You voted and the results are finally in! It was a really tight race this year.
Prizes
All participants will receive a Spooky Short Story Contest Participation Medal
Our 3rd place prize
@Elegance
It was a dark and stormy night, and Marie had just finished her cremé de la cremé a la Edgar. She was about to curl up with her brothers, Toulouse and Berlioz, when she heard the piano playing faintly.
“Mama…?” Marie asked quietly. She carefully trotted down the hallway towards the music. She listened intently. Everybody Wants to be a Cat was playing in a minor key. “Wh-who’s there?” said Marie, her voice shaking.
Trembling in fear, she entered the room. There was nobody at the piano. She ran back to Madame Adelaide’s chamber. Terrified, she snuggled up with her family and slept.
It was a bright and sunny day at the Bonfamille Mansion. Marie and Toulouse were just getting back from visiting Frou Frou in the stable. “I’m telling you the truth!” Marie explained, “There was nobody playing the piano. Tonight, I’ll prove it to you.”
“You’re just being a scaredy-cat,” said Toulouse, “I bet it was just the wind.”
Later that night, Marie led Toulouse quietly down the hall. Just as she predicted, the piano was playing it’s haunting melody.
“Come on,” whispered Marie, “after all it’s just the wind, right?”
Toulouse gulped and followed her into the room. Sure enough, there was not a soul in sight, but the music still rang from the piano. He glanced over to Marie, She looks so smug, thought Toulouse. Determined, he crouched down and snuck forward.
“What are you doing?!?” Marie exclaimed in a harsh whisper.
“I’m going to check it out for myself,” said her brother bravely, “After all, Mr. O’Malley has been helping me with my pounce.”
The thunder clapped as Marie watched Toulouse in horror as he pounced onto the grand piano.
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!”
She scampered under the piano bench in fright.
“It’s okay sis,” laughed Toulouse, “It’s just Roquefort!”
“Berlioz has been teaching me how to play the piano,” explained the mouse, “I keep forgetting that the song is in A major, not A minor. I’m sorry to have scared you!”
Marie laughed. How silly of me, she thought, I guess I was just being a scaredy-cat! As she and Toulouse turned to leave, they heard the piano again. “That’s enough Roquefort. It’s time for bed!” said Marie just as Roquefort darted into his hole in the wall. Toulouse bolted down the hall and Marie followed suit.
“GHOST!” screamed Toulouse as he ran to Duchess. Soon after, Berlioz walked in, laughing so hard tears came out of his eyes. “Happy Halloween!”
“Mama…?” Marie asked quietly. She carefully trotted down the hallway towards the music. She listened intently. Everybody Wants to be a Cat was playing in a minor key. “Wh-who’s there?” said Marie, her voice shaking.
Trembling in fear, she entered the room. There was nobody at the piano. She ran back to Madame Adelaide’s chamber. Terrified, she snuggled up with her family and slept.
It was a bright and sunny day at the Bonfamille Mansion. Marie and Toulouse were just getting back from visiting Frou Frou in the stable. “I’m telling you the truth!” Marie explained, “There was nobody playing the piano. Tonight, I’ll prove it to you.”
“You’re just being a scaredy-cat,” said Toulouse, “I bet it was just the wind.”
Later that night, Marie led Toulouse quietly down the hall. Just as she predicted, the piano was playing it’s haunting melody.
“Come on,” whispered Marie, “after all it’s just the wind, right?”
Toulouse gulped and followed her into the room. Sure enough, there was not a soul in sight, but the music still rang from the piano. He glanced over to Marie, She looks so smug, thought Toulouse. Determined, he crouched down and snuck forward.
“What are you doing?!?” Marie exclaimed in a harsh whisper.
“I’m going to check it out for myself,” said her brother bravely, “After all, Mr. O’Malley has been helping me with my pounce.”
The thunder clapped as Marie watched Toulouse in horror as he pounced onto the grand piano.
“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!”
She scampered under the piano bench in fright.
“It’s okay sis,” laughed Toulouse, “It’s just Roquefort!”
“Berlioz has been teaching me how to play the piano,” explained the mouse, “I keep forgetting that the song is in A major, not A minor. I’m sorry to have scared you!”
Marie laughed. How silly of me, she thought, I guess I was just being a scaredy-cat! As she and Toulouse turned to leave, they heard the piano again. “That’s enough Roquefort. It’s time for bed!” said Marie just as Roquefort darted into his hole in the wall. Toulouse bolted down the hall and Marie followed suit.
“GHOST!” screamed Toulouse as he ran to Duchess. Soon after, Berlioz walked in, laughing so hard tears came out of his eyes. “Happy Halloween!”
@Peasy
It was a dark and stormy night, and the color was slowly fading from Alice’s flesh. She could feel it slipping away, and knew that it meant the deep and everlasting darkness was upon her. She felt paralyzed and unable to fight for breath. She was slowly sinking deeper into the water and tried to remember her last steps on land.
Had she been in a boating accident? Had she slipped and hit her head? Had someone poisoned her?
Think Alice, think!
She knew who she was and could remember the most specific, yet insignificant, things from her childhood. Like when she was 18 months old and her mother sat her up on top of the car in a Safeway parking lot. She had said “Little Lu Lu” over and over again, in order to pronounce her L’s properly. So, why couldn’t she remember any of the moments leading up to this dark spiral towards Davy Jones’ Locker?
Suddenly, she felt something large appear underneath her. It was rising up, pushing her towards the surface of the water. She slowly reached below her and ran her fingers along the rough and leathery skin. Liquid turned to air and she choked on water as she gasped for breath. She tried to figure out where she was but her eyesight was impaired. Everything was so blurry and dark.
Suddenly, a bright light flashed through the darkness and her rescuer was gone.
“Bag that one.”
Ned? Why on earth was Ned here?
‘Ned!’ is what Alice tried to scream but her voice was not there. She strained to try and make a sound but only air and the faintest hint of a moan passed through her lips.
She felt warm breath on the back of her neck and felt claws digging into her shoulder. Through the darkness, two giant red eyes were coming towards her. They had a look of pure evil. She tried to stand and run but her legs felt like tubes of heavy jelly. They weren’t sturdy enough to stand on and felt like cruel anchors. She began to claw at the dirt to try and pull herself away to safety.
“Al….”
“Alice…”
The redness swirled and spun away from her vision.
“Alice!” Her mother screamed.
Alice opened her eyes and stared at the blurry computer screen. She couldn’t quite make it out yet, but she knew what was on the screen. She must have fallen asleep playing Jungle Cruise.
“Oh my gosh Alice, you ate all of that?!?”
Alice looked down at her desk, covered in empty candy wrappers.
“Young lady, you know better than to eat that much Halloween candy at once. I am taking the rest of it and throwing it in the garbage!”
That was one heck of a sugar crash, thought Alice.
In her world, candy would be vegetables and vegetables would be candy.
Had she been in a boating accident? Had she slipped and hit her head? Had someone poisoned her?
Think Alice, think!
She knew who she was and could remember the most specific, yet insignificant, things from her childhood. Like when she was 18 months old and her mother sat her up on top of the car in a Safeway parking lot. She had said “Little Lu Lu” over and over again, in order to pronounce her L’s properly. So, why couldn’t she remember any of the moments leading up to this dark spiral towards Davy Jones’ Locker?
Suddenly, she felt something large appear underneath her. It was rising up, pushing her towards the surface of the water. She slowly reached below her and ran her fingers along the rough and leathery skin. Liquid turned to air and she choked on water as she gasped for breath. She tried to figure out where she was but her eyesight was impaired. Everything was so blurry and dark.
Suddenly, a bright light flashed through the darkness and her rescuer was gone.
“Bag that one.”
Ned? Why on earth was Ned here?
‘Ned!’ is what Alice tried to scream but her voice was not there. She strained to try and make a sound but only air and the faintest hint of a moan passed through her lips.
She felt warm breath on the back of her neck and felt claws digging into her shoulder. Through the darkness, two giant red eyes were coming towards her. They had a look of pure evil. She tried to stand and run but her legs felt like tubes of heavy jelly. They weren’t sturdy enough to stand on and felt like cruel anchors. She began to claw at the dirt to try and pull herself away to safety.
“Al….”
“Alice…”
The redness swirled and spun away from her vision.
“Alice!” Her mother screamed.
Alice opened her eyes and stared at the blurry computer screen. She couldn’t quite make it out yet, but she knew what was on the screen. She must have fallen asleep playing Jungle Cruise.
“Oh my gosh Alice, you ate all of that?!?”
Alice looked down at her desk, covered in empty candy wrappers.
“Young lady, you know better than to eat that much Halloween candy at once. I am taking the rest of it and throwing it in the garbage!”
That was one heck of a sugar crash, thought Alice.
In her world, candy would be vegetables and vegetables would be candy.
@Spuddley
It was a dark and stormy night, the creek by the only gas station in town was bubbling and turning a pale green. The street lamps that sparsely lined the broken down roads were flickering incessantly and the wind began to viciously sway the trees around the clearing in the woods. Through the dense fog, appeared a hooded cloak, covered in slime and muck. As the figure stumbled across the rocks that scattered along the creek, the merciless wind began to beat on its back and the sky roared in anger.
A few feet down the road a young woman with striking white hair stood reading a magazine behind the cash register of a small convenient store. There were hardly ever any visitors except for the occasional lost traveler or nosy sheriff. As she flipped through the pages lined with gossip and relationship advice, she glanced at the lightning which seemed to come from the woods near the store. She proceeded to adjust cans of mystery meat and expired Coca Cola bottles in one of the aisles with a sigh.
The lights flickered and went out with a sudden pop as the hooded figure emerged from the woods and glided with inhumanly ease down the street. The trees swayed so violently that the leaves began to fall and swirl around the cloaked silhouette. The power lines that connected each street lamp snapped with a sizzle and erupted into a flame. All the light disappeared from the street except for the bright glow coming from the tiny store in the distance.
The phone rang, filling the space and drowning out the silence with an irritating ring. “Hello, thanks for calling Oaken’s Trading Post this is Elsa speaking.” Her fingers ran through her hair in desperation and she seemed tired, restless, and pale.
“Oh, hey, Kristoff.
No, I haven’t seen Anna all day.
Yeah, of course.
Bye.”
As Elsa paced toward the back of the store, the lights flickered and diminished. In pitch blackness, she heard the door open. However, when she whirled behind her to greet the customer, she was unable to see a shadow in the darkness.
“Who’s there?” she screamed.
Holding her hands up, hesitantly, she inches toward the door. In an instant, a flash of lightning illuminates the storeroom and she is able to catch a glimpse of two horns and a woman with the palest skin she has ever seen. With lips as red as crimson and cheek bones as sharp as a blade, she turns to Elsa, her emerald eyes scorching.
“Who are you?” Elsa yells, preparing to blast a jet of ice at her chest.
“My name is Maleficent. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of me.”
“What do you want?” Elsa replies, her voice shaking.
Glowing green in the darkness, Maleficent replies “If you want to see your beloved sister again, you will have to come with me.” She smiles malevolently, her grin shining through the dark.
“Oh, and Happy Halloween.”
A few feet down the road a young woman with striking white hair stood reading a magazine behind the cash register of a small convenient store. There were hardly ever any visitors except for the occasional lost traveler or nosy sheriff. As she flipped through the pages lined with gossip and relationship advice, she glanced at the lightning which seemed to come from the woods near the store. She proceeded to adjust cans of mystery meat and expired Coca Cola bottles in one of the aisles with a sigh.
The lights flickered and went out with a sudden pop as the hooded figure emerged from the woods and glided with inhumanly ease down the street. The trees swayed so violently that the leaves began to fall and swirl around the cloaked silhouette. The power lines that connected each street lamp snapped with a sizzle and erupted into a flame. All the light disappeared from the street except for the bright glow coming from the tiny store in the distance.
The phone rang, filling the space and drowning out the silence with an irritating ring. “Hello, thanks for calling Oaken’s Trading Post this is Elsa speaking.” Her fingers ran through her hair in desperation and she seemed tired, restless, and pale.
“Oh, hey, Kristoff.
No, I haven’t seen Anna all day.
Yeah, of course.
Bye.”
As Elsa paced toward the back of the store, the lights flickered and diminished. In pitch blackness, she heard the door open. However, when she whirled behind her to greet the customer, she was unable to see a shadow in the darkness.
“Who’s there?” she screamed.
Holding her hands up, hesitantly, she inches toward the door. In an instant, a flash of lightning illuminates the storeroom and she is able to catch a glimpse of two horns and a woman with the palest skin she has ever seen. With lips as red as crimson and cheek bones as sharp as a blade, she turns to Elsa, her emerald eyes scorching.
“Who are you?” Elsa yells, preparing to blast a jet of ice at her chest.
“My name is Maleficent. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of me.”
“What do you want?” Elsa replies, her voice shaking.
Glowing green in the darkness, Maleficent replies “If you want to see your beloved sister again, you will have to come with me.” She smiles malevolently, her grin shining through the dark.
“Oh, and Happy Halloween.”
Our 2nd place prize
@Cowboy_Pirate
It was a dark and stormy night as James and his girlfriend Marie was getting ready to go to their friends Halloween party in a couple hours, when suddenly there was a knock at their door. However, when James answered there was no one there.
"Probably just some prankster" thought James. Then his heart sank as he hears Marie scream from upstairs. He takes off as fast as he could back up to their bedroom, but the door was shut and locked. He slammed the door as hard as he could but it wouldn't open. Marie was still screaming inside.
Then suddenly, she stopped and the door opened. But when James ran inside, she was gone. The windows were not open and were still locked from the inside. James called the cops but they cannot even find any evidence that Marie was in the room at the time.
"How could she just disappear? How did someone get inside? Was the doorbell an allusion to get us apart?" James thought to himself. He searched the room, yet it was different. Her clothes were missing from the closet and her make up wasn't scattered across the bathroom like it had been just moments before.
"Did he take her stuff with him? Why would he take her stuff with him?" It made no sense to James. He needed to find out.But where to start? He went to the backyard to see if the kidnapper had left anything to lead to who he was or why, when James hears another scream.
"Could it be? That's Marie's scream!" James thought as he ran back towards the house into the basement where he heard the scream. "Marie?" He shouted looking for his girlfriend, but he didn't get any answer. But wait what was this? There's a door? His basement never had a door?
He opened the door and suddenly he was in another place. He wasn't in his house anymore, he was in an old western town. Yet, somehow, the town seemed familiar. He didn't know how but he just felt like he'd been here before. He was being drawn upstairs into a small bedroom. He opened the door and there she was, his Marie! He wasn't himself though. He couldn't control himself. He walked up to Marie, who was laying on the bed. He turned her over, but what he saw wasn't the Marie he expected. She had been stabbed with blood everywhere, her stomach had been cut open and was hanging out of her lifeless corpse. James dropped down to his knees in tears. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in his bedroom.
Suddenly his phone rang. The cop had called and told him the only Marie he could find matching his description was murdered on the same spot his house now sits back during the gold rush. Shocked James hung up the phone. What was going on? Was Marie real or was he remembering someone he once loved long ago?
"Probably just some prankster" thought James. Then his heart sank as he hears Marie scream from upstairs. He takes off as fast as he could back up to their bedroom, but the door was shut and locked. He slammed the door as hard as he could but it wouldn't open. Marie was still screaming inside.
Then suddenly, she stopped and the door opened. But when James ran inside, she was gone. The windows were not open and were still locked from the inside. James called the cops but they cannot even find any evidence that Marie was in the room at the time.
"How could she just disappear? How did someone get inside? Was the doorbell an allusion to get us apart?" James thought to himself. He searched the room, yet it was different. Her clothes were missing from the closet and her make up wasn't scattered across the bathroom like it had been just moments before.
"Did he take her stuff with him? Why would he take her stuff with him?" It made no sense to James. He needed to find out.But where to start? He went to the backyard to see if the kidnapper had left anything to lead to who he was or why, when James hears another scream.
"Could it be? That's Marie's scream!" James thought as he ran back towards the house into the basement where he heard the scream. "Marie?" He shouted looking for his girlfriend, but he didn't get any answer. But wait what was this? There's a door? His basement never had a door?
He opened the door and suddenly he was in another place. He wasn't in his house anymore, he was in an old western town. Yet, somehow, the town seemed familiar. He didn't know how but he just felt like he'd been here before. He was being drawn upstairs into a small bedroom. He opened the door and there she was, his Marie! He wasn't himself though. He couldn't control himself. He walked up to Marie, who was laying on the bed. He turned her over, but what he saw wasn't the Marie he expected. She had been stabbed with blood everywhere, her stomach had been cut open and was hanging out of her lifeless corpse. James dropped down to his knees in tears. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in his bedroom.
Suddenly his phone rang. The cop had called and told him the only Marie he could find matching his description was murdered on the same spot his house now sits back during the gold rush. Shocked James hung up the phone. What was going on? Was Marie real or was he remembering someone he once loved long ago?
@dreaxtina
It was a dark and stormy night in Magic Kingdom WDW. Three cast members were locked inside the park; they thought it was a smart idea to hide within the Haunted Mansion ride to avoid the thundering clouds. They had just finished their shifts decorating for Mickey’s Not So Spooky Halloween. “We should call Felicia to come back for us” Angel said shaking from the cold. “My phone is dead, what about your guys’ phones?” She asked looking at Han Solo and Tweety. Han looked at his phone and shook his head “No signal.” Tweety looked at hers and took shook her head. “Mine is also dead” They had played some music a while ago and it had drained their batteries. A loud thunder clashed making all three cast members jump. “We-we should at least make it to the entrance” Angel nervously said trying to take advantage that the rain hasn’t started yet. All three walked out of the ride to find the gates have been closed. “I don’t remember closing the gates” Han commented with confusion in his voice. An eerie noise whistled behind the three cast members making them turn around in fright. “Guy this isn’t funny!” Tweety called into the air hoping another cast member was playing a prank of them. Angel rubbed her eyes unsure what she saw. “I think I just saw a ghost”
“Haha very funny” Han replied sarcastically only to see a ghost himself. Tweety pointed in horror to see the ghosts of Disney princesses dancing in front of them with their heads down. The three cast members huddled together. Belle, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Ariel surrounded the three swirling around and around and around. “Make it stop!” Tweety cried only to see the four Disney princesses lift their head making the three cast members scream. Cinderella with glass shards all over her face, Belle burned by Lumiere, Rapunzel black and blue from her hair strangling her and Ariel holding her tongue. Each one met a disastrous fate. Angel, Han and Tweety ran to the gate trying to pry it open but it was sealed shut keeping them in their nightmare. “Help!” They all screamed. A puff of magic arose from the ground only for Maleficent to stand in front of them with her most notorious evil grin. “Hello children” She hissed. “What is your wish? You only get one” She laughed. “We wish to escape this nightmare!” Maleficent laughed swirling her fingers in a circle. The three cast members watched as the four princesses approached them and the three of them shut their eyes. Moments later, they all woke up in the dark.
Felicia opened the gates to the HM ride the next morning. She noticed three new tombstones by the walkway. RIP ANGEL, RIP HAN SOLO, RIP TWEETY. She laughed at her cast member’s sense of humor. “I can’t wait to celebrate their pinch of creativity.” She left the three buried alive unable to hear their screams and continued on her way.
“Haha very funny” Han replied sarcastically only to see a ghost himself. Tweety pointed in horror to see the ghosts of Disney princesses dancing in front of them with their heads down. The three cast members huddled together. Belle, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Ariel surrounded the three swirling around and around and around. “Make it stop!” Tweety cried only to see the four Disney princesses lift their head making the three cast members scream. Cinderella with glass shards all over her face, Belle burned by Lumiere, Rapunzel black and blue from her hair strangling her and Ariel holding her tongue. Each one met a disastrous fate. Angel, Han and Tweety ran to the gate trying to pry it open but it was sealed shut keeping them in their nightmare. “Help!” They all screamed. A puff of magic arose from the ground only for Maleficent to stand in front of them with her most notorious evil grin. “Hello children” She hissed. “What is your wish? You only get one” She laughed. “We wish to escape this nightmare!” Maleficent laughed swirling her fingers in a circle. The three cast members watched as the four princesses approached them and the three of them shut their eyes. Moments later, they all woke up in the dark.
Felicia opened the gates to the HM ride the next morning. She noticed three new tombstones by the walkway. RIP ANGEL, RIP HAN SOLO, RIP TWEETY. She laughed at her cast member’s sense of humor. “I can’t wait to celebrate their pinch of creativity.” She left the three buried alive unable to hear their screams and continued on her way.
Our 1st place prize
@OswaldtheRabbit
It was a dark and stormy night... The wind was whipping against the man’s neck. He shivered and pulled his coat ever closer to his body. How long had he been standing here? Five, maybe ten, minutes? But that didn’t matter, it had felt like an eternity. Taking a deep breath, he finally started up the path to the mansion that lay in front of him. They say you must face your fears, and that is exactly what he was going to do. As he neared the door, the ornate gate through which he had come slowly closed itself. But he didn’t notice. In fact, if he had, he would have attributed it to the fact that it was so windy out.
“There’s no such thing as ghosts” he muttered, under his breath, unsure that he in fact believed what he said.
It didn’t matter, ghosts or no ghosts, something weird was happening in this mansion, and he was going to find out why. As he pushed his way through the front door, he entered into a grand foyer. He couldn’t be bothered to look at the pictures scattering the walls. In fact, he couldn’t be bothered to notice that the one was staring right at him. Moving from room to room, he was oblivious (or elected to ignore) all of the… strange things happening around him.
The clock with human fingers for hands…
The casket which every time you looked away from started to jiggle…
He, being a scholar (or so he called himself), would have attributed these things to the previous owner’s macabre sense of décor. He continued to work his way through this mansion. But, things only got weirder as he ascended each creaking flight of stairs. Finally, he hit the attic.
Taking another deep breath, he put his hand out to the doorknob. He couldn’t help but notice how warm it was, almost as if someone had just touched it. He let this thought pass, then with a heave, threw open the door. In the dim light, he could see a man looking out the window, the very same man who had been staring at him when he was outside.
“Excuse me…” he started to say as a brush of cold air blew through the room, turning the mysterious man around.
As he turned, light spread across his face, or what was left of it, and the man realized that this person was dead. His gaze went upwards, looking at the rope dangling down from the ceiling. The man gasped and took a step backwards, at the same time a bolt of lightning shot down from the stormy sky, striking the mansion. He turned, grabbing onto a rotten piece of banister, and fell off of the platform to his death, four stories below.
The wind whistled throughout the graveyard as the ghosts started to materialize. They were just trying to have a bit of fun…. Then again, there always was room for 1000.
“There’s no such thing as ghosts” he muttered, under his breath, unsure that he in fact believed what he said.
It didn’t matter, ghosts or no ghosts, something weird was happening in this mansion, and he was going to find out why. As he pushed his way through the front door, he entered into a grand foyer. He couldn’t be bothered to look at the pictures scattering the walls. In fact, he couldn’t be bothered to notice that the one was staring right at him. Moving from room to room, he was oblivious (or elected to ignore) all of the… strange things happening around him.
The clock with human fingers for hands…
The casket which every time you looked away from started to jiggle…
He, being a scholar (or so he called himself), would have attributed these things to the previous owner’s macabre sense of décor. He continued to work his way through this mansion. But, things only got weirder as he ascended each creaking flight of stairs. Finally, he hit the attic.
Taking another deep breath, he put his hand out to the doorknob. He couldn’t help but notice how warm it was, almost as if someone had just touched it. He let this thought pass, then with a heave, threw open the door. In the dim light, he could see a man looking out the window, the very same man who had been staring at him when he was outside.
“Excuse me…” he started to say as a brush of cold air blew through the room, turning the mysterious man around.
As he turned, light spread across his face, or what was left of it, and the man realized that this person was dead. His gaze went upwards, looking at the rope dangling down from the ceiling. The man gasped and took a step backwards, at the same time a bolt of lightning shot down from the stormy sky, striking the mansion. He turned, grabbing onto a rotten piece of banister, and fell off of the platform to his death, four stories below.
The wind whistled throughout the graveyard as the ghosts started to materialize. They were just trying to have a bit of fun…. Then again, there always was room for 1000.
Thank you for participating and congratulations to our winners!
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