UPDATE: The Writing Competition has now closed and our editors-turned-judges will be going over the submissions over the next couple of days to decide on the top five horror stories. Thank you for your submissions!

She crouched into the smallest ball that her body could make, wishing she could disappear. Outside the wind whistled and the bare branches scratched against the windows. Across from her one window had been left open, but she dared not move from her corner of the room. The white curtains danced like crazy sorcerers in the cold night air. Blood from her wound silently dribbled down her face, intermixing with her tears.  A thick murderous laugh flooded her ears.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are…” She could hear footsteps just outside the door. This was the end, she had lost all hope.

This is the deciding moment that can change the whole face of the story.
What should she do?
Go to the door and face the murderer?
Or should she stay whimpering helplessly in the corner?
How would you make her act as the writer of this horror story?

There is opportunity for the plot to take a lame short-cut or a corny twist that devastatingly dooms its chances of ever becoming a haunting film. Perhaps you need to show us how it is really done. Whatever genre you are used to writing within, it is time to step outside your comfort zone and create some scary stuff by writing in blood… metaphorically of course!
All you have to do is send us your best horror story or poem under 800 words and bring a chill to our spine! Shockingly simple.

• The winner will receive a Horror DVD Pack including 30 Days of Night, The Descent, The Hitcher plus more, AND a double pass to see the latest horror phenomenon on screen, Paranormal Activity.

• Four runners up will win a double pass to Paranormal Activity.

• The best scary, creepy and strangely intriguing stories will be published online!

Beware! The deadline for scary submissions is November 30th, 2009.

Click here to create an account on Portal and make sure to check out the Contributor’s Guidelines before submitting your piece.

Competition prizes are provided courtesy of Icon Film Distribution Australia. Check out details of the film Paranormal Activity at http://www.paranormalactivity-movie.com.au/

For any enquiries or technical problems, please send an Email to comps@vibewire.org