Paranormal Prompts

Prompt 55 || Word Prompt

Hello everyone and welcome to our brand new prompt! We hope that you're all keeping safe and healthy during this time and to stave off your boredom, we have a word prompt just for you. Remember that you are free to interpret the prompt in any manner you see fit, be it literal or figurative, provided that there is a clear link between your entry and the prompt provided. For more information, check out the guidelines below!

WORD PROMPT:

WINNERS:

Please note that winners are not listed in any particular order. To read the rest of the amazing entries, check them out in the comments section below!

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WINNER 1: noodle4444

I can hear its breathing.

Here in the darkness, smothered by clothes on plastic hangers, that is the only sound — the slow, hissing breath of a monster. I cover my mouth. Any sound will give me away, and the thin wooden walls of the wardrobe will be little protection if it finds me.

It stinks of sweat and fabric softener — a suffocating stench in a space like this, barely bigger than a coffin. Another, subtler smell seeps under the door, faint, ever so faint, but unmistakable: gone-off meat.

The creature is closer than ever, close enough to reach out and touch if the door was open. Sometimes it talks, or tries to, spitting a low string of senseless words.

"Near? Something small close. Clever hidden. Ran? No. Here. Find. Small. Skin. Scared. Treat."

I press myself again the back wall, as far as I can from the sound. Sometimes pokes me in the leg, then clatters to the floor.

A jubilant cry. "Found!"

My cricket bat, stored in the wardrobe for the winter.

As the door to my hiding spot is flung open, I ready my bat, lift, and swing.

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WINNER 2: SnowdropCypress17

Did I fall asleep again? Shoot. I was supposed to be up by now.

But I suppose that doesn't matter anymore. The thing that occupies my room never leaves. It's glued to some contraption making weird noises. And all I can do about it is hide in this cramped space with smelly pieces of cloth. It's not fair. This is MY room.

Just because I'm not alive anymore doesn't mean someone can occupy my room and put insulting posters on the walls, locking me in the closet and ignoring me.

Ugh. They haven't even opened it since I arrived. I wonder if it knows I'm in here. I certainly hope not. It looks so odd. How does it even stand up with two legs? I wonder what it will do to me if it finds me.

I shudder at the thought.

I stretch, not bothering to check if the thing is awake. I hear the sounds of the contraption it is so addicted to. It won't get off for another hour or so.

As I stretch my body, my arms stretch as well, scaly things they are. As I lay back down in a more comfortable position, my body knocks into something that wasn't there before.

It's a dark case with a strange shape, almost like a pear. But it's way larger. I scratch at it, and the fabric tears. Inside is a wooden instrument with strings strung across it. It looks rather odd, and my curiosity gets the better of me. I rip my fingers across the strings, and it makes a horrible noise. The strings snap at my sharp nails, and I stumble back at the horrendous sound.

The strange sounds of the contraption stop outside the closet.

Then the closet door swings open.

I am caught by the monsters outside. They are yelling and screaming in a language I do not understand. I am terrified. What will they do to me?

When I finally look up, I am confused.

Why do the monsters look so scared?

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WINNER 3: Six--Sense

I peeked out the closet door and watched the demonic beast slowly sniff around the room. It was here for me. It was obvious. I calmed myself down and cocked the loaded pistol in my hand. For the first time in my life, I was afraid.

I was afraid of this dark and evil creature that dared to invade my home. The beast continued sniffing around for me as I raised the gun, training it directly at the thing's heart. At least, where it's heart should be.

I stumbled back as the monster turned in my direction. Standing up on two legs, it slowly stalked toward the closet I was hiding in. It's bright red eyes glared with evil and murder. It growled dangerously, like a wolf would when threatened or angry.

The door flew open and I fired immediately. The bullets flew right through the monster as it reached out towards me. I lifted my leg and kicked it back. The thing roared and lunged at me.

I opened my eyes and looked around. It was gone. The monster was gone. Of course, it was never there to begin with. It was a mere illusion. A hallucination. The monster was never there. A trick is what it was. My mind playing a trick.

But trick or not, there was a monster in this room. And it's standing right where I am. Remember when I said I was afraid? I lied. I wasn't afraid.

I wasn't afraid of the monster I've become. No. I was terrified.