Steph Marie
Bio
I write web content professionally but I'd rather live off my fiction, somehow. I love all things spooky, thrilling, and mysterious. Gaming and my horses fill my non-writing free time <3
Insta @DreadfulLullaby
Achievements (8)
Stories (43)
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Cracked. Runner-Up in The Moment That Changed Everything Challenge.
“Good morning, Reya. Have a great day!” Carl’s familiar greeting broke through the quiet morning air. “Thanks, Carl, you too!” Reya waved back, offering the same smile she had worn for weeks. Her voice sounded more automatic than she intended, the words slipping from her lips without much thought, mechanical, like they were on autopilot. The joy those daily exchanges once brought her had faded, losing their charm after her friend Lila disappeared last year.
By Steph Marieabout a year ago in The Swamp
A Digital Kuchisake-onna . Content Warning.
In the bright light of their large estate, Asumi adjusted her reflection in the mirror. She traced her finger along the faint lines beneath her eyes, dabbing them with a powder to conceal the years. Picking up a glass spray bottle, she spritzed her hair and fluffed it with a wide-tooth comb, admiring its shine. To conclude, she patted rouge onto her cheeks and slid some gloss over her lips.
By Steph Marieabout a year ago in Fiction
A Creative Renaissance
“Thanks again, Aunt Loraine,” Ben said as they moved the last of their meagre belongings into the tiny new house. “Oh hush, don’t you worry about a thing. I’ll let you two get settled. Oh, and I wrote down some websites for you - places in town that are hiring. Take a look when you can.”
By Steph Marieabout a year ago in The Swamp
The Council's Coin
The Council chamber fell silent as the Coin spun through the air, catching the light as it left Councilman Jarek’s fingers. All eyes—representatives, advisors, and press—followed its arc. The moment had arrived. The toss would decide whether to open Valoria’s northern territories for settlement or preserve them as protected land.
By Steph Marieabout a year ago in The Swamp
The Playground That Wasn't There
Lucas never knew why he preferred walking at night. Maybe it was the crisp air, the quiet streets, and the rarity of running into others. Often consumed with anxiety, his therapist suggested daily walks to clear his head and burn some energy. Going at night usually helped him sleep if nothing else.
By Steph Marieabout a year ago in Horror
The Clock Tower's Toll
The town had always been quiet, the kind of place where you could hear the wind sweeping over the cobblestone streets long after the villagers had gone to bed. But that night, at precisely midnight, a sound shattered the stillness—a profound, resonant toll that seemed to come from the bowels of the earth itself.
By Steph Marieabout a year ago in Horror
Waiting For Rain
Lena stood in the kitchen, staring out the window at the dry, brittle fields stretching into the distance. The sun had set hours ago, leaving only the faintest hint of dusk in the air. Still, the scent of rain lingered in the house—soft and damp, as if the earth had already begun to soak it in.
By Steph Marieabout a year ago in Horror
The Marionette's Curse
The village lay nestled in the shadow of the forest, its cobblestone streets silvered by the full moon's light. A crisp wind slinked through the trees, carrying the faint scent of woodsmoke and damp earth. It was a night like any other in the quiet hamlet—until the Puppeteer arrived.
By Steph Marieabout a year ago in Horror
A Fisherman's Oath. Runner-Up in Fantasy Prologue II Challenge.
The river ran backwards on the day the Queen vanished. Eamon noticed it before dawn, standing at the water’s edge with his calloused hands on his oar. The current, once as steady and predictable as his breath, now defied nature, pulling upstream in eerie silence. He stared, feeling a chill run through him that had nothing to do with the morning fog.
By Steph Marieabout a year ago in Fiction
