The locket arrived in a plain brown box, no return address, postmarked from a town whose name Eliza had never heard. Inside lay a silver oval no larger than a quail’s egg, its filigree blackened with age. When she pried it open, a single lock of auburn hair slid against her thumb like silk soaked in ice water. A note, written in violet ink, read only: Wear me if you dare to know.

The fog lay thick upon the moors of Eldridge Hollow that November eve, as though the very breath of the earth had frozen mid-sigh. In the crumbling manor of Blackhorn Hall, where ivy strangled the gargoyles and the clocks had long since surrendered their chimes, Miss Elizabeth Blackhorn sat alone by the hearth.

When I think about the seduction of vampires I always conjure up the most handsome version of a man my mind can think of.  I’m sure I am not the only one.

In the fog-shrouded hills of Wraithmoor, where the moon hung like a cracked lantern, loomed Blackthorn Manor, its spires clawing at the sky, its windows pulsing with sickly amber light. Here dwelt Sir Magicroft, an enigmatic figure whose presence chilled the air. His face, sharp and ageless, held eyes—silvery and storm-clouded—that seemed to peer through the veil of life itself. Clad in threadbare velvet, he moved as if waltzing with unseen specters, his aura eerie enough to

The antique brass door knob looked out of place while gleaming under M7 Station’s sterile lights, but it was an important relic on the...

A female scientist battles time & UAPs across 1985-2025. Future humans guide us from doom—epic twists await in this sci-fi thriller...

Jasmine found a black heart-shaped locket in a thrift store. It was of heavy weight and had an ornate design to it, so she bought it.

Theo bought a black quill at an estate sale, its feather tip turned to a shade of green when dipped in ink.

In the fog-choked town of Ashwick, where streetlamps flickered like dying stars, the Ember Crown sat in a dusty case at the back of Mordecai’s Antiques, a shop that smelled of mildew and secrets.

Sam saw a silver butler's bell at a yard sale, its rim glowed when rung. So, he thought it was neat and brought it home.

Nina found a Victorian iron key in an antique shop, its handle glowing when held.

Lisa inherited a Victorian cameo that she pinned onto a brass frame for her dresser. Oddly though, its ivory face glowed green every day at dusk.

Tara bought a pair of purple velvet dice at a flea market, their red pips glowing green when rolled.

Milo found a brass lantern in a thrift shop, its glass panels etched with roses that shimmered green under moonlight.

Jake inherited a cracked mirror in an ornate Victorian frame design, but its surface was rippling like water.

Lila bought a vintage ladies brooch of a golden moth at an antique store. Its wings would move slightly back and forth that made a sound like the ticking of a tiny clock.

Tucked in a dusty pawnshop crate, Ethan found a small flute carved from bone, its surface etched with spiraling runes.

In the attic of the old Haverford House, Clara found a tattered veil, its lace shimmering with an unnatural green glow, like the static of her grandfather’s vintage radio.

Hiking in the woods near my town of Bridgeport, I found a clearing that wasn’t on any map. In the center was a circle of bones—small, like from birds or rabbits, arranged in a perfect spiral.

My vintage '80s TV never worked right. I kept it in the garage for nostalgia, a clunky thing from like 1984 that I bought at a yard sale. One night, during a storm, it turned on by itself...