Every great horror story is rooted in truth – it’s a mirror, and sometimes what it shows us is the real monster.
Fear wears many masks. This year’s Horror Tropes Contest proved just how enduring – and continually terrifying – those masks can be. From the timeless echo of a creepy phone call that blurs the line between connection and terror, to possession that steals the body and soul, each story reminds us of why these archetypes endure. The familiar becomes strange once again; haunted houses breathe…. deformed creatures reach out from the dark and demand to be seen… and the soul eater chokes…
Layover by Betty Stanton is a brilliant story that walks the line between life and death and shows us how a ringing phone can be the only connection to a blurred reality.
We invite you to enjoy these stories that successfully reimagine classic horror motifs.
Horror Tropes Contest Winner
Layover by Betty Stanton
Horror Tropes Contest Honorable Mentions
(in no particular order)
Fetish by J.T. Seate
Memento Mori by Ida Zdilar
Things to Fear by Carter Lappin
The Knock Behind the Wall by Angel Graves
Read the original Tropes contest guidelines here.