Poll results: Choose your five favorites!

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  • 1. Newsflash November 10th 2011 ...

    1 11.11%
  • 2. Thump Thump THUMP! ...

    3 33.33%
  • 3. Someone returned carrying a ...

    1 11.11%
  • 4. I always walk carefully through ...

    2 22.22%
  • 5. The previous homeowner always ...

    3 33.33%
  • 6. Sez I "How come you're bollock ...

    2 22.22%
  • 7. My suspicion, that the microwave ...

    3 33.33%
  • 8. Death was chasing me, dark and ...

    3 33.33%
  • 9. He had resurrected his dead ...

    3 33.33%
  • 10. He knew something was wrong ...

    2 22.22%
  • 11. Cell phone, check. ...

    3 33.33%
  • 12. Mommy, I put that pill in ...

    4 44.44%
  • 13. “George, yes. The Zombie Apocalypse ...

    2 22.22%
  • 14. Hannah wasn't sure what to ...

    1 11.11%
  • 15. You see, I did beat him to death ...

    4 44.44%
  • 16. I’m so glad my lonely daughter ...

    5 55.56%
  • 17. Hands clenching my throat ...

    2 22.22%
  • 18. The watchful red orbs blazed ...

    1 11.11%
  • 19. A cyclops kitten flew down ...

    1 11.11%
  • 20. A thousand tiny legs pierced ...

    4 44.44%
  • 21. I lie in the dark as still as I can ...

    3 33.33%
  • 22. We saw it dart into the basement ...

    1 11.11%
  • 23. "When I change, I can't promise ...

    6 66.67%
  • 24. We always joked about our zombie plans ...

    7 77.78%
  • 25. And that's how much ...

    2 22.22%
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Thread: Melloween: Night of the Tweeting Dead

  1. #1
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Default Melloween: Night of the Tweeting Dead

    Is it possible to write a scary story in under 140 characters? We're about to find out.

    Inspired by a discussion in chat last night, I decided to run a little Halloween writing contest. Write microfiction that's short enough to be a tweet and post it here. I'll stop accepting entries at 12:00 AM EDT Saturday, October 30th, at which point I'll pick my favorite entries for everyone to vote on. From that, you guys get to pick the top five that will go on the front page on Halloween.

    If you decide to post your microfiction on Twitter, put the tag #nottd on it for Night of the Tweeting Dead so we can keep track. If you don't have a Twitter account, you can still play and just post your story in the thread.

    You can enter as many times as you like.

    ETA: Here is the full text of the stories to vote on.
    1. Newsflash November 10th 2011: President Elect Sarah Palin plans to appoint Carl Rove as Secretary of state.
    2. Thump Thump THUMP! What is that knocking at my door? Something in the attic? Something in the crawlspace? But this is a slab! DARKNESS
    3. Someone returned carrying a sleepy tabby cat, saying it was the source of the screaming, but I knew better, I think that we all did.
    4. I always walk carefully through graveyards, ever since my sister stepped on a grave and lost her shoe to a boney hand.
    5. The previous homeowner always came back when children moved in. It freaked them out a little since she'd died before they were born.
    6. Sez I "How come you're bollock naked, dad?" Sez dad "I'm a ghost, son, and I don't know where the ghosts of my clothes went, maybe to hell?"
    7. My suspicion, that the microwave, the toaster, and the garbage disposal unit were conspiring against me, was confirmed, alas too late.
    8. Death was chasing me, dark and smooth, voracious. I was terrified, until I saw what he was running from.
    9. He had resurrected his dead wife, but when he looked at his daughter's corpse it cried out, "What have you done?"
    10. He knew something was wrong when in all his calculations, one plus one kept equalling three.
    11. Cell phone, check. Battery charge, check. Light - yes it is a coffin. Call for rescue - God, no reception bars!
    12. Mommy, I put that pill in Daddy’s drink like you said to. Funny, he’s really asleep. Mommy, what’s that big knife you’re holding? MOMMY?
    13. “George, yes. The Zombie Apocalypse is here. Only not human zombies. Still – going “Here, kitty, kitty,” isn’t helping.”
    14. Hannah wasn't sure what to make of the musical background to Jim's last voice mail. Especially the crescendo as he screamed, "The Piano!"
    15. You see, I did beat him to death. They never found the weapon. What was it? The frozen joint I fed to the investigating officers.
    16. I’m so glad my lonely daughter finally found a new friend to sleep over last night. I don’t know why they haven’t got out of bed yet, though.
    17. Hands clenching my throat, robbing my air & as I slipping into death's door, a tear fell knowing this nightmare will repeat tomorrow
    18. The watchful red orbs blazed constantly in the corner of my eye, unblinking, penetrating, seeing everything I do, never looking away
    19. A cyclops kitten flew down & perched on the closest branch. I told myself "This is a dream" but the kitten replied "Is it John?"
    20. A thousand tiny legs pierced the soft flesh of my throat as the thing made it's way down.Soon it'll be in me. Soon, "me" will be gone
    21. I lie in the dark as still as I can but the pounding of my heart still gives me away. There is safety in silence so I grab the knife.
    22. We saw it dart into the basement. Riley went to check it out. There was a thump and a scream. Why hasn't he come back yet?
    23. "When I change,I can't promise I won't hurt you." she rests her revolver on his knee "That's ok,I can't promise you won't die trying"
    24. We always joked about our zombie plans.Where we'd go.Who we'd save.I never considered doing it alone.I never thought I'd lose you 1st
    25. And that's how much college will cost for the baby
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  2. #2
    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    1) Ring, Ring, “I’m in your house.” “I know and I am right behind you”. And the horrible demon of the underworld ate the teen prankster.

    2) Newsflash November 10th 2011: President Elect Sarah Palin plans to appoint Carl Rove as Secretary of state.

    3) Thump Thump THUMP! What is that knocking at my door? Something in the attic? Something in the crawlspace? But this is a slab! DARKNESS


  3. #3
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Oooh, nice, Jim. Particular #2. I have chills.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  4. #4
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    Skritch. Skritch. Skritch. It's just the wind, making branches scrape the glass. But then I remember...I don't have a tree.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  5. #5
    Oliphaunt The Original An Gadaí's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    Someone returned carrying a sleepy tabby cat, saying it was the source of the screaming, but I knew better, I think that we all did.
    Last edited by The Original An Gadaí; 26 Oct 2010 at 02:55 PM.

  6. #6
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    We ate the meat in silence. Food was scarce & we were lucky Sam found any at all. It was just such a shame that Kyle never came back.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  7. #7
    A Groupie Marsilia's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    I always walk carefully through graveyards, ever since my sister stepped on a grave and lost her shoe to a boney hand.
    So, I'll whisper in the dark, hoping you'll hear me.

  8. #8
    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by Zuul View post
    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    We ate the meat in silence. Food was scarce & we were lucky Sam found any at all. It was just such a shame that Kyle never came back.
    Sam should be Stan or better yet Eric. Just saying.

  9. #9
    Oliphaunt The Original An Gadaí's avatar
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    Mine is based on a true story.

  10. #10
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Quote Originally posted by What Exit? View post
    Quote Originally posted by Zuul View post
    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    We ate the meat in silence. Food was scarce & we were lucky Sam found any at all. It was just such a shame that Kyle never came back.
    Sam should be Stan or better yet Eric. Just saying.
    With the Twitter tag, it would have been too long, so I had to go with Sam.

    AG, that sounds intensely creepy.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  11. #11
    A Groupie Marsilia's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    The previous homeowner always came back when children moved in. It freaked them out a little since she'd died before they were born.
    So, I'll whisper in the dark, hoping you'll hear me.

  12. #12
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    The dog chased a stick, but came back with a hand. We still don't know where it came from. Probably best that way, really.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  13. #13
    Oliphaunt The Original An Gadaí's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    Sez I "How come you're bollock naked, dad?" Sez dad "I'm a ghost, son, and I don't know where the ghosts of my clothes went, maybe to hell?"

  14. #14
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    I loled.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  15. #15
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    Rule of 3: survive 3 minutes w/o air, 3 days w/o water, 3 weeks w/o food. But you can live a long time in a little box under my bed.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  16. #16
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    Barricaded the doors, but more keep coming. Can enough walking corpses knock down a house? Guess we'll find out.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  17. #17
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    My suspicion, that the microwave, the toaster, and the garbage disposal unit were conspiring against me, was confirmed, alas too late.

  18. #18
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    He said I looked delicious in this dress. Guess that's why he drained me so carefully. Here's hoping I haven't become a messy eater.
    So, I'll whisper in the dark, hoping you'll hear me.

  19. #19
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    This one was just posted on Twitter by Silence and it's truly terrifying:

    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    And that's how much college will cost for the baby
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  20. #20
    Content Generator AllWalker's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    Death was chasing me, dark and smooth, voracious. I was terrified, until I saw what he was running from.
    Last edited by AllWalker; 28 Oct 2010 at 12:55 AM.
    Something tells me we haven't seen the last of foreshadowing.

  21. #21
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    He had resurrected his dead wife, but when he looked at his daughter's corpse it cried out, "What have you done?"
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

  22. #22
    Administrator CatInASuit's avatar
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    A mathematician's nightmare.

    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    He knew something was wrong when in all his calculations, one plus one kept equalling three.
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

  23. #23
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    Cell phone, check. Battery charge, check. Light - yes it is a coffin. Call for rescue - God, no reception bars!

  24. #24
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    They say if you die at home your cat won't wait long before nibbling. They don't warn that if you have leprosy the cat starts early.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  25. #25
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    I seem to be on a cat kick.

    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    As Dan watched his former body releasing the cats, he realized he should have been nicer to the mouse before the neural switch.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  26. #26
    Clueless but well-meaning Hatshepsut's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    Mommy, I put that pill in Daddy’s drink like you said to. Funny, he’s really asleep. Mommy, what’s that big knife you’re holding? MOMMY?

  27. #27
    Curmudgeon OtakuLoki's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    “George, yes. The Zombie Apocalypse is here. Only not human zombies. Still – going “Here, kitty, kitty,” isn’t helping.”

  28. #28
    Curmudgeon OtakuLoki's avatar
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    Special for Hatshepsut:

    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    Hannah wasn't sure what to make of the musical background to Jim's last voice mail. Especially the crescendo as he screamed, "The Piano!"

  29. #29
    Administrator CatInASuit's avatar
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    With a nod to Roald Dahl.

    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    You see, I did beat him to death. They never found the weapon. What was it? The frozen joint I fed to the investigating officers.
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

  30. #30
    Clueless but well-meaning Hatshepsut's avatar
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    Spoiler (mouseover to read):
    I’m so glad my lonely daughter finally found a new friend to sleep over last night. I don’t know why they haven’t got out of bed yet, though.

  31. #31
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Voting is open. It was very difficult to narrow it down to 25, especially because there were a bunch of fantastic ones on Twitter that never made it to the thread.

    As there is a limit of 100 characters to each option in a poll, only part of the text of each entry is shown in the poll itself. The full texts are available in the OP.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  32. #32
    A Dude Peeta Mellark's avatar
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    I confess: I voted for more than five.

  33. #33
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    Never mind
    Last edited by Sir Richard ffoulkes; 02 Nov 2010 at 10:39 AM.

  34. #34
    Administrator CatInASuit's avatar
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    Ok, so who did post the winner? It's not in any of the tweets on this page?
    In the land of the blind, the one-arm man is king.

  35. #35
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    #24, which received the most votes, was a tweet entry from Silence. AKA Mr. Pepperlandgirl.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

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