 Horror/Scary: January 28, 2026 Issue [#13570] |
This week: Curses, Foiled Again! Edited by: Arakun the Twisted Raccoon  
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Quote for the week:
"Her cold wind calls, and so I follow.
No time to rest my weary bones.
I hear her voice, and my heart grows hollow.
Best not walk these woods alone.
Best keep to the roads and out of the shadows.
Best get on home.
Best to leave them ghosts alone."
~From "The Land Unknown" by Landon Blood.
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Curses and hexes are spells or magical workings that are cast with the intention of causing harm or misfortune.
A curse may be a spoken spell, a written inscription, or a ritualistic object.
A hex is usually of short duration and may just affect one area, such as finances or love. The word hex may come from "hexe" which is the German word for witch.
A curse is often more powerful and may affect all areas of the person's life. It may last for generations and affect all associates or family members of the recipient.
Almost all ancient and many modern cultures have used some form of curses, which indicates a universal belief in supernatural retribution for wrongdoing.
Examples of curses used to deter thieves have been found in Sumerian texts and Egyptian Pharaoh's tomb inscriptions going back 6000 years.
In ancient Greece and Rome, curse tablets made of lead were inscribed with binding spells and buried in tombs or wells with the intention of harming adversaries.
In Middle Eastern and Mediterranean nations, belief in the evil eye (envy causing harm) is still common. Blue eye amulets are worn or carried to ward off this type of curse.
When magic is involved, intent is everything, so it shouldn't be possible to "accidentally" cast a curse. However, in fantasy or horror stories, this may not always be the case.
One of the most famous horror stories involving curses is "The Monkey's Paw," a short story written in 1909 by WW Jacobs. This story is about a mummified monkey's paw which will grant the user three wishes but with terrible, unexpected consequences.
"Thinner" a horror novel by Stephen King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman is about an obese lawyer who accidentally strikes and kills a Romani woman with his car. He escapes legal punishment due to his connections, but is cursed by the victim's father with one word, "Thinner!" The curse causes him to lose weight no matter how much he eats.
If you use magical practices in your story that belonged to an actual group or culture, make sure and do research for accuracy and to avoid being disrespectful.
Something to try: Write a horror story that involves a curse or hex. |
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