Some stories begin with a scream. These begin with a whisper. A funeral game where the dead whisper secrets back. A frozen lake that opens for one night each winter. A house that creaks after the power dies at 2:13 a.m. In these pages, shadows breathe, grief takes strange shapes, and ordinary places become something far more dangerous after dark. This collection of eerie short stories blends psychological horror, mystery, and the supernatural into haunting tales that linger long after the final page. Perfect for readers who love slow-building dread, unsettling twists, and the feeling that something is watching from just beyond the light. Welcome to the dark. Just don't stay too long.

ONC 2026

[ONC2020 Shortlister / A Featured Story on Wattpad Low Fantasy] You can't outrun the past. Hattie Newfield is a fake medium who makes a living off pretending to speak with the dead. But Hattie has a real psychic gift--she can "read" people's memories. When Hattie is approached by a stranger with an intriguing job proposal, she learns that she has other psychic powers that aren't easily controlled. As the two join forces to investigate a mysterious haunting, her psychic powers grow and the past begins encroaching on the present in unforeseen ways. Now Hattie must face her own troubled memories before the dark past overtakes them both.

When Etta inherits her grandmother's house in a dying southern town, she expects dust and silence, not cassette tapes that whisper buried confessions, and not bloodroot blooming where no sun touches. But the house remembers. And the deeper Etta digs into the garden, and herself, the more she begins to question what was forgotten... and what was buried alive. Some memories rot. Others grow.

The Open Novella Contest is back for 2026! Join fellow storytellers and plant the seed of a tale that will blossom into a 20,000+ word novella within 12 weeks! Your epic quest begins February 1st, 2026, so mark your calendars with this date!

Your roadmap to Wattpad's biggest contest starts here! Road to The Wattys is designed to prepare you for The 2026 Watty Awards with fresh updates very single week! While the official rules aren't released until April 20th, this is your go-to hub for community engagement, writer prep, and reader activities. Whether you're polishing your novel-length story or looking to find one to celebrate, we've got you covered! Don't just wait for the submission deadline - master the writing journey and get involved today.