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