Looking for something creepy to read, but don’t have time for a novel? Here is a collection of horror flash fiction with over a dozen tiny scares. For people who like laughs with their horror, I’ve also included some comedy horror flash fiction below. Enjoy!
Horror Flash Fiction
An Ordinary Man
The human mind ignores stimuli that it considers unimportant. That’s why your brain ignores your nose, even though it’s right there in your field of vision. You should see it all the time, but you just don’t, because it’s not interesting.
It works for people, too. If you’re ordinary enough, you can essentially become invisible. If you’re plain and boring, nobody notices you. And that means you can do anything.
If you’re in bed and a footstep breaks through the silence of the night, don’t bother investigating. You won’t remember seeing me. At least, you didn’t the last time.
The Postcards
I got a postcard from Dad a week after he died. It was a picture of flames and the words “It’s too hot here” on the back. Of course, I thought it was just a prank. But the cards kept coming.
The next postcard had a cave photo. On the back, it had a rough map through a cave system and the message “Found a way up.”
The third had no writing, just a photo of my house.
The Girlfriend
One cold, blustery Sunday, Eric bundled up in his heaviest coat and headed outside. He put his hands into his pockets, grumbling to himself. His hair was just beginning to turn gray, but he didn’t have to worry about his girlfriend ever aging. Veronica would stay young and beautiful forever. But of course, it did have its downsides.
He stepped into the cemetery and hid in a mausoleum. He waited until dark and watched the caretaker leave. Once he was alone, he broke into a storage shed and grabbed a shovel. It took nearly six hours to dig her back up.
Veronica stretched and yawned. “Took you long enough. You used to be so much faster.”
“And you didn’t used to get shot while you were feeding.”
She laughed. “Stop complaining and help me out of this hole. And be gentle with my arm. You yanked it clear off last time.”
He shook his head. “Don’t remind me. It’s taking longer and longer to sew you back together.”
The cemetery gate swung back open. Apparently the caretaker had forgotten something. Eric gently lifted Veronica from her grave and watched her run off after her prey. She was beautiful, even while she was eating brains.
Stranded
The sailor leapt from the sinking ship, swimming to a rocky beach. He wandered the island, praying for helpful locals, but found nothing. The island was empty. His crew mates were dead, and he was alone.
He collapsed, exhausted.
A feather landed on his face. He opened his eyes to see a woman perched atop a large boulder. She smiled, spreading her wings. “An angel!” he gasped.
“No,” she said, raising her claws, “I’m afraid not. I am a harpy. And you are meat.”
The Beach
“I can’t step beyond the ground at the edge of this river,” Silas said. “My story is over. But you will leave me one day. You will keep growing and changing until you no longer want me.”
“I won’t change,” Emily said. “I won’t.”
“You have to. You’re still alive.”
The Attic
Mary gazed at the others huddled in the attic with her. How long until one of them got hungry enough to suggest… Perhaps it was better to just slip downstairs, and let those waxen-skinned things take her. Whatever happened when they replaced a human, it had to be better than this.
The Library
The man in the black cloak appeared outside the library window. “Why do you insist on staying? Come join the dance of the dead! We wander endless shadows, dancing to the music of the night! Come dance to the music of the stars. Our joy is everlasting!”
The woman in white waved a misty arm at the rows of shelves. “What could possibly bring me more joy than this?”
The Competition
The CEO stood to begin his presentation. His voice was deep and sonorous, projecting an air of confidence. “Our industry is more cutthroat than ever, but that doesn’t mean we just give up. We will devour our competition!”
Stephen raised his hand. “You mean metaphorically..?”
The CEO’s smile was too wide, with far too many teeth
The Silver Souls Nightclub
Everyone came to the Silver Souls Nightclub when Porter played piano. His piano was magic. The melody would lift the audience, carrying their dancing bodies into the air.
One night, he was playing on the outdoor patio, under the moonlight. The air was still, waiting. He had too much to drink, and hit a series of wrong notes. Embarrassed, he waited for the audience to look his way, or even boo, but no one seemed to have noticed.
“No one cares,” he thought. “No one actually listens to my music. They only want to float.”
He played louder and faster, taking the audience higher and higher into the sky, and then he simply stopped. The song’s final note was their scream.
Mr. Midnight
The girls debated what to do at their slumber party. “Let’s play Mr. Midnight,” Amy said
“What’s that?” Sue asked.
“It’s dark except for a candle. We leave the front door open. And at midnight, we chant his name.”
Sue’s eyes widened. “W-what happens?”
“He comes and chooses one of us.”
Secret Weapon
Amy ran across the dorm, throwing chairs and overturning tables behind her. Simon easily avoided her obstacles, half running and half floating after her. When they were still dating, he had been lazy and aimless, but death had made him persistent.
She made it back to her dorm room. She ran inside, but before she could barricade the door, Simon flew in after her like an icy wind. “No more stakes,” he said. “No holy water. And the sun won’t rise for hours. Just give in and let it happen. You’re helpless, girl.”
“Not quite. I have a secret weapon: seasonal depression.”
He laughed. “What the hell kind of weapon is that?”
“Well, when I went in for treatment, my therapist suggested this UV therapy lamp.” She flipped the switch, and Simon screamed.
The Troubadour
Every night, her ex-boyfriend would stand outside her window and serenade her, and beg her to elope on some far away island. They tried everything to get him to stop. They reburied him, poured concrete over his grave, but he kept appearing. Finally, her father had an idea. “Maybe cremation would work…”
The Meal Plan
I asked my spouse what she wanted to eat. She said, “I don’t care. You pick.” But she didn’t like any of my suggestions. By the time we finally decided, our food had escaped the handcuffs.
The Dress
As Rachel stepped out of the changing room, the dress moved like a living thing. It was slinky and shimmering, like a black and brown snake.
“It’s made from skin beetles,” the shopkeeper said. “Make sure to feed it.”
Rachel thought about all the guys who would be at the dance that evening and laughed. “Oh, I’ll make sure it eats well tonight.”
After The Funeral
Most necromancers busied themselves raising undead armies to take over kingdoms. Tony was an outlier, the oddest of the oddballs. He ran a funeral home that was also a nightclub. You could watch your late relatives spend one last night on earth, singing and dancing in The Corpse Cabaret.
Comedy Horror Flash Fiction
The Change
As the full moon appeared outside, Rick realized his body was transforming. He was growing hair everywhere, his voice deepening into a low growl. His mind was filled with strange, new urges. “It begins!” he howled. “I am turning!”
His mother sighed. “Relax, kid, it’s just puberty.”
The Summoning
Eric drew a pentagram in blood. A seven-horned demon appeared. “Yes!” Eric laughed. “Now give me wealth and power!”
“I’m a level one imp,” the demon sighed. “I can only do snacks. You like deviled eggs?”
He shook his head. “Well, this was hardly worth a human sacrifice. Sorry, Kevin.” He called into the next room. “Veronica, put the ad back online. We need a new intern.”
The Skeleton
Mary stepped out of her apartment and headed down the alley. Something in the air shifted, and she was filled with fear. A skeletal figure in a black cloak emerged from the shadows. Silently, it raised its hand and pointed a long, white finger.
“No!” Mary screamed. “Not yet! I’m still young!” She jumped in her coupe and, tires squealing, sped off down the road.
A soapy sponge dropped from the skeleton’s hand. The Grime Reaper sighed. “Nobody ever lets me wash their car.”
The HOA
Bob moved into a new neighborhood, but immediately regretted it. His neighbors were obsessed with the HOA.
“A jumbo Halloween skeleton, Bob? The HOA won’t like that.”
“Haven’t mowed this week? The HOA will be upset!”
“The HOA will just hate that paint color, Bob.”
He decided to just ignore their complaints. After all, it was his house. He could do what he wanted. This was America, right?
One night, Bob was outside setting up another giant skeleton. His neighbors said the HOA would hate it, but he didn’t care. As he stepped off the ladder, he heard crunching on leaves. He turned and came face-to-face with the HOA.
The Hound of Astaroth. The devil dog.
The massive demon stood on its hind legs and grabbed his shoulders. Its hot breath singed his eyebrows. It opened its mouth wide, its fangs dripping. “That’s a $50 a day fine, Bob,” it said.
“C’mon, it’s Halloween!”
“If you don’t like it, you can run for the board.”
The Ghost
The woman in white glided down the hallway silently. “A ghost!” Eric gasped.
“Actually,” the woman said, “I’m a banshee.”
He shook his head. “But you’re not screaming?”
“Screaming and wailing is so old fashioned. I’m a modern ghost.”
“W-what do you want? Are you here for my soul?”
She laughed. “What am I supposed to do with that? No, I want something useful: your Wi-Fi password.”
Count Hemoglobin
Rachel gazed up into Count Hemoglobin’s black eyes. “So, you don’t have any pulse at all? Not even a little?”
He shook his head. “No, my heart hasn’t beat for centuries.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Does that just mean no blood flow to your wrist or… no blood flowing to anywhere?”
“Vampires are technically dead. My blood is long gone.”
“Oh. Well, that could put a damper on things.”
He raised an eyebrow. “But have you ever heard of rigor mortis..?”
The Change Part II
Rick gazed up at the sky. He had lost track of time, and the sun was already setting. The full moon appeared from behind dark clouds. Once more, he would face the horror of his bloodline’s ancient curse!
His body twisted as he became more beast than man. Howling, he sprouted fur, fangs, and claws. The old craving returned, but how could he satisfy it? Until the moon set, he would be completely unable to check his notifications.
He sighed. “I hate being locked out of my phone! Face ID doesn’t recognize me with fur, and I can’t type my password with these little doggy toe beans!”
The Election
Greg and Molly filed into the voting center. Up front, a display held dust from dead vampires and fur from dead werewolves to remind the voters what their monstrous leaders had sacrificed for them in the troll wars.
“Who are you voting for?” Molly asked.
“I’m not sure,” Greg said.
“Werewolves only eat people during full moons,” Molly said. “Not like those Vamps. Lesser of two evils, right?”
Greg furrowed his brow. “Can’t we elect a human?”
Molly laughed. “What are you, a Humanitarian? Third parties are nuts! Vote for Fang. He promised to hardly eat anyone this year.”
Thanks for reading this collection of horror flash fiction. There are plenty more horror stories on my site for you to read, as well as science fiction and fantasy stories. I also have a collection of story ideas and writing tips if you would like to try writing your own horror. So poke around, explore, and enjoy!
