Short Horror Stories

The cold and dark

It's Christmas eve and I'm still working late, typing away at my computer.

You shouldn't pity me, I chose to do so.

I didn't really have any other plans and the extra pay seemed a lot better than sitting at a crowded dinner table with people I barely know.

For a moment I stop and look out the window.

Why does it have to be snowing now of all years?

Now I kinda regret not staying home...

I pull my attention back to my computer and continue my work.

An annoying tune goes off a couple of minutes later.

It's my alarm.

Since no one else is here today, I'm the only one who will remind me.

I finish up, gather my stuff, turn off the lights and heater. Finally, I lock the door of the building behind me, stepping out into the cold.

A strange silence greets my ears.

I take a step, the only sound is that of the crunching snow beneath my feet.

Perhaps I've gotten too used to the music I was listening to earlier? And I mean, it's late... everyone is probably inside finishing up the celebrations.

I try to tell myself but can't shake the feeling that something is off.

I look at the many lights throughout the streets before me, small, big, coloured or just a simple orange. They're all on, guiding me to the train station.

It's about a ten minute walk from here to there.

Getting closer I suddenly notice one of the lights flickering, I stop and stare at it.

Suddenly it pops, the glass drops into the fresh white snow, turning the place around it just a little darker.

It did startle me a little, but I just shrug and laugh it off and resume walking.

Jeez... why does it have to be so fucking cold?! I shiver.

It's creeping right through my jacket and gloves...

I complain a little to myself and like a child asking myself for something in return for the suffering, like a mug of hot chocolate when I finally return home or coffee from the station's store.

Taking another step, my foot unexpectedly sinks further down into the snow.

I look around and find myself somewhere completely different than I was meant to go.

Am I that tired?

I've walked this round a thousand times, twice a day, how come I'm mistaken now?

I turn around and start following my old footprints back to a place I recognize.

For some reason it seems a little darker than I remember.

For some unknown reason my own footsteps suddenly seem to stop.

I look around, but my workplace is nowhere in sight.

There are no signs of someone having wiped them away either.

I look around, but the place I once knew so well seems like a labyrinth now.

I feel like a stranger.

I feel a light panic growing inside my head.

Scanning the surroundings I find all the shops closed, still I decide to ring the first doorbell I see.

.

.

.

Nothing.

Quickly I press another one and knock on another door that seems like me to be someone's home.

But no response at all.

I'm all alone here.

The only marks of someone ever being here are my own and they seem to disappear after a while even though it's not snowing anymore.

My attention is taken by a loud zooming-like noise.

I turn and see a string with many lights slowly fade, until not shining at all anymore.

Are all the lights slowly turning off?

This is bad!

The lights in the stores have gone dark too, even the restaurants.

I try to find my way back to work, but no matter how hard I try I can't find it.

At some moments I'm convinced that a road leads somewhere only to find myself back at the spot I started.

The street names don't add up anymore.

It's as if something is messing with me.

I know some of the names for certain, but they're not in the right streets.

Even some shops I recognize are not in the places they're supposed to be.

It's still so terribly cold and yet I've stopped shivering completely.

I can't think straight and I'm extremely tired.

There's only one light remaining in this complete darkness.

One small light, the only one still bringing me some warmth.

But then...

It flickers and kills itself, leaving me in complete darkness and cold.