psychological

Mind games taken way too far; explore the disturbing genre of psychological thrillers that make us question our perception of sanity and reality.

Hooch & Holler
Astrid woke with a start. The sun was just barely peering through the 1 inch slit in her drawn black out curtains. The sliver of light gave no indication of time but her stomach angrily grumbled for food, so she guessed it must be afternoon. Stretching long, taut legs, Astrid unfurled like a spider and glided along the edge of her room searching for her phone. She found it dead and discarded by the bathroom. “Of course,” she muttered to herself, frustrated at her own laziness. The clock read 3:00 pm and she had nowhere to be. She had quit her job at the Hooch & Holler out on Eden Rd at the end of a final straw in a stack of straws of abuse. Tim Jaffrey had brushed up against her for the last time. She was not a toy to be played with but a person to be respected. She had practiced saying that in the mirror thirty times while clenching her fists so tight, her nails made little half moons in her palms.
By Bianca Grant4 years ago in Horror
The Lady in the Wind
The rustling trees tell of the coming fall. Their dried branches squeak and scream against one another with the wind whistling through. Beams of sunlight from the setting sun highlight the skeletal shadows of the shedding trees. The warm-colored leaves meander with the current to their final resting place below.
By Robert Sedam4 years ago in Horror
The Nanny. First Place in Foggy Waters Challenge.
The nanny arrives at 4p.m. on a Wednesday. She wears a red peacoat and her face is free of makeup. From her resume, I assume she’s in her late forties, just a few years younger than my wife.
By Chelsea Catherine4 years ago in Horror
The Few Who Shine
He is a skeleton fashioned from filth and sorrow, a collection of forgotten memories and discarded fabrics. His hair is a weak red, like a dying stoplight. As Tom walks by, it feels more like the red-haired man is the one moving, floating by like a body in the White River, bobbing in a current of urban life.
By Devin Dabney4 years ago in Horror
Frozen in Time
Carla’s last tear tracked down her cheek and froze in the bitter Wisconsin wind. She was tired. Tired of crying. Tired of living. Just tired.
By Bekah Jimenez4 years ago in Horror
Nights like those and sunrises like these.
My days off begin about a block from my front door. 1872 steps according to my pedometer. Today it’s cold. Colder than usual. It’s only October 2nd. I head to the waters edge, watching my breath form a cloud that looks like I’m smoking. My doctor claims she’s proud of me for this. Blah, fucking blah. I do this because I need to take advantage of being by the water.
By Lindsay Newman4 years ago in Horror
The Truth About the Black River
I was eleven years old when I told Sheriff Tate I pushed my best friend, Nixie Brooks, into the Black River. I knew he didn't believe me. That's why I told the same thing to the social worker, a policeman, the lawyer, and the lawyer's young assistant. The assistant was a nark. He told a reporter at the Gazette who wrote about me in the Sunday paper. The reporter wrote that I was evil and that I'd go to juvie. Maybe he was right.
By Shannon Yarbrough4 years ago in Horror
Unborn
I have always been different. More seeing than a normal person. I honestly don't know how else to describe it, but I had been warned since I was very young.
By Nazneen Dubash4 years ago in Horror
Frankie
I can hear my breath against the stillness of the hallway. It's loud and raspy. My hands are shaking. I think my breath is going to echo through the house. Frankie might hear it.
By Marissa B4 years ago in Horror
The Dream Deceiver
It was summer. I had just graduated high school and my parents offered to take my sister and me on a vacation. My parents had just bought a cabin near Lake Millinocket in Maine, where we would spend two weeks there. My father is a pilot and insisted on flying his new seaplane, which I thought was pretty exciting. We packed what we needed and my uncle took us to Bangor International Airport. My uncle was going to meet us at the cabin with his family within the following days and wished us a safe flight. My dad went and got us clearance so we could enter the flight line. He came back and we packed our luggage on the plane to get ready for take-off. As soon as we took off I fell asleep and woke up from my sister tapping on my shoulder. She pointed at Mount Katahdin and I was in complete awe. I could see the beautiful reflection from the sun on the lake and Mount Katahdin in the distance. We landed at the seaplane base and my parents got a rental car to go to our cabin. Finally, we arrived at our cabin around the evening and got our rooms situated.
By Kong Lee/TheBuffDiver4 years ago in Horror
The Sputtering
Letty always loved boating. Her mother had always warned her about her adventurous nature, and the consequences of nefarious thoughts. "What in the hell do you think you'll find in the big city anyway?"
By Adrian R4 years ago in Horror
Reflections
Across the street there’s a park with a pond in the center. Well, technically the maps refer to it as a “reservoir” but I like calling it a pond. It’s got a lot of ducks, geese, and squirrels that like to hang out there. My girlfriend and I love going there, especially to clear our heads.
By Stephen Newton4 years ago in Horror