Horror Stories of 100 Words
For the month of October 2026, these are the stories that intrigue us most.
* Kiss by Koren Cowgill
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* The Last Laugh by Michael Wood
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* He Might Have to Go by Kamran Connelly
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* Babysitting the Demon by Tom Gdisis
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* Something in the Water by David Minor
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* Dinner by John Lane
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* Not Afraid by DL Ross
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* Which Doctor by Donna Faulkner
Kiss
by
Koren Cowgill
Store’s busy.
Ick-Man’ll go to Marty’s register.
Eleven minutes till close.
Marty helps a woman with her bags.
Nine minutes.
You turn, sneeze, turn back—
Ick-Man. He hands you a sticker—of red glossy lips. “A kiss.”
“No, thanks.”
“Bite me,” he says, and glares.
“Well. I bite.” You smile.
Ick-man pays for his milk, and leaves.
Two more minutes.
Marty closes your register, glances toward the parking lot. “Stay safe.”
“Thanks.”
In the lot, Ick-Man grabs you, plants his mouth on yours, his tongue probing.
You bite. Tongue-blood fills your mouth.
He screams his agony.
You smile your delight.
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Koren Cowgill received her undergraduate and doctoral degrees in Music Composition from the Eastman School of Music and her Master of Music from Yale. As a writer, Koren completed her first novel, The Final Months of Hoo-hah, in 2019, and it’s available on Amazon in both paperback and eBook formats. Her high fantasy novel, Teurith of Loring, is available on Amazon in eBook and paperback formats. In the fall of 2024, her short story, The Shuffler, was published in Hedge Apple Magazine’s Labyrinth issue. Koren lives in Cape May County with her husband, Richard, and their dogs, Saffron and Talea.
The Last Laugh
by
Michael Wood
Eddie Knox would do anything for a laugh, and the devil knew it.
One dark whisper was all it took for every joke to land, for every move to bring the house down; for Eddie to become a star.
But hilarity followed him everywhere. His lovers laughed at the wrong time. His mother’s mourners cried the wrong tears. His life, a divine comedy.
A last show, his final plea.
“Enough,” he screamed, as bloodied hands clapped.
Eddie’s finger gripped the trigger and the room erupted.
Everyone begged for more.
Everyone but one…who always had the last laugh.
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Michael "Woody" Wood moved to the US after a career in British news journalism. After an odd spell as a Texan plumber, he returned to writing, finding his fiction voice. He now writes for fun balancing time with his wife, two daughters and single-toothed biting dog Hank.
He Might Have to Go
by
Kamran Connelly
Ray, my neighbour. Sometimes I think he knows.
On the way to the car today, he stopped me again; “Hey Clarence, you get younger looking every time I see you. How do you do it?”
I didn’t lie but played humble. “Diet. You just gotta eat the right things.”
“You hear they pulled another kid out the lake? Missing his heart and liver. Just like all the others,” he said without missing a beat.
“Jeez. How many is that now?” I asked to test his knowledge.
“I think this one makes thirty.”
He was three over, but I didn’t correct him.
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Kam’s Novelette DEATH BED INC is due for publication by Twisted Dreams Press. He has features in anthologies by Hollowpoint Press, Wolfsinger Publications RDG Books Press and UnpopularPublications. Is currently shopping around his debut novel, The Extinction Process. And his Vampire novella BLOOD BANK. Is published online at The Horror Tree, Trembling with Fear, Flash Phantoms, and WitCraft for his works of fiction. Has poetry featured in three anthologies, and a novella featured in the Paul Cave Prize for literature.
Babysitting the Demon
by
Tom Gdisis
I’m stuck sitting Gregory again. Even his name grates my nerves. I just want to hang out with my boys.
“Gregory, put the darts down.” Oh, that kid.
“Go play in my game room!” Maybe I can get some bets down on DraftKings.
“Ahh, dang my arm hurts.” That kid is awful quiet…
“Damn, my leg! Gregory, what are you up to? What are you doing with that doll? Is that me? Where did you…?”
Pain shoots through my stomach as Gregory inserts a needle.
“Put the needles down!”
Gregory’s eyes glow fire-red, giggling as he torches the doll.
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Tom Gdisis is an award-winning writer, photographer, and baker. A retired 45-year broadcast professional and Nebraska resident, he now explores storytelling through prose, poetry, fiction and non-fiction scribblings. He enjoys improvisational comedy, poetry readings and volunteering. Published several times, you can find his creative writing in Fine Lines (Amazon & online), Horrortree.com, AntipodianSF, Reedsy.com, Nunum, Allpoetry.com and Substack.
Something in the Water
by
David Minor
Greta Morris took a deep breath, leapt off the diving board, and dived into the swimming pool. Her form had been perfect, and there was no doubt that she would win the competition. However, she had failed to come back to the surface. Her coach dived in after her. Moonlight shone down onto the water. Soon, it began frothing as several items did come to the surface. They were the limbs of the coach’s body, including his severed head.
The crowd screamed as a huge, hairy beast emerged from the bloody pool with a frightening howl.
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David has published stories at Friday Flash Fiction and was a finalist once in Globe Soup’s Micro Writing Competition.
Dinner
by
John Lane
Frank came home to dinner waiting for him on the table. His wife pointed to the chair; he sat without taking off his coat. He hated coming home. Lately he hated most things.
He ate quickly, looking at his phone. A piece of meat stuck in his throat. He tried to cough, nothing came out. He stood, knocking his chair over, and grabbed at his neck.
His wife put down her fork.
“Help me,” he tried to say.
She stayed where she was. He reached across the table, caught her sleeve, then slid to the floor. She pulled her sleeve free and smiled.
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John Lane is an Irish author from Ennis, County Clare, now living in the northwest of Ireland. His writing spans dark fantasy, crime, horror and poetry, often exploring the darker side of human nature. His background in fine art, social care and policing has shaped much of his work. He is the author of The Raven Chronicles, a dark fantasy series inspired by Irish mythology, and the forthcoming crime novel Why the Curlew Cries. His short fiction explores ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, drawing on his experiences of life, loss and the complexities of human relationships.
Not Afraid
by
DL Ross
“Mummy!”
The familiar scream tears my eyes open. I hurry to the pink room at the end of the hall. “What’s wrong, my darling?”
“The scary lady!”
“Again?” I ask, glancing around. “Where is she?”
Emily points to the darkest corner behind me. I spin around - nothing.
I pick her up and snuggle her close. I shush and tut, it’ll be alright, it’s just a bad dream. “Besides, if she’s after you, she’ll have to go through me,” I say, trying to sound tough.
“Mummy,” Emily whispers, “she says she’s not afraid of you.”
The shadows in the corner shift.
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DL has been a closet horror writer as far back as middle school, but she hid it behind degree work in science and design. Her writing has been published on Horrortree and the soon to be released anthology, Where Connections Lead. She self-published her first novel, Once Warrior, and is an active member of the Horror Writers Association.
Which Doctor
by
Donna Faulkner
Waiting in an exclusive clinic off London’s Harley Street, I feel like a prop in a production.
Everything’s pristine.
The receptionist is a perfect mannequin. Blank stare, ironed face, plump lips.
Here for a consultation with the distinguished Dr Carnegie. I sit, swallowed by a wingback chair, dwarfed by the subtleties of old money.
Summoned to his room, I’m sedated by wafting incense, hypnotised by the feathered fetish circling the ceiling.
The room is sparse, just a gurney amongst candles.
The door slams shut. I hear it lock.
Hooded figures in dark robes emerge from the shadows and surround me.
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Donna Faulkner lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.Proudly working class,she came to the business of writing later in life. Her poetry and prose has been widest published. Awards include first place in both the Loud Coffee Press Annual Haiku and Rune bear Drabble competition 2022. Second place for nonfiction "The Rag Doll Rider" (Havik, 2023); second prize for literature "A Summons to the Revolution" (ZO Magazine, 2025); and honorable mention for poem "Old Friend" (Dark Poets Club, Small Space Deep Impact, 2025). Her chapbook, ‘The Oracle of birds : stories for the fireside’ was published by Written Tales, USA 2023 and her debut poetry collection,‘In Silver Majesty’ was published by erbacce press, UK in 2024. Instagram @lady_lilith_poet/ Twitter @nee_miller. https://linktr.ee/donnafaulkner