Habitual Tongue
Deconstructing the lie.
There was only one rule: don't open the door.
If you had followed your own rule, your Oscar-winning performance would've gone undetected. As an indulgent, Type-A personality who specialized in fabricating, you rarely broke character.
But talent did not come without resistance...
Barely able to tie your own shoes, your parents forbade you to handle matches. A call to 911 finally spliced that rule into your head. All your possessions, including your prized Lego collection were lost to fire. The dog and your parents survived. You were happy about that, but the disrespect grew exponentially, prompting a long drive to a place for troubled kids. Resentment of that day quickly latched to your misconstrued sense of betrayal.
Fast-forward twenty years to see the results of a never-ending trail of verbal treachery. Most people would be ashamed of what you consider achievements. Each of those mental trophies were like your children…
Let’s not forget the time you botched an important sale to an important client. Your shameless, index finger pointed right to a colleague. He lost more than his job that day. He lost security, respect…his mind. Your employer was too stupid to see through the tainted truth.
You finally opened that door when your drunken tongue spilled incriminating words to the barkeep one night. I wasn’t a bit surprised it was you who poisoned your neighbor. His death was rather quick. Gangrene spread throughout his body like lava barreling through branching rifts. The lie you perfected was so airtight, it fooled the initial interrogation!
In return, you now find yourself behind a different kind of door. One made of steel that rarely opens. Don't expect any visits, though. Can't Imagine who would when all you ever cared about was crafting the next, great lie.
About the Creator
Lamar Wiggins
Creative writer in the Northeast US who loves the paranormal, mystery, true crime, horror, humor, fantasy and poetry.
"Life is Love Experienced" -LW
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Minion
There was only one rule: don't open the door... Rules were nothing but laughable annoyances...to them. I wasn't expecting a migraine that evening; they rarely happen twice in a month. Through repetition, I learned to act my way around them. No one needed to know my peculiar issues. No one...
By Lamar Wigginsabout a year ago in Horror
10 Horror Movie Scenes Based on True Events (That Are Even Worse in Real Life)
Hollywood may add dramatic music and special effects, but in many cases, the real stories behind these scenes are darker, crueler, and far more tragic. Here are 10 horror movie scenes based on true events — and the real-life versions are even worse. 1. The Possession in The Exorcist The spinning head, the strange voices, the violent behavior — this iconic possession scene was inspired by a real boy known as “Roland Doe” in the 1940s. In real life, the boy reportedly experienced unexplained scratches, moving objects, and disturbing voices after playing with a Ouija board. Priests performed dozens of exorcism rituals over several months. Witnesses claimed the bed shook violently and words appeared on his skin. The movie toned it down. The real case involved long-term psychological and physical trauma, not just a few dramatic nights. 2. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Human Furniture Leatherface making furniture from human remains seems too insane to be real — but it was inspired by Ed Gein, a real-life killer. Gein dug up graves and made chairs, lampshades, and masks from human skin. He kept body parts in his home and even wore faces like costumes. The film shows shocking moments, but Gein’s slow, obsessive behavior over years was far more disturbing than any single scene. 3. The Girl in the Box — The Silence of the Lambs The basement scene where a woman is trapped in a pit was inspired by serial killer Ted Bundy and others who kidnapped victims and kept them hidden. Real victims were held for days or weeks, psychologically tortured, and completely helpless. Some tried to escape but were dragged back. In movies, the rescue comes just in time. In real life, most victims were never saved. 4. The Doll from Annabelle The creepy doll in the movie is based on the real Raggedy Ann doll owned by a nursing student in the 1970s. The owner claimed the doll moved on its own, left handwritten notes, and once tried to strangle a visitor. Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren locked the doll in a glass case. Whether paranormal or not, the fear experienced by the people involved was very real and long-lasting, not just one jump scare. 5. The Open Water Nightmare The movie Open Water shows a couple left behind by a diving group, floating helplessly in shark-infested waters. This actually happened in 1998. Tom and Eileen Lonergan were accidentally abandoned during a scuba trip in Australia. They were never found alive. Unlike the movie, which ends quickly, experts believe they survived for hours or even days, facing dehydration, sunburn, panic, and predators before dying alone. 6. The Amityville House — The Amityville Horror The movie shows demonic forces driving a man to madness and violence inside a haunted house. In reality, Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family in that house in 1974. Later residents claimed paranormal events, but the brutal murders were real and confirmed. A ghost story is scary. But a son calmly killing his parents and siblings in their sleep is far more horrifying than any demon. 7. The Strangers’ Random Home Invasion Masked attackers breaking into a home “just because you were home” feels terrifying — and it’s based on real crimes. Many violent home invasions happen without reason or personal connection. Victims are targeted randomly, sometimes while awake, sometimes while sleeping. Unlike in movies, where victims often fight back successfully, in real life these attacks often end with serious injury or death. 8. The Hostel Torture Rooms The idea of paying to torture humans sounds fictional — but it was inspired by real rumors and crimes involving human trafficking and underground torture networks. While the movie exaggerated for shock, people are kidnapped, sold, abused, and killed every year in real trafficking operations. There are no heroic escapes or dramatic finales in most real cases — only long-term suffering that never makes headlines. 9. The Girl Next Door’s Basement Abuse This movie is based on the horrifying true story of Sylvia Likens, a teenager abused and tortured by her caretaker and neighborhood children. She was beaten, starved, burned, and locked in a basement for months. Many people knew and did nothing. The film shows cruelty, but real-life suffering lasted much longer and involved more people, making it one of the most disturbing true crime cases ever. 10. The Ritual Killings in The Conjuring Several scenes are inspired by real cult-related murders and ritual abuse cases. In real life, cult leaders have convinced followers to kill family members, sacrifice children, or commit mass suicide in the name of faith or fear. Movies show demons as the enemy. But in reality, humans manipulated other humans, which is far more frightening.
By sanab khanabout 5 hours ago in Horror
Comments (11)
Wow Lamar! Ditto every word of Caitlin’s below. I have read a lot of entries for this Challenge and by far this is best one! Congratulations on writing an ‘on the edge of my seat, heat pounding’ psychological thriller! Pauline 😱👀
Oh my, this story reads like a single dark thought that is growing more and more strong and hungry. No matter what vices or distraction you throw at it, it just keeps coming. Taking different faces, my gosh, I was terrified but I also could not stop reading. Your description of when he poisoned that person was amazing, you even kept us hooked through this part of the story. Hanging on to every detail crafting and building sympathy within us. You deserve more than just a round of applause for their one.
Oh!! Lamar this was so so crafty!! I love the benevolence of it and the way we slowly come to realize just how evil this monster (of a human) is!! So great!!
2nd person point of view is not easy to pull off and you did a stellar job! I feel very guilty
Super creepy story, Lamar! Love your take on this challenge!
People like this are so scaryyyy! This was soooo awesomeeee!
This is an incredible, gripping story, Lamar! Definitely an outside of the box challenge entry! Good luck!
Even when everything works to plan some people can't control their ego. Great entry, Lamar!
Oh, wow this is very powerful! Good one.
That was a great entry. Well done, my friend.
Some people are beyond redeeming themselves. Rotten to the core as they say Nice one