Ghost Story Competition
We are incredibly proud to celebrate the success of four talented students from KS3 and Ks4 Rivers ESC who have been selected for publication in the Young Writers Ghost Story Competition!
Huge congratulations go to Rhys S, Kiki C, Bradley P and Demarion M, whose chilling ghost stories stood out from thousands of entries submitted by students across the country.
Each story was crafted with suspense, atmosphere and tension, keeping readers hooked from start to finish. From eerie settings to unexpected twists, these writers showed fantastic creativity and confidence in their storytelling, making for truly gripping reading!
The Young Writers competition challenged students to explore the darker side of fiction, and we have loved reading every single story submitted at Rivers ESC. The imagination, effort and enthusiasm shown by our students has been brilliant, and this success is well deserved.
Being selected for publication is a fantastic achievement and something to be very proud of. Well done to our published authors - we can’t wait to see what you write next!
Please enjoy the stories below from our incredible students!
The Hollow Whispers
One gloomy night I woke up and heard a spine shivering whisper; it sounded like a quiet scream or someone who tried to scream but has had their face covered.
I didn’t think much of it and turned over and went to sleep. Roughly an hour later I heard the same noise but louder... I got scared this time but still didn’t think much of it... another hour went by, and I heard it again and it came from outside my door followed by a loud scratching as if someone was trying to scrape there way inside.
For five long and quiet minutes I silently crept up to the door and peeked through the hole. But. There was nothing but darkness.
The next morning, I heard a loud knocking at the door, as I got up to open the door, I saw a figure peeking through the window I quickly ducked down and then I ran out the house to catch it but there was nothing there. I sat there for a while and in the corner of my eye I saw a head in my room, I got up and crept over to have a look and there was nothing there except a faint breathing. I ran towards my closet to open and have a look but all I saw were scratch marks on my door, I freaked out and walked out the door, I was shaking and frightened thinking it was over! I crept back into my house and saw IT peeking at me again... this time I kept my eyes on it and walked towards it, the second I turned a corner it was gone... as if it was never there.
Maybe...a ghost?
Bradley P, KS4
Red
It was a dark, gloomy night. Me and my friends were on a camping trip toasting marshmallow. Suddenly, a CREAK came from the spooky forest. We went to check and stumbled across a dark cabin, red eyes looked at us from a misty window. We screamed and ran, stumbling over our feet back to the camping ground. I froze. Fire. Spreading. Panic struck, all hell broke loose.
My friends ran off in panic and I was left alone. Red eyes rushed towards me. All I heard was a growl behind me, “You’re mine” it shrieked. I blacked out falling, down down, deep into a coma. Now all I see is red.
Demarion M, KS3
The Mist
Typical. The school van has a flat tire… we are in the middle of nowhere! We were just trying to do an off-site lesson. Next minute we are walking through Epping Forest trying to get signal on our phones to get help. SUDDENLY the darkness engulfed us. Mist filled the air. We can barely see ahead of us AND THEN…
Kiki C, KS4
Scratch
It was a dark and cold night. Bradley was lying in bed when suddenly he awoke with a BANG! SCRATCH. What was that noise? He creeped over to the wardrobe tiptoeing as he went. SCRATCH…. It sounds like a cat?! SCRATCH SCRATCH SCRATCH. But…Wait…
He doesn’t own a cat.
Rhys S, KS4