I know it’s not Halloween anymore, but I just have to tell you I am a huge scaredy-cat. Like, the biggest chicken you could possibly know. Everyone who is close to me knows this, and takes advantage of it.
I can’t watch scary movies by myself, all the lights are on when I’m at home alone, and I make sure all the blinds and curtains are drawn in the evening. It’s a problem. I freak myself out all the time.
The mini-stories below are my worst nightmares come true. Every day, when I’m in my kitchen, when I go to work when it’s still dark out, when I go to bed … these things cross my mind. And I hope to God none of these ever happen, because I will literally lose my mind if they do.
Enjoy.
• • • • • • • •
At 6:10am, I lock the front door and walk out to my car to unlock it and warm it up. Someone waves at me – from inside the car.
• •
The living room closet tends to creak as it slowly swings shut on its own. I put my coat back in the closet, and it did its familiar creak, too – as it slowly swung open.
• •
I checked my face out in the kitchen mirror before dinner. It checked me out, too.
• •
I closed the closet door and turned off the lights. When my boyfriend comes to bed, he says, “Whoa, I’m surprised you fell asleep with the closet open like that.”
• •
Something was blinking on and off outside my window. I looked outside and saw it was the motion sensor lights – flashing on and off at nothing.
• •
I left my blank post page to go get a cup of water. Coming back, I see “Hi” typed out on the computer screen.
–ღ, ts
DAY 18 ASSIGNMENT: Compose a series of anecdotes
Today, tell a story through a series of anecdotes (also called vignettes): short, episodic scenes or moments that together read as variations on the same theme. They can each be as short or long as you see fit — they don’t have to be the same length — but they need a common feature to tie them together, whether it’s a repeated phrase, a similar setting, a literary device, or the appearance of the same person.
meta t h e r e s a 
Noyce!! As someone who isn’t scared of typical horror movie stuff, you’re stories hooked me. Reminded me of my childhood terrors of skeletons in closets, waiting to pounce…
Nope, not going there. But I love the simplicity of your stories- I envy how you can par right to the emotion and setting with minimal words. My goal is to do what you do- as you can see, many words are my forte. 🙂
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Thank you so much, that means a lot, coming from you. I admire how you write and express yourself! It’s difficult for me to write minimally, since “many words are my forte” as well. I have to say, Writing 101, with the variety of assignments they give us, has taught me there are so many lovely ways to write!
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So true!! In my case, so many new things to write about and say!
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those are so scary :O i hope they never come true! i never watch scary movies because i can’t sleep otherwise.
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Yes, I know! Even when I watch with other people around, I can’t sleep properly for days.
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Have you checked out the reddit of short stories like these? Too good! You’ve done a lovely job of it here 🙂
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I will have to, now that you’ve mentioned it! I may need to quell my imagination at home if I read new ones on the web! And thank you… :]
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Fantastic snippets! I’ll never look at my closet the same way again 😀
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I didn’t mean to ruin your experience with closets! I think watching scary movies scarred me for life, for sure. THOSE ruined my closet experiences!
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Today I was watching the kids’ magnetic alphabet on the fridge door. My kids can’t write yet. And then I thought, what if it read: “I’m in your house.” or something. You did this to me. 😀
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That gave me chills when I read it! You’re going to have to create your own. I recommend looking up “scariest things kids have ever said”
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Ooh, I’m scared to do that now…
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What the F! Like seriously! Those are just creepy! I cannot!
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Mirrors. Mirrors are the worst!
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Hahaha. I agree!!!
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A little too scary for me! I love how there’s only two sentences but it still conveys a lot. 🙂
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Duuude, if you think mine are too scary, do not check some of the ones out there!
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Oh man! This was some creepy creeper shit going on here! Wow this is definitely scary; I can’t imagine someone who is worried about these things happening to them; only to then…have them happen. This was great!
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I think I was traumatized a lot by my older brother or something! I think about these things literally every day! Is that normal??
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Hehehehe….the truth is that many people deal with things differently. I can’t sleep with the door open on my room; or have my closet door open either at night. It’s just that tiny part of your mind that tingles you, with discomfort. So I think it’s normal; what it might not be is to ACTUALLY believe there is something always in your closet or under your bed. Other than that, I think you are OK ;). That older brother of yours must have been a regular traumatizer.
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