The Vault Of Horror

WELCOME TO
THE VAULT OF HORROR

Here you will find all the winners of both the flash and short story contests hosted by the Absolute Horror group.

Please take some time to read and review a few - there' plenty here to scare you.

Slide to the Absolute Horror Writers Group main page "Absolute Horror" 




- ROUND ONE -

Well these members showed why they should be in the Absolute Horror Group with these stories - In fact you made it so difficult for me to judge fairly (I actually had the coin ready I had to call in some guest Judges... billwilcox and Danger Mouse - my thanks and appreciation to both of you, you're 's.

So with their choices and mine, I correlated the points awarded to each and the winners are...


- 1st Place -

"In Through the Out Door"   by Kotaro


- 2nd Place -

"A Halloween story"   by Gnowee


- 3rd Place -

"Halloween"   by Lox~back, but all new!


Since I thought all of the stories were excellent, here they are for your perusal...

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

"Aghast of Honor"   by Indelible Ink

Big THANKS once again for all those who took part.







MONTHLY WINNER FOR NOVEMBER 2010

"The Dark Forest Serenade "   by Alexia Wynd

For me, this story just had a certain air and feeling about it, which stayed in my mind and tickled my little grey cells every now and then... Enjoy.


ROUND 29 WINNER

Firstly let me say thank you to all the writers who took part in this round - 9 good stories and I had to pick a winner - here it is...

"The Dark Forest Serenade "   by Alexia Wynd

The challenge was to write a Supernatural Horror story in the Soft / Quiet style and this one just edged out a little more than the rest. There was a nice creepy feeling to the whole story. As I mentioned in the review, it is nice to have an "olde" Vampyre story - which has a sensuality to it, and not a romantic twist as is the case with modern vamps. Enjoy... I did.

ROUND 28 WINNER

"Geinecology"   by Indelible Ink

This weeks challenge was to tell a horror story through the eyes of the monster in an American Gothic / Splatterpunk style. You couldn't get anymore American Gothic than the man hiding in the shadows of stories such as Psycho... Mr. Gein. Here we have him "chatting" to his mother on the day of his capture...


ROUND 27 WINNER

"A Question of Priorities"   by Indelible Ink

This weeks winning story tells the story of a Mothers love for her two young children... and the lengths she'll go to in order to protect them.


ROUND 26 WINNER

"Not Left Alone"   by Lox~back, but all new!

This dark and nasty tale asks the question: "Should you get involved if you know your neighbour is abusive to their family?"


MONTHLY WINNER FOR OCTOBER 2010

"The Sacrifice"   by Gnowee

Because this is about as dark and nasty as you can get.


ROUND 25

Unfortunately the one story entered this week did not follow the prompt and was not eligible for this round.


ROUND 24 WINNER

"Dagon's Promise "   by D Carlson

Where Jaws kept people out of the oceans, this nasty little tale should keep you off the beaches... though that wont help any.

The Old Gods are back once more to demand our respect and sacrifice.


ROUND 23 WINNER

So this was another very close round - though the winning story had a few more elements of the prompt within the story (and only a few at that)... So here we go...

"The Sacrifice"   by Gnowee

This is a very nasty tale of a brutally raped woman and her choice to keep the child... Oh, how the outcome would've been different if she hadn't...


Honourable Mention

"Still Born"   by Indelible Ink

A very nasty and darkly humourous tale of comeuppance between a husband and wife expecting their first child.


ROUND 22 WINNERS

That's right Winners. For the first time I couldn't choose between two of the stories. In their own ways they deserve the title... In no particular order...

"The Tokoloshe"   by Gnowee

The story of a very nasty African Daemon, who has been hired for a specific mission. Unfortunately the mission doesn't quite go according to plan...
This is a well written story told in a very distinctive style which really works for this piece. Right from the outset the no-nonsense succinct sentences set a choppy pace, speeding you effortlessly to it's dark and humourous climax.

"The Smell of Copper"   by LCVarnum

Here's the age old story of Hunter V's Prey... but which is which...
The author of this dark and nasty tale makes very good use of descriptive narrative to set the scene and the feel of the story. You feel as though you too are walking in the close, shadowy, ominous aisles and galleys of the ship, where the story is set.


MONTHLY WINNER FOR SEPTEMBER 2010

"Duke"   by Danger Mouse

I really did love the feel of this story - if you haven't read it yet, go on, dive in, enjoy.


ROUND 21 WINNER

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

Every week you writers give me a difficult choice to make - and I thank you all.

What with all the trouble in getting this story posted on the message board for the contest I'm glad we finally did. Though a lot of the stories were very similar this week - and was way dark and nasty - I found this one encompassed the prompt, style and sub-genre a little more than the others - Please note I'm not saying better, you all did a great job.

The other nice thing about the story was the fast pace. We're thrown in right as the action begins, the opening line is a good hook, and the authoress doesn't slow down one bit. I read through this in a flash and enjoyed every second.


ROUND 20 WINNER

"Duke"   by Danger Mouse

Again, another week of strong entries and good stories. However, the thing which pushed this over the finish line, a nose-hair in front of the others was that it screamed Poe to me (especially The Tell-Tale Heart); and brought up to date too.

A story of one woman, her lover and his dog. A proper little family tale... NOT!


ROUND 19 WINNER

"They Know!"   by bamed

Do they? And just what do they know?
It was a very good contest this week, with loads of great entries, though this one just squeaked through. It's a well written story that oozes a dark and paranoiac atmosphere. Enjoy.


ROUND 18 WINNER

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

Okay so there was only one entry in this Round - shame on you guys - which doesn't mean to say it isn't a good story. In fact, it's quite the opposite; it's a well written and structured tale of one woman's love and obsession for her dead son. Give it a read, rate and review - I know you'll enjoy it.


MONTHLY WINNER FOR AUGUST 2010

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor


ROUND 17 WINNER

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

This one was so close I had to go back and check the action replay and the freeze frame , and this one was the winner by a nose (well, because of the writing style - which just screamed Lovecraft to me).

It's the story of one man and his dog, out on a trek for a neglected property of interest. What they find instead is a nightmare, set all too much in reality for the hikers own good.

This is a well written and structured story and I recommend everyone to read this story.

Honourable Mention

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

This is the story of a man and his hunting dogs hot on the trail of their prey when something goes wrong. In this story you have a supernatural creature along the lines of Lovecraft. The action is sharp and nasty as the creatures become the hunters...


ROUND 16 WINNER

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

You Guys! Oh, sorry... and Gals! You sure make judging difficult for a poor old clown. I loved every story in this weeks contest and choosing a winner wasn't easy.

I chose this one because it was a good story (as were the others), well written and stayed a little closer to the prompt of a Quiet / Soft horror.

Taking place in the proverbial "Haunted House" the story tells of a "couple" and their night spent inside... with the ghosts. He is a ghost hunter, hired to find out the truth of the supposed haunting, and she is his girlfriend, dutifully tagging along. Which one will be most affected by their findings, and what is the truth inside the Haunted House...


ROUND 15 WINNER

"Value"   by Danger Mouse

Here we have a dark tale of a club-footed albino dwarf and her hunt for satisfactory employment. This is a warning to all job hunters out there... If something doesn't feel quite right... RUN!



ROUND 14 WINNER

"Evening at the Park"   by Danger Mouse

This is a story about a girl and her obsessed boyfriend; and the trouble his obsession gets them into. Enjoy.

Honourable Mention

"Eyes of the Birds"   by LCVarnum

Even though this is more NOIR than OCCULT and told in a QUIET / SOFT style instead of VISCERAL - this story just oozes creepiness.


MONTHLY WINNER FOR JULY 2009

Story No Longer Available


ROUND 13 WINNER

"Wolfs pain"   by Jimminycritic

Hunter versus Prey - Man versus Werewolf - Husband Versus Wife. Which one will be the ultimate winner. Please have a read of this well written horror story, as it deserves more reviews and ratings.


ROUND 12 WINNER

Story No Longer Available


ROUND 11 WINNER

"The Amulet"   by Danger Mouse

This is a story of Heat and Lust, as a women finds out some that she is irresistible to men when her amulet, a family heirloom, is stolen. But this is no ordinary woman and no ordinary amulet. This weeks contest was a hard one to decide - and there were only two entries. I chose this story as the winner because not only did it keep to the prompt but pushed a little further and incorporated much more; and didn't feel crowded or over thought. Hope you enjoy.


ROUND 10 WINNER

"Narcissus at Night"   by Hippo

I just LOVE the title of this story, it caught my attention straight away; and I wondered if the story could actually live up to it's name. It very nearly did. Now this one didn't meet all the criteria of the contest, though it does seem that most of the entrants had trouble releasing the inner nastiness and gore for the Splatterpunk style, but it came the closest. In fact it nearly over excelled. The last sentence nearly makes this a Supernatural story and not a Dark Fiction tale. However, the sentence was there to add a chill, which it did, and what's a sentence between writers. The most important thing about this tale id that is stayed with me, in the dark recesses of my mind, to rear up when I wasn't expecting it.


ROUND 9 WINNER

"Lighting up the void"   by Jimminycritic

Though this one didn't meet all the criteria, in the way of the prompt, it is still a promising story and I enjoyed it. Now I'm not one of these guys who says nobody wins when only a few - or one - writers enter the contest. To me that isn't fair, because they took the time and the effort to write a story based on a prompt. Now it might not be the best story ever scribed, however, it is that writers work and as such deserves respect. It also deserves to be read and reviewed - if you haven't done so already (why not?) give it a read. Remember we all started out, please be respectful and help out a fellow writer - after all that is why we're here.


MONTHLY WINNER - JUNE 2009

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

Now this was a hair puller of a decision to me, but finally another face painted freak won out. Upon reading this piece again I realised I forgot to mention the feel of the piece; there's something horribly eerie about it. In today's society where our media try to sell us "Face Value"; there's this cream on the market for younger looking skin; ever thought of cosmetic surgery to make you look more appealing to others; I wouldn't find it too surprising to find BBQ'd neighbour on the grill if someone let out a rumour that cannibalism would keep them young and beautiful. I think, this is the reason "Feeding" stayed in my mind longer than the rest, and in the end won out as best of the month.

Honourable Mention

Story No Longer Available


ROUND 8 WINNER

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

I enjoyed this story of a psychotic women and the lengths she would go to just to stay beautiful. It is well written - and with such a difficult prompt this week, I doff my hat to the scribe of this tale. Enjoy.


ROUND SE7EN WINNER

Story No Longer Available


ROUND 6 WINNER

Story No Longer Available


ROUND 5 WINNER

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

WARNING!!! - - - This story is not for the feint of heart or easily distressed; and to be truthful, it freaked me out. This story will stay in the back of my mind for quite some time and I know, should I ever think of it, a cold shiver will undoubtedly run down my spine. If you are over 18 and don't mind graphic content then please read this story for it is one of the better written pieces I've read in a while and deserves your attention. Please leave a comment and a rating also, as this is what the site is about. Thank you - and you have been warned.


MONTHLY WINNER - MAY 2009

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

This would've been a hair puller and a coin flipper of a decision to make, had the writer and winner of Round Two and Three stayed on the site. I just hope you had a chance to read the stories. That said, the Monthly Winner rightly deserves the position. The story is a disturbing tale of a Mannequin Maker and his latest model, told in the quiet, make-your-skin-crawl, horror style. It's the underlying parts of the story which still make the hairs on the back of my neck stand upright - And I think the pregnant Hispanic woman would've won the coin toss once again - Nasty.


ROUND 4 WINNER

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

Though this story was the only entry in round four, and therefor the winner by default. I did enjoy the tale. Granted the piece is a little rough around the edges, the obvious explanation being the author is just starting out and is getting to grips with, not just with the technical side, the grammar and punctuation, but also with their developing style' the story is sound and a good one. Moreover, within the 666 wordage limit the writer gives you a start, a middle, and an end - which, in flash fiction is hard to do. Have a read and give a review.


ROUND 3 WINNER

Story No Longer Available


ROUND 2 WINNER

Story No Longer Available


ROUND 1 WINNER

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

It was a very good opening round and all the entries were well written and mainly kept to the prompt - which made this decision quite difficult. In the end, even though I think this story could be better told, by giving the reader more between the two characters, it was one of the darkest stories. But the clincher for me was the pregnant Hispanic woman - when you know what's happening - with her being there - you realise just how twisted the psychopath is.





ROUND EIGHT WINNER

"From the Pits of Gribdehl"   by K. Medeiros

This story is not exactly a Horror story - it is a small part of an ongoing fantasy story by the author. That said I found it very enjoyable, as I do all his stories. It was just unfortunate the two other contestants hadn't kept to the set challenge and given this story a proper contest - though they had quite a lot to beat. Take a read and see for yourself - and please don't forget to rate and review the story. Enjoy.


ROUND SE7EN WINNER

Story No Longer Available


ROUND SIX WINNER

"The Birthday Party "   by The Hatter

It's that wonderful time of year. That time of year to celebrate your birthday, so come with me and lets gather around the grave and sing "Happy Birthday".

Hears a sentimental story about a boy meeting a girl, falling in love, bestowing gifts on her, and loosing her all in the same day. Though that isn't good news for the girl...


ROUND FIVE WINNER

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

Now here is a story which took the Quiet Horror story sub-genre nearly literally: It's a story of one woman and her quest for employment, who stumbles into the easy "money-for-nothing" job of Dream Collecting. Though she works for the Nyx Corporation you never really get to know who they are or what they do with the dreams their employees collect for them. Jaguaress does a good job of making this quiet ominous, by introducing us to a few of their upper management.

The link above goes to the revised version which may yet change. Please, even if you've already read the original give this a read and review as the writer is very interested in your views, opinions, and suggestions.


ROUND FOUR WINNER

Mary has a secret... Mary is clairvoyant... Mary can see ghosts... Everywhere. Who is she looking at today?...

"Mary"   by JKS


ROUND THREE WINNER

Detective Terry Peters gets more than he bargained for when he's called out the latest crime scene. A multiple murder site, being surveyed by CSI night shift supervisor John Sanders. What lurks in the darkness of this bloody massacre?

"Invalid Item"   by A Guest Visitor

Honourable Mention

A creepy tale of the things which go bump in the night. As a suffering insomniac battles with his night time fatigue, something decides to make a call.

I recommend this suspenseful story to all readers out there

"3:47"   by James Parker

ROUND TWO WINNER

Its another tale of revenge and retribution. This time it's biblical; "An Eye For An Eye", but this time it's nasty. Enjoy.

"Trickster In The Dark"   by Demon Child

ROUND ONE WINNER

The winner of this months contest is not for the squeamish or the prudish. It is a nasty and visual tale of sexual humiliation and revenge. If you're a man than have a glass of Scotch handy.

"Claire"   by K. Medeiros