Chee Ling Wu

1)  The Eyes 

The doll has sat on my shelf ever since the day my sister was born, its porcelain eyes glazed perfect blue. Every night, I would tuck my sister in next to me and wake up to her head on my shoulder. This morning, I noticed that the doll had disappeared, and when I turned around to question my sister, two pairs of icy porcelain blue eyes stared back at me. 

2)  My Sister

It has been watching me for over a week…a shadow behind the door, a reflection on my computer screen, a whisper by the windowsill… My sister told me not to be afraid of the whisper, but the whisper told me I never had a sister.

Victoria Ngai

1)  And while I stood, staring, the girl gradually faded into the mist, receding until nothing was left but a pale, mournful face, which impressed upon me the effects of speech: “I am not her child, not yours, nor am I a child at all…” 

2)  He returned home and turned on the lights, only to find that the knife was lying in a pool of blood on the table again…

Vinay Hirani

1) Every corner I turn I come back to the same place. Not moving at all, always in the same position. I am ignored or I am not being seen. I never recall past moments, no one notices me. I look into the mirror, I see me. Other people see nothing. 

2) I walk down bare streets, the trees rustling in the wind. No one but me, I'm alone. I enter my dwelling, dead space. I sit down and read, entering a new world, one that I should and would like to be in. There was a knock at the door. 

3) Looking up, down, left and right, everyone scribbling down sentence after sentence. But there is this one person, a good friend, sitting next to me. I take a glance at the sheet, the same sentence again and again and again. "I will kill you..." 

4) Lazing in my room, everything is silent. Nothing moves, just me, alone. In the distance a faint sound of water dripping, and then the curtains shake and then the phone rings and then.... the clanking of knives rubbing by my ear. 

5) I gazed out of my room.  A man was at our doorstep, juggling. Juggling knives. I went back to bed, but when I looked outside again, he was closer. That smile, creepy as ever. He moved closer and closer. 

I was on the floor, lifeless, the next day.

Gabby Tam & Shanyu Hou

1)  A Girl with No Face 

 A girl with long black silk hair stood with her back against me. Her hair extended all the way to her thin waist. Draped against her body was a blood red ancient dress, wrapped around her, neck to ankle. Out of curiosity, I tapped her lightly on the shoulder. She turned to face me. Not a pair of eyes or mouth do I see, just layers and layers of dark black hair. 

2)  Dream or Reality 

 The last time I glanced at my alarm clock it was 1:38am. An instant pain rushed through my body to my brain. A frosty metal knife went straight through me in the chest, all I could feel was a cold stone hand covering my eyes. I struggled to get free, and woke up. I thought to myself, “Was it a dream?”. I glanced at my alarm clock. 1:37am. The door rumbled and fumbled open. 

3)  Who is there? 

I go through my phone, looking at the pictures I took yesterday. As I scroll down the only 100 photographs I have on my camera roll, I find one that has a person in it. I think to myself, “Did I meet anyone yesterday? No.” I click to enlarge the picture, and find it is a photo of me…… sleeping. I live alone. 

4) Back from the Dead 

A shrilling scream at my ear woke me up. It was my sister. She told me an intruder had gotten into the house. I panicked. I went down stairs with a gun. The living room was quiet, I could hear a needle drop. I then remembered, my sister was murdered by an intruder 3 years ago. 

5)  My Daughter 

Every night when I tuck my daughter into bed, she’d always ask me if monsters ever existed, I’d say no. Tonight she asked me to check if there were monsters under her bed. I went down on my knees and peered under. I was met by my daughter’s pair of eyes. She said, “Mommy, there’s someone on my bed.” 

6)  Mirror, Mirror on the Wall 

I stare into the mirror. A reflection that I do not recognise is before me. A young girl with dark circles around her eyes, her face pale as the full moon. I stretch out my hand to touch the mirror. Not a flat surface do I feel, but another hand touching mine. 

7)  Shadow 

A quiet night in the streets of Rome; street lights shine along the alley. I walk, gripping tightly on to my bag. A man walks busily pass me, grabbing my attention. Something’s different about him. There's no darkness on the ground around him. A man with no shadow? Or a shadow without a man? 

8)  Hitchhiker 

It was raining heavily out on the highway as a small car drove by. A young lady wearing a muddy white dress stood on the side of the road hitchhiking. The driver pulled over and offered a ride. The lady opened the door to the back seats and sat down without a word. The driver was suspicious, but continued to drive. After a mile, he looked back. However, there was no one but himself, driving. 

9)  Tapping 

I was finishing up my homework when a tapping sound filled the room. I asked my sister who was there also if she heard anything. She said no. Slowing, the tapping became louder and louder until it drove me insane. I screamed.

Sherson Ng

1) In the sunlight a man walked, away from the shadows. His eyes were a pale blue, his hair blonde. But on his face was the strangest smile, a smile that seemed to be purely for another's comfort; and his eyes were panicked. He continued to smile, and soon the entire crowd was smiling with the same smile, and with the same face. 

2) Where he walked, there was silence. Where he looked, there was nothing. And so he walked. He walked slowly, deliberately. And he laughed. He laughed as his body failed him. And he laughed as he died. 

3) The man next to me has a grip like iron. His breath is like ice, and his eyes like coals. He grabs an iron brand from the fire and presses it against my skin. My father smiles gently as I cry, and presses the brand to my lips.

Jacky Tam

1)  Waking up from a bad dream, I went downstairs for a drink. As I was walking down the creaky stairs, I saw my own distorted reflection in the mirror. And then I recalled that I don't have a mirror in my house.

2)  James was a happy boy. Although he had a busy, hard-working mother who always returned home late, he was still happy with his life. Every night he would wait for his mother in her bedroom, and when she came back, he would give her a hug and go straight to bed. 

One day he was exploring the basement when he saw something - his mother's rotten body. Before he could scream for help, the door creaked open and there was a familiar voice: "Honey, I'm home."

Lauren Mok

I came home late from school. “Mom?” I called out. “Yeeeees?” I heard a singsong voice call from upstairs. 

As I entered the room I heard my mother’s voice from downstairs. “I’m home!” I heard her call out, as a clawed hand dragged me down to the floor. 

[And in French:

Je suis rentrée de l’école et suis arrivée tard à la maison. “Maman?” J’ai crié. J’ai écouté une voix chantante à l'étage “Ouiiii?”. 

Je suis entré dans la chambre, mais j’ai entendu la voix de ma mére en bas. “Je suis à la maison”. Je l'ai entendu crier, comme une main griffée m'entraînant à l'étage.]

Chloe Lee

On the evening of Halloween, the kids run up the porch steps excitedly. They knock loudly, and laugh. “Trick or treat!”             

They smile when a head pokes out from the door, but they stop when the head falls and rolls to their feet.   

[And in French:

Le soir d’Halloween, les enfants montent l’escalier comme des fous. Ils frappent la porte et rient. “On mange ou on se venge!”             

Ils sourient quand une tête sort de nulle-part, mais ils s’arrêtent en voyant la tête tomber et rouler jusqu’a leurs pieds.]

Emily Duncan

The steady beeping of my alarm was how it began. First the screaming, then the scratching. A sour stench and my stomach clenched. Is this how it will end? 

I wake up, tangled and shaking with a feverish fear. But then my alarm beeps, and the screaming starts again. 

[And in French: Cela a commencé par un bip régulier. D’abord, un cri, et puis un crissement. Une odeur aigre et mon estomac serrés. Comment cela va-t-il finir? 

 Je me réveille, emmêlées et tremblante de peur, fébrile, quand mon alarme retentit de nouveau, et les cris recommencent.]

Adrian Lee

The link read: “CURSED!” Curious, I clicked on it and it led me to a page with a horrific video playing. The video was of a boy who hung himself, and there was a strange scream of agony resonating in the room. I closed the tab. The scream continued.

Stephanie Wu

Moonlight shines into the bus. The passengers get off one by one until there's no-one left but me. The bus goes through a long tunnel and all I can see is darkness.

The bus stops and there is a long silence. Then I see myself, through the window, lying on the ground, bleeding.

Shanyu Hou

The tapping was getting louder and louder. I looked at my watch: 1.28 am. My Mom ran into my room screaming, "There's a murderer downstairs." I grabbed my gun and tiptoed down the stairs. The lights were on, but no-one was there. It was two years ago my Mom was murdered here, at exactly this time of night.

Chee Ling Wu

1)  Nathan is a punctual man. He's in charge of the night watch every Thursday evening at the vineyard. Today's a Thursday, but he still hasn't arrived.

We look on the security camera. I see white knuckles among the bright red fruits, strips of hair and skin tied to the poles. And on our scarecrow there's a vivid white face grinning into the starry night.

2)  My sister said Mum killed her. Mum said I never had a sister.

Kevin Ho

I stopped for a hitch-hiker and he got in the back seat of my van. But when we reached town, the back seat was suddenly empty. I decided to drive back the way I'd come. After a few miles I found the hitch-hiker lying in the road in a pool of blood.

Georgina Savage

I keep hearing chanting from the children's room. I open the door to look. A doll was sat in the middle of the room, its glassy eyes dull. It's cracked fabric lips were moving, chattering: "Roses are red, Violets are blue, I've got a knife in the children's room."

It rose to its feet, a knife in its hand dripping with blood. It said, "Roses are red, Violets are blue, Now the door's open, I'm coming for you."

Harry Mowbray

1)  The door was unlocked. You could tell that no-one had been here for years. As I prised the door open, dust rose around my feet. I looked back through the empty doorway. Then I felt a cold hand on the back of my head, and it all ended.

2)  It was a rainy day. It had been raining for weeks. Peering through my curtains, I noticed a hooded figure outside the window. He appeared to be looking at me. Then I realised it was a reflection, and he was right behind me.

Ingrid Leong

I look into the mirror, and looking back at me is the reflection that I see every day. My face, however, looks different. It looks thinner and paler. Then I notice its unnatural stillness. When did I ever stand and stare like that?

Her hand - my hand - reaches out of the mirror and closes around my throat.

Enrique Chuidian

"Good night, darling," I whispered to my daughter as I tucker her into bed.

"Daddy," she whispered, "I think there's something under my bed."

"I'm sure it's nothing, princess," I replied, as I squatted down to check. Under the bed I saw my daughter's bloody body.

Ariana Beaver

"Tick-tock, tick-tock. The mouse runs up the clock. The clock strikes one. Now you'd better run!" The old lady in the next bed just won't shut up. Pushing my Nan down the stairs almost wasn't worth getting cooped up in this asylum. Almost.

Karis Tao

1)  She applied her lipstick in the mirror, admiring the way it was the color of blood -- a deep, deep red. A shout from her friends came from outside the bathroom, and she took her bag and got ready to go, checking her reflection one last time. As soon as she turned her back, the reflection smiled.

2)  He stuck his arm under the bed, rummaging for his homework. There was an empty pack of Marlboros, a candy wrapper, and some scraps of paper. And was that...water? Just then, another hand gripped his.

Angela Zhang

1)  I used to have DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). Now, since I’m fully recovered, both me and me are doing very well. 

 2) "Mommy, I dreamt a man was crawling on to my bed! I’m so scared!"

"It’s alright baby. There is no man in this world. Only ghosts exist.” 

 3)  I woke up in my bed, walked out of my room, saw all my family crying. My best friend is here, but she's crying too. I scream at them but no one seems to hear a thing. I wonder why. I walk out of the house and hear a little girl asking her mom,"Why does that girl have a hole in her head?" 

4)  I was invited to a party last week. There was one plate of meat that kept spinning in my head. I asked my friend what was that. He smiled but didn’t reply. What’s he hiding? Was that human? Nah, human don’t taste like that. 

5)  I lived alone in 802. At night I always hear the sound of a woman coming from 803. I’ve always thought it was the hot rod’s girlfriend, lucky him. Until one day he invited me to dinner and said,”Why don’t you bring your girlfriend along.” 

6)  One night I went to a restaurant alone. The waiter brought the menu and I finished ordering very quickly. He stared at the empty seat opposite me for a second and asked,”And what would this lady like, sir?” 

7)  I was alone in the elevator when the door opened at level 13. A sweet girl was about to get in but immediately stepped back murmuring to herself,”Why’s the elevator so full at even at midnight?” 

8) I asked my younger sister why she was crying. She said she was lost in the rock-paper-scissors game. I hugged her. "You are a big girl already, there’s no need to cry over losing a game.""But I was playing it to the mirror." 

9)  One day I decided to scare my girlfriend. I dressed as a ghost after texting her to come over. She was so scared, and I kissed her saying sorry baby. She wiped her tears and said, “Your friend's got to apologize too!” 

10)  I woke up screaming. "'Sup, baby?" Mother asked. "I dreamt that my whole family was headless!" I mumbled. "Like this?" Mother asked, taking off her head. 

11)  I used to be a parrot, but I’m okay now, I’m okay now, I’m okay now, okay now……

12)  0:02 am: A floating woman “walked” into my room. She’s nearer, nearer...I  want to scream, but can’t make a sound; I want to run, but can’t move an inch… She’s nearer… I woke up. Oh it’s just a dream! Dang! Dang!... The clock struck 12. 

Joanne Pang

I was washing my hair upside down, but something felt different. My hair seemed longer than it used to be. I touched my hair and thought it was weird. There was hair that was really rough. I heard yells and screams. I was washing her hair for her.

Rachel Li

1)  The expressionless is near. The expressionless is here. The expressionless is upon me. The expressionless is me. I am expressionless. 

2)  I wake up to the sound of hammering. It is dark. I start screaming. It's hot and small and closing in on me. I see a bright light. I can't breathe. I burst out. So this is what hell looks like. 

3)  I run up the stairs, feeling a presence behind me. I look behind me, make sure there's no one there. I look forward. There's someone there. I turn back, there's a wall.




4)  The painting on the wall is alive. The colors, the body, the face, the grass. It is especially alive when it smiles at me.

Isabella Boyne

A shriek, a crack, who knew that silence could seem so loud? I turn to look at her and she laughs, smile reaching from ear to ear. I run from the window but she follows. Yet there are no windows, only me. Four walls and no escape.

Florence Wu

It was the day the priest cured my daughter. Her scarlet eyes became blue. 

It was the day the priest invited us for dinner and my husband complimented the meat, but I was vegetarian. It was also the day the priest and my husband disappeared. 

That night, our village was haunted by two ghosts, with blood-shot eyes.

Alvin Au

There was a man, standing midair,
 he wears no clothes and has no hair.
 And then he screams,
 so loud it seems
 that he's driven madly to despair.