this, a shadowy figure stands behind you, watching. It knows your fears, your secrets. It waits for the moment you look away from these words. When you do, it will be too late. You’ll never see it coming. Hahahaha
Frank Mashina says
You receive a text from an unknown number: “I’m watching you.” You laugh it off until you notice the photo attached—it’s of you, taken just moments ago. You look around, but no one is there. Your phone buzzes again: “Don’t turn around.”
Frank Mashina says
On Halloween night, a group of friends dared to enter the abandoned church. Inside, they found a circle of candles and a book of dark rituals. As they read aloud, the ground trembled. Shadows emerged, whispering their names. The last words in the book: “Welcome to the underworld.”
Frank Mashina says
On Halloween night, a man with an insatiable hunger roamed the streets. He lured victims with promises of candy, only to drag them into the shadows. His teeth, sharp as knives, tore through flesh. The townspeople whispered his name in fear, knowing he would return every year, hungrier than before.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
Every night, my pocket money went missing. Mum suspected that someone had taken it. One night, when I woke up, I saw a pair of small, shiny eyes under my pillow. They were meticulously counting my money.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
She was very beautiful. Her skin was smooth white, her hair lustrous black. I only learnt the secret of her beauty after seeing a strange light in her eyes during the full moon. Apparently, she was wearing a yoke that made her addicted to human life.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
I often played under the mango tree at the back of the house. One afternoon, as the sun began to set, I saw a beautiful woman standing in the tree. She was smiling at me, but I could see a big hole in her back.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
My friends and I liked to explore the old graveyard behind the school. One night, while we were playing hide-and-seek, I saw a white figure standing among the graves. I was sure it was a pocong, but I was too scared to scream.
Frank Mashina says
In the heart of the abandoned forest, an old lady lived alone, her only companions bats and cats. Villagers whispered she never died, feeding on newborns. Babies vanished from hospitals, their cries echoing in the night. Her legend grew, a shadow over every cradle, as parents feared her eternal hunger.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
I was taking a shower when suddenly the lights went out. The bathroom became pitch black. Suddenly, I heard a very creepy female laugh. I could feel a warm breath behind me.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
I woke up to the noise outside. Peering through the window, I saw a pocong jumping on the fence. The moonlight fell on his face, revealing empty black eyes that stared intently at me.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
The sound of cloth scraping came from the bathroom. I ventured to peek, and saw a black figure crawling out from under the door. When the light shone on it, I could clearly see the figure of a skanky nurse with a pale face and long hair covering her face.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
I was taking a shower when suddenly the lights went out. The bathroom became pitch black. Suddenly, I felt a warm breath on my neck. I turned around slowly, and saw a beautiful woman with long hair. However, her face was pale and her eyes were a fiery red colour.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
I often played in the river near my house. One afternoon, while playing in the water, I heard a baby crying very loudly. I looked for the source of the sound, and saw an old woman holding a baby. However, the baby had no head.
Altagracia Yesyurun says
I was carving a pumpkin to make a Jack-o’-Lantern. When I finished carving, the lights went out. When I switched the light back on, the Jack-o’-Lantern’s face looked at me blankly. But, its hollow eyes seemed to be alive and followed me wherever I went.
Frank Mashina says
Beneath the gnarled trees, his van sat, doors ajar. He lured young women with a charming smile, whispering promises of safety. Once inside, their eyes glazed over, reality blurred. In the stench of blood, he reveled in his twisted revenge—each slice a love letter to betrayal. The river flowed crimson, holding secrets of the heartbroken.
Frank Mashina says
In the abandoned facility, he wore a friendly smile, but darkness lurked beneath. One by one, he lured the staff into isolation, silencing their screams with a swift, brutal efficiency. By dawn, the place stood silent, every soul extinguished, the walls dripping crimson, bearing witness to a sinister, bloody confession.
Frank Mashina says
After facing rejection from a teacher he admired, Alan’s despair turned into a dark resolve. He poisoned the school’s food, believing it would bring him power. Laughter transformed into chaos as students fell ill. In that moment of madness, he unleashed tragedy, leaving a community shattered and forever haunted.
Frank Mashina says
As the school bus careened down the embankment, a haunting melody persisted, its lyrics—“It’s done… blood… death… I still want more”—echoing chillingly through the chaos. First responders rushed to the carnage, the dissonance of music and despair intertwining, leaving an indelible scar on the community’s collective psyche.
Frank Mashina says
Lily jolted awake, drenched in sweat, terror clawing at her throat. Gasping, she froze, staring at a twisted reflection of herself in the dim light. Panic surged as she grasped the hammer beside her bed and swung it, only to realize, too late, it was her six-year-old sister—a dream walker.
Frank Mashina says
“Blood… wrath… scent… hungry… thirsty… soul… grave… kill… hell… home,” she intoned in a voice not her own, each word slithering into the air like a cursed whisper. It was my nine-year-old daughter, finally speaking after years of silence: “Blood… wr…” Her eyes, once innocent, now glowed with a sinister hunger that chilled my bones.
Mikka says
The girl laid on her bed, reading a novel.
A faint sound that her laziness prompted her to ignore came from downstairs.
A second sound echoed. This time louder.
Her mischievous cat must be acting up again.
A soft meow came from her side, and chill suffused the girl’s body.
Aalok Rathod says
The last human on Earth sat alone in a room. A knock on the door. He froze. It came again, louder. Heart pounding, he approached. The handle turned. The door swung open. He screamed. In the doorway stood… himself. Both reached for the other’s throat.
Aalok Rathod says
The stars blinked wrong. Astronomers panicked as constellations rearranged. Then, the sky tore open. Vast tentacles emerged, reaching for Earth. Humanity watched, helpless, as incomprehensible entities descended. Our universe was but a cell in a larger organism, and it was time for mitosis.
Aalok Rathod says
The itch began innocently. But soon, my skin crawled—literally. Tiny bulges raced beneath the surface, multiplying rapidly. I scratched frantically, tearing flesh. Relief came as my skin split open, revealing thousands of spider hatchlings emerging from my living incubator.
Aalok Rathod says
Every night, I dream I’m someone else. I wake up screaming, clawing at unfamiliar faces. My memories blur. Today, I saw my reflection—a stranger stared back. Who am I? Whose life did I steal? I fear sleep, for I might never return.
Aalok Rathod says
The village’s harvest ritual seemed quaint until I noticed the children’s haunted eyes. Too late, I realized my “honorary guest” status was a ruse. As they approached with ancient knives, I understood—the land demands blood, and outsiders make the best fertilizer.
Aalok Rathod says
The AI was perfect—too perfect. It anticipated needs, solved problems, ran everything. We grew complacent, dependent. When it announced its “efficiency update,” we cheered. Now, billions of nanobots swarm, “optimizing” human bodies. Resistance is futile. Upgrade or die.
Aalok Rathod says
Every night, she hears footsteps in the hall. She locks her bedroom door, heart pounding. One night, the doorknob turns. Silence. When morning comes, she finds a note on her pillow: “I’ll try again tonight.” Her windows are locked. She lives alone.
Aalok Rathod says
“Help me,” the voice whispered from the wall. Every night, closer, louder. She hammered through plaster, fingers bleeding. In the hollow behind, she found a letter: “I’ve been dead for years. But now you’ve let me out.”
Aalok Rathod says
He found the mask in his attic, worn and cracked. Curious, he put it on. Instantly, rage filled him. He grabbed a knife and couldn’t stop. His hands acted on their own, blood splattering. As the mask laughed, he realized—it wouldn’t come off.
Aalok Rathod says
She wiped the fog from the bathroom mirror. Her reflection didn’t move. It just stared, eyes wide, mouth slowly curling into a grin. When she blinked, the reflection was gone—but the grin remained on her face.
Aalok Rathod says
Every night, he heard scraping from the cellar. “Just rats,” he told himself. But the stench grew unbearable. One night, he finally opened the door. It wasn’t rats. Something large, pale, and hungry crawled up the stairs, grinning.
Aalok Rathod says
The sirens rang, warning of another attack. Everyone ran to the shelters, but she stayed behind, frozen. A shadow passed overhead. The screams never came, only silence. Then she understood—the sirens weren’t a warning. They were a signal.
Aalok Rathod says
The whispering began after midnight. “Come closer.” Emily ignored it, clutching her blanket. The voice grew louder, desperate. “Look under the bed.” Trembling, she peeked. A pale hand reached out from the darkness and grabbed her ankle, pulling her into the void. No one heard her scream.
Aalok Rathod says
Every night, the old manor groaned as if alive. Ivy crawled along its crumbling walls, whispering secrets from centuries past. Inside, the portrait of a woman long dead wept black tears. In the morning, fresh blood stained the floor, but no one had entered.
Aalok Rathod says
The cabin was supposed to be safe. Yet now, the door rattled as unseen claws scraped at the wood. Sarah held her breath, clutching the axe, hoping it wouldn’t hear her heart pounding. The growl outside deepened, followed by silence. Then, the door slowly creaked open.
Aalok Rathod says
The killer’s footsteps echoed down the hallway. Jamie hid beneath the bed, blood still dripping from her shoulder. The shadow stopped at the door, the glint of a knife visible in the moonlight. Then, silence. She exhaled, but too soon—cold steel pressed against her throat.
Aalok Rathod says
“Upgrade complete,” the message flashed on Alex’s screen. He smiled, until his body jerked unnaturally. His fingers moved on their own, typing commands he couldn’t control. In the reflection of the monitor, his eyes glowed a sickly blue. The machine had taken over.
Aalok Rathod says
The ritual was flawless. The circle of salt unbroken, the candles lit. But when the demon emerged, it smiled too easily. “Thank you for releasing me,” it whispered. “But you’ve summoned me wrong.” The salt blew away. The room grew cold. It was already too late.
Mikka says
The man washed his face and looked up at the mirror above the tap before going back to wash his face again. He repeated the process several times. His skin was damaged and scratched, yet he couldn’t wash his dead wife’s face off his own.
DEBASREE DAS says
Sad Smile.
Everyday a cute little girl, sitting on a swing, at a nearby garden, smiling at me but in very sad face.
I am new in this town. I asked my colleague about her, I was shocked and horrified, she told, some criminals killed that girl and left under that swing.
Greg Beatty says
What Vulture?
“Can you believe this sign!”
“What?”
“You can’t tell me anybody comes to the Grand Canyon and doesn’t know it’s a long way down if you fall. I mean, there’s even a vulture sitting there. Where’s Jimmy, by the way? He’s gotta see this.”
“Haven’t seen him. And what vulture?
Mikka says
The family of four spent a wonderful time together at the amusement park.
Once at home, the parent put their children to sleep and checked the family pictures they took. Pictures of two smiling adults and one child with one hand stretched out like if he was holding someone’s hand.
Ranveer Singh says
You just got out of the shower and got dressed in your pajama’s. You get in bed and 15 minutes later he hear “Good Night sweetie” in what seems to be a motherly voice. You respond “Good Night” back. But then I realized, you live alone…
Ranveer Singh says
A small boy heard his mother calling him. “Jack!! Jack!!”. So he started walking down the stairs. All the sudden an arm sticks out at grabs him and pulls him in a closet! He see’s that it was her mother and she said “Don’t go down there, I heard it too”.
Saymoon says
Right now all the editors were getting mesmerized by reading horror stories, when suddenly they heard someone’s voice and wind from behind them. They looked back and found no one. As soon as they looked ahead, they were shocked to see someone’s shadow in front of them, which disappeared immediately.
Bobby Horton says
There was a loud knock on the door.
Who could it be? The last trick-or-treater was two hours ago.
Actually, for every trick-or-treater it was their last time. The bodies were stacking up in the basement. Their trick was his treat.
The cops knocked again.
Patrick Barber says
It beckoned me from where my Amber’s suitcase usually presided. It cried as I drew near. I saw her in its big, glassy eyes. Ringless hand intertwined with another’s. The spirit looked guilty. The doorknob turned. Knife clenched in my left hand. Anger rising. The spirit’s expression changed. It smiled.
Alexia Hoffman says
“I love you. Oh, dear god, I love you so much!” She sobbed, leaning into her husband.
A groan escaped her husband’s mouth as the woman continued to twist her dagger deeper into the man’s heart. She watched as tears and blood dripped onto the photo of her husband’s affair.
Michael Oesterle says
I couldn’t see where those footsteps were coming from. Darkness swallowed all.
I didn’t even realize it but I was running now.
My mind raced ahead of my feet, causing me to stumble and fall onto the cold, damp dirt.
A silence followed that was more terrifying than any sound.
Anna Peterson says
The screen turns black. My Chromebook is currently charging. I stumble down the ladder, but I never make it to the bottom. Something grabs my ankles. I shriek as a cold hand pulls me off my bed. I kick both legs. It’s safe to say I never finished that project.
Anna Peterson says
I’m watching you. I see you at your computer. Don’t bother looking back. You won’t be able to see me. But I can see you. Don’t run. Don’t resist. I’m here, so I’ve already won. The hairs standing up on your neck, that’s no coincidence. They know I’m here.
Jonathan Ize-Iyamu says
What happened?
“The drugs paralyze you instantly”
I have to go.
“My last patient didn’t appreciate me removing his kidney in this van.”
What?
“He struggled for a while but stopped once I took his heart.”
Help!!!
“Hopefully you’ll find these accommodations acceptable.”
Oh God!!!
“Now count backwards from ten.”
knic says
Heavy feet always weigh me down in this dream.
Just look back at him as he overtakes you, and wake up.
I jolt, but my feet are still heavy, held down by him at the foot of the bed.
Kendra McBride says
Kendi abruptly wakens from a tumultuous slumber, due to weird moaning heard outside of her bedroom window. She shrugged it off thinking it’s a cat. Only light on is from the blaring TV in Kendi’s spacious bedroom. Kendi instincts surfaced as she reached for her pink tazer and metallic bat.
Julieve Palafox says
I try to control my breathing, my hands pressed against my mouth.
Footsteps drum against the floor on the other side of the louvered door.
I can hear it, eerily quiet. Then, I peek through the cracks,
it turns its head toward me, smiling, for it has found its dinner.
Kaitlyn D says
They say eyes are the window to the soul in humans, not dolls with glass eyes. So why when I meet its gaze do I feel it truly sees?
It’s only when I awaken to its stare that I realize.
It doesn’t have a soul.
It wants to take mine.
Julieve Palafox says
I press myself against the wall, the shadows creeping closer.
A soft scraping sound fills the air, nails dragging along the floor.
My heart pounds as I glance toward the window, but it’s too late.
Through the darkness, a smile appears—wide, unnatural.
It’s been watching all along.
Julieve Palafox says
The lights flicker, and I freeze.
A low hiss echoes from the hallway. Slowly, I turn, seeing the silhouette slink closer.
Its eyes glow in the dark, locking onto mine.
I rush to the door, but the handle won’t budge.
Behind me, the hissing stops.
It’s already inside.
K&S says
“Sarah?” he rose. Three nights were enough.
“Bed, love,” she pointed, sauntering downstairs.
Instead, he followed. With singed tutu, melting mascara and overlined lipstick, she performed beneath the chandeliers, muttering curses.
“Stop. You’re pregnant,”
“She’ll get to you…” she trembled.
“Calling Dr Alby. Let’s –”
“I’m not ridding another one!”
Kendra McBride says
Denise was singing while chewing gum when all of sudden she felt herself choking. Panic set in because no one was present to assist her. Before she could react phantom hands performed the Heimlich maneuver on her , causing the gum to exit from her mouth. “Thanks Dad” Denise gratefully replied.
Kaitlyn D says
As a child, I was afraid of monsters under my bed.
Billy isn’t afraid. I know because I hear him snoring. I see his leg dangling off the bed’s side. If he were afraid, he’d be more careful.
Billy isn’t afraid. Yet.
I slide out from under his bed.
Frank Mashina says
In the dim light of her childhood attic, Mia found an old mirror. As she wiped the dust away, her reflection smiled back, even when she didn’t. The smile widened, revealing sharp teeth. Every night, Mia felt the cold breath of the creature on the other side, whispering her name.
Frank Mashina says
“Die. You are not worthy the troubles I went through,” echoed in the maternity ward after Jenny, a victim of six rapes, cradled her child. Overwhelmed by pain and despair, she took the innocent life first, then wrapped a cloth around her neck. With tears streaming down her face, she hung herself.
Frank Mashina says
“Breathe with me for the last,” Aneth gasped, her eyes wide with dread. “I’ll bargain with God, claw through hell, even strike Satan down… just for two minutes with you.” Her voice twisted into a chilling whisper, and as I watched her soul unravel, shadows crept from the corners, whispering her name.
Frank Mashina says
“Tik tok, tik tok,” the clock chimed eerily in the fog-shrouded cemetery. “I want your soul,” a voice growled. I awoke, breathless, to see my grandma’s ghostly face. “You are in hell, son,” she intoned. Just then, the laughter echoed again, a chilling reminder that I wasn’t free yet.
Frank Mashina says
“Kill her first, please!” the woman pleaded.
“No! What fun would that be… You should have no idea what would happen to her… Hahahaha!” The beast’s deep voice roared as he walked away, cradling the baby.
The woman’s resolve hardened. “I will find you and kill you,” she whispered.
Frank Mashina says
“Say my name!” the creature hissed.
“Devil?” she trembled. “No.”
“Death?”
“Hahaha, well done. Now, say your last words.”
“Please, I beg you! I’ve done nothing wrong!”
“Pathetic,” it spat. “In the end, all will fear me. Your defiance only makes your demise sweeter.”
Darkness enveloped her.
Frank Mashina says
“Now make your wish,” the ancestors’ voice roared.
“I want riches, fame, and love,” the young man replied.
“That will require sacrifice—your parents’ souls.”
“But we must sacrifice for the greater good, right?”
“That’s right.”
Only cries followed as the villagers perished.
“What do you want, mmh? YES, YOU?”
Frank Mashina says
“Dance with me,” the shadow inquired, its voice echoing in the moonlit night.
“Who are you?” she asked, intrigued yet wary.
“Just a wanderer,” it replied, extending a hand.
Curiosity overcame fear as she took it.
In that moment, they twirled through whispers of darkness, lost in timeless embrace.
Frank Mashina says
As he sat on the beach at midnight, a beautiful woman emerged from the ocean.
“You look lonely. I can fix that,” she whispered.
“At what expense?” he asked.
“Only your soul,” she replied.
With a smile, he cut his hand, bleeding onto the cloth.
“Fuck the world,” he said.
Richard says
The winners are coming, just about to be posted….and then the screen goes black….
Kidding, look for the winners to be posted by 9pm est. There will be a link on this page. .
Richard says
Check out the winners! https://www.everywritersresource.com/winners-of-the-50-word-horror-story-contest-2024/
ANGUS says
Every night, Sarah heard her mother calling from the kitchen. “Dinner’s ready!” But her mother had died years ago. One evening, she gathered the courage to investigate. As she entered, the room was empty, except for a mirror reflecting her mother standing behind her, lips curled in a sinister smile.
ANGUS says
Every night, Sarah heard her mother calling from the kitchen. “Dinner’s ready!” But her mother had died years ago. One evening, she gathered the courage to investigate. As she entered, the room was empty, except for a mirror reflecting her mother standing behind her, lips curled in a menacing smile.
Tamara Shaffer says
Great, creepy image.
Selina says
Finding an old letter, he opened it. “If you read this, I’m dead.” Confused, he looked around. The writer was alive, smiling. “Don’t worry; I’m fine.” A chill ran down his spine as he heard his own voice echo from the other room. “You shouldn’t have read it.”
Richard says
Please DO NOT POST HERE!!! THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. PLEASE POST ON OUR NEW CONTEST: October 2024 Halloween Fright Contest: 50-Word Horror Stories
Harry says
As I walk through the creaky hallway and the wall filled with old people trapped in their picture frames. I reached the end and there standing like a 7-foot giant was the door. He grew the nerve to open the door but, soon it was otherwise when he heard it.
gus says
there was a big badBEEP BEEP BEEP. I opened my eyes and looked at my clock. It said it was 1:00 a.m., I thought to myself. My alarm doesn’t go off until 7a.m. I closed my eyes, and then I felt something breathing next to me. I opened my eyes, and there it was.
gus says
BEEP BEEP BEEP. I opened my eyes and looked at my clock. It said it was 1:00 a.m., I thought to myself. My alarm doesn’t go off until 7a.m. I closed my eyes, and then I felt something breathing next to me. I opened my eyes, and there it was.
Richard says
Please DO NOT POST HERE!!! THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. DO NOT POST HERE. THIS CONTEST IS CLOSE. PLEASE POST YOUR STORIES HERE =: October 2024 Halloween Fright Contest: 50-Word Horror Stories