The Stairs in the Woods
- Reads 2,185
- Votes 202
- Parts 22
Complete Sat, Apr 30, 20221h 52m
Ten years ago, Julia Reddings's girlfriend climbed a set of stairs in the woods and never came back down.
When she was just a teenager, Julia Reddings watched her girlfriend Alice ascend a staircase in the middle of the woods and vanish at the top without a trace. In the ten years since, Julia has never been able to find Alice. Or the stairs. Now working as a park ranger, Julia has gathered the stories behind every paranormal encounter and local legend she can get her hands on, trying to unravel the mystery of her girlfriend's disappearance. But it seems that Alice has been wiped off the face of the earth.
Until she finds the stairs again.
Desperate for the truth, Julia returns to the place she lost Alice. But the woods that were once so dear to her are different, now. They feel dangerous. And the staircase that took Alice ten years ago is calling to her.
Based on ONC prompt #33: "And then I pressed my cheek against the asphalt and prayed the dead bodies would cover my scent."
ONC Longlister!!
Cover by @ClaraElisibeth
All Rights Reserved
#14
opennovellacontest2022
Join the largest storytelling communityGet personalized story recommendations, save your favourites to your library, and comment and vote to grow your community.
You may also like
Don't Call Me Hero
It's been over a year since Cassidy Miller retired from the United States Marine Corps, but try telling that to her nightmares. She knew that coming back after eight years in a war zone wouldn't be easy, but she'd underestimated the real difficulties of transitioning back to civilian life. War is hell, but the aftermath is endless. Looking for a fresh start, she's left her friends and career in Minneapolis to be a police officer in northern Minnesota. It's in the tiny town of Embarrass where she learns more about Julia Desjardin. The city prosecutor is cool, professional, and untouchable. But she and Cassidy have history, and Cassidy isn't going to let her easily forget that. For all their surface differences, Cassidy and Julia have more in common than they first realized-both are reluctant to hand over their pasts to be judged and studied. But it might take someone just as damaged as the other to help each cope with the skeletons in their respective closets. Three Chapter Excerpt: Full novel available in ebook and paperback on AmazonComplete![Trouble Sires Three Children [ONC 2020]](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/215481208-256-k935542.jpg)
Trouble Sires Three Children [ONC 2020]
Christine was just a small-town psychic detective telling fortunes and helping the police locate missing persons when world-renowned archeologist Charles Debois appeared with an unusual job offer-join his team as a psychic archeologist. The catch, she had to keep her talents a secret. Now she finds herself chasing after an elusive treasure that should never see the light of day. Will they listen to her and turn back before its too late? Not likely. #OpenNovellaContest2020Complete
Loser || WLW (A NEW STORY)
*THIS IS A NEW STORY * It only took one night to change her life. A night that she doesn't remember. Jordan Taylor was trying to stay in the shadows of her prestigious high school as she finished her senior year, but when she fainted at work and woke up the next day surrounded by police officers, she knew things would never be the same. Already labeled an outcast, Jordan must team up with people she doesn't trust and do the unthinkable to clear her name.Complete
Flickering Creatures | ONC 2024 Longlist | ✔︎
When Bryony -- herbalist extraordinaire -- goes missing, Bella knows one suspect stands above the rest. The village's aspiring second witch, Daphne, comes from a family that's tried to take Bryony down before, and Daphne seems determined to carry on that legacy. For someone who's always been terrified of Bryony, she's a little too keen on looking into the disappearance. There's just one problem. Bella's insufferable fellow familiar thinks the kid is innocent... and he's been right about worse things before. If Daphne herself is to be believed, clues on the disappearance lead a whole lot closer to home than Bella would like. As the evidence mounts, Bella must choose to either stand by her values and the woman who raised her, or seek what might be a truth she would rather not uncover. Prompt #81: The town's witch has gone missing and no one is looking for her but her two familiars - a crow and a black cat, plus the teen who has always been scared of her. ❖❖❖ Written for Wattpad's 2024 Open Novella Contest. Longlister. Complete. Comments and critiques are both welcome and appreciated. I write characters from many different backgrounds, with many different experiences. If you share those traits and find that I have misrepresented anything, please let me know! I am feedback-friendly and here to learn :)Complete![Midnight Sun (Phenomena I) COMPLETED [Under Revision]](https://img.wattpad.com/cover/350266390-256-k963016.jpg)
Midnight Sun (Phenomena I) COMPLETED [Under Revision]
Ever since her father's mysterious disappearance, Samantha Perez has been haunted by vivid dreams of a faceless man with glowing red eyes. For years, the dreams faded. But they suddenly return, just as she secures a position at Vladosk Company, the very place she once dreamed of working. Her new role as the secretary to Cray Black places her in the center of a fate she will not be able to escape. When a series of disappearances begins to plague the city, mirroring the horror of her strange dreams slipping into reality, she has to decide. Stay in the dark. Or go straight into the light. But she has to be aware. As her choices pile up, more people will come marking their sight. To her. And her life. ~~~~~~~~~~~ This story is made in Taglish. Warning: This story contains mature themes that are not suitable for readers under 17 years of age. I will write responsibly; therefore, readers, you should also be responsible in your reading. Highest Rankings #1 in Phenomena - 11/16/2025 #1 in Occult - 12/23/2025 #1 in Esoteric - 12/22/2025 #1 in Speculative - 12/23/2025Complete
The Naturals
Her parents were serial killers. Her dads in prison and her mothers dead. Kathleen thought all her problems were erased, until she got that one special offer that no one could resist. Well... she tried. That didn't work out. Kathleen agrees to join the FBI's secret team of Naturals and solve grimy cold cases, until one of the current ones ties back to her own. Can Kathy find the killer before they come for her? Or will it be too late? Profiler: Dean Redding Emotion Reader: Michael Townsend Lie Detector: Lia Zhang Statistician: Sloane Tavish "Anything, and Everything." [BOOK 1 IN THE NATURALS SERIES] This is sort of a remake of The Naturals book by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. Some things are said the same, but my intent is not to copy. I do NOT take credit for anything other than my own characters and storyline. Please, read the real books, this is not just my story. WARNING⚠️ Mentions of abuse/and current~ Eating disorder~ Mentions of cutting~ Cursing~ I don't do smut❌ Please enjoy! #1 in #thenaturals as of November 27th, 2020 #1 in #naturals as of December 29th, 2020 #1 in #fbi as of August 25th, 2025Complete
House Ghost ONC 2022 LONGLISTER
Curiosity killed the cat. That's what a young ghost woman, Grey, tells herself everyday, feeling the same tug to know more about the human world. There's only one problem: the lights. The same lights that has made her kind extinct and has made her avoid any humans in her building. She's managed to balance her survival instincts and her curiosity for so long. But one day she makes a single error that brings her closer to a human than she ever wanted to be. Now she'll have to give up the life she's made for herself or fight the light to save her home. Let sleeping dogs lie. That's what college dropout Justin tells himself everyday, ignoring the issues piling up in his life. He's made it work this long. But one day he comes across something totally out of place in his world, and it's only the first of many. Now he has to either accept there's a stalker living in his house, or that his mind is unraveling. They're both running out of time. * ONC 2022 LONGLISTER ONC Prompts used: 64, 70 **Credit to @stella_vigo for the amazing, beautiful cover! **Credit to @ladyloki34 for the lovely lovely chapter banner!Complete
Haunted
The dead typically want one of two things. Ghosts crave conversation. Spirits seek pain. My name is Bria, and I've been able to interact with the dead for as long as I can remember. Communicating with the deceased might sound like a cool gift, but let me assure you, it's not. Ghosts don't shut up, and not all specters are friendly. In fact, most of them are dangerous. Pretending the paranormal doesn't exist is far easier than talking to the shadows, so I've been avoiding the dead for years. Past experiences have led me to avoid the living too. And for a long time, I've successfully kept my distance. Until a single ghost encounter in the library ruins everything. Now a couple of my classmates know my secret. But as it turns out, they have a deadly secret of their own. Time to talk to the shadows again. _______________ This story contains profanity and violence. [ONC 2021 Shortlister]Complete
It's been over a year since Cassidy Miller retired from the United States Marine Corps, but try telling that to her nightmares. She knew that coming back after eight years in a war zone wouldn't be easy, but she'd underestimated the real difficulties of transitioning back to civilian life. War is hell, but the aftermath is endless. Looking for a fresh start, she's left her friends and career in Minneapolis to be a police officer in northern Minnesota. It's in the tiny town of Embarrass where she learns more about Julia Desjardin. The city prosecutor is cool, professional, and untouchable. But she and Cassidy have history, and Cassidy isn't going to let her easily forget that. For all their surface differences, Cassidy and Julia have more in common than they first realized-both are reluctant to hand over their pasts to be judged and studied. But it might take someone just as damaged as the other to help each cope with the skeletons in their respective closets. Three Chapter Excerpt: Full novel available in ebook and paperback on Amazon
More detailsContent Guidelines