There was only one rule: don’t open the door.
It wasn’t such an odd request from my new husband. He had been a bachelor for so long, of course there were going to be places in his house that he would be reluctant to share with me at first. It didn’t bother me too much that he wanted to keep me out of the hallway closet.
Until the third night. That was when I began to hear the wailing.
I thought that I was dreaming, sleepwalking, even. Yet the closer that I got to the forbidden door, the more certain that I was that I was hearing a blood-curdling wailing coming from the other side.
Then a little voice inside my mind whispered, Open it.
I shook my head. I knew that my husband would be furious if I did.
Still, that wailing…
I swallowed against the hard knot in my throat. Slowly, I forced my arm to reach for the doorknob. The cold metal bit at my palm; it was almost enough to convince me to stop, but still, I persisted. The knob turned, and the door creaked open.
Suddenly, the wailing stopped. And so did my heart.
Before me hung the bodies of two women, one blonde and one brunette. Behind them stood an altar with framed pictures of the women in life, chalices of some crimson liquid, and strands of their hair taped to the table. At the very end was a picture of me on my bicycle, an empty chalice, and a lock of my red curls.
“It’s time.”
I jumped at the sound of my husband’s voice. I turned around to find him standing behind me, a rope in his hand.
“Time for what?”
“For you to join my other wives.”
About the Creator
Stephanie Hoogstad
With a BA in English and MSc in Creative Writing, writing is my life. I have edited and ghost written for years with some published stories and poems of my own.
Learn more about me: thewritersscrapbin.com
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There was only one rule: don’t open the door. But that was our only escape. Day after day, we received meager rations of stale bread and dirty water through the Chihuahua-sized slot cut into the door. Our only human interaction was among the five of us, but we did not speak beyond dividing up the food and water. We had no idea what they wanted with us, and we did not want to even contemplate the possibilities. Our only focus was on survival.
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In the quiet suburbs of Waukesha, Wisconsin, in May 2014, a story emerged that seemed more like a horror movie plot than a police report. Three 12-year-old girls went into the woods to play, but only two walked out willingly. The third, Payton Leutner, was left bleeding from 19 stab wounds, the victim of a calculated sacrifice intended to please a fictional internet character known as Slender Man.This case remains one of the most disturbing examples of how the digital world can bleed into reality, blurring the lines between childhood imagination and dangerous delusion.The Myth of Slender ManTo understand why two pre-teens would commit such an atrocity, one must understand the "deity" they served. Slender Man originated in 2009 on the Something Awful forums as a "Creepypasta"—a type of internet horror legend. He is depicted as a tall, faceless man in a black suit with tentacle-like appendages.For most, he was a fun, spooky story. But for Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser, he was terrifyingly real. They believed that in order to become his "proxies" and protect their families from his wrath, they had to kill someone.The Day of the AttackThe plan was orchestrated over several months. On May 31, 2014, following a birthday sleepover, Morgan and Anissa lured Payton into a local park under the guise of playing hide-and-seek. Once in the woods, the situation turned graphic.Morgan Geyser carried out the physical attack, stabbing Payton 19 times with a five-inch kitchen knife while Anissa encouraged her. The blade missed Payton’s heart by less than a millimeter—a distance described by doctors as the "width of a human hair."After the attackers fled, Payton displayed incredible resilience. Despite her life-threatening injuries, she crawled out of the woods toward a nearby bike path, where a passerby discovered her and called 911.The Legal and Psychological AftermathThe case ignited a global conversation about the impact of the internet on developing minds. Both girls were charged with first-degree intentional homicide, but their defense teams argued they were not monsters, but children suffering from severe mental health issues.The FindingsMorgan Geyser: Diagnosed with early-onset schizophrenia. She truly believed Slender Man would kill her family if she didn't act.Anissa Weier: Diagnosed with shared delusional disorder (folie à deux), meaning she had been drawn into Morgan’s delusions until they became her own reality.Ultimately, both girls were found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. Morgan was sentenced to 40 years in a psychiatric institute, while Anissa received 25 years. Anissa was released under strict supervision in 2021, while Morgan remains under institutional care.Lessons from a Digital TragedyThe Slender Man stabbing serves as a grim reminder of the "echo chamber" effect of the internet. For these girls, the more they read about the myth, the more evidence they found to support its existence."I believed that if I didn't do it, Slender Man would come and kill my whole family in three seconds." — Morgan Geyser during police interrogation.This case forced parents and educators to realize that the "monsters" children find online aren't always just digital images; they can become psychological catalysts for real-world harm. It highlighted the desperate need for better mental health screening in schools and a more nuanced understanding of how children process online folklore.Conclusion: Survival and ResilienceWhile the story is often centered on the attackers and the myth, the true hero is Payton Leutner. Her survival was nothing short of miraculous. In later years, Payton spoke out, showing remarkable strength and a refusal to be defined by the 19 scars she carries.The Slender Man case stands as a cautionary tale for the digital age—a reminder that while the internet is a place of infinite creativity, for the vulnerable, it can also be a place where the shadows grow far too long.
By Irshad Abbasi about 7 hours ago in Horror
Comments (7)
AAAAAHHHH This was so creepy! The build up was so suspenseful, and then the twist! Boom! suddenly a whole new level of terror and fright! Incredible piece! Your horror writing is so amazing! 🩷
And I thought polygamy on its own was bad......... 😅 But seriously, this is so cleverly written. I love the creepiness and build up tp the big reveal. Well done Stephanie!!
Nicely done. Very visually rich.
Hahahahahahahaha that's what she gets for not listening. Loved your story
Excellent. Wasn't expecting a grim shrine and the last bit brings it home nicely. Good work.
What a nail biter!
That is one diabolical husband!!! Like the tension till the end, Stephanie!