It's always a good time for creepypasta as far as I'm concerned — but October? October is the best time. It's the one time of year that we embrace spooky stuff with gusto, so hey, let's go ahead and celebrate with seven Halloween creepypasta stories that will make you never want to go ring a stranger's doorbell and ask for candy again. Because what's Halloween without a few frightening tales?
As is often the case with creepypasta, there are a lot of overwhelmingly terrible Halloween-themed stories out there. However, there are also a number of excellent ones scattered throughout the mix — if, that is, you really look for them. These seven? They're pretty effective. Most of them are relatively short — which, you'll recall is one of the original hallmarks of a classic creepypasta — but although they may not have been copied and pasted a whole bunch of times, I actually think that's one of their strengths. Each and every one of these stories was new to me, and given the volume of creepypasta I've read over the years? That's saying a lot.
Although each story is quite unique, the common theme that runs through them all is Halloween. Whether the story takes place on Halloween or whether it involves the holiday in a more indirect manner varies from tale to tale — but they each have their own take on All Hallow's Eve. So go on. Make yourself a mug of something warm and grab a snuggly blanket.
You're going to need it.
1. “Movie Buff”
Starting with Scream — which “Movie Buff” references by name, of course — contemporary slasher flicks have made a point of turning common tropes on their heads. That's what “Movie Buff” aims to do, too — but although at first it looks like the chosen victim is about to get the drop on their attacker… well, let's just say that things aren't always as they seem.
2. “Trick or Treat”
“Trick or Treat” is a little lengthy, but it's worth the investment of your time. It delves into the history of Halloween, and of the tradition of trick-or-treating, and into a few of the creepiest unsolved crimes in history. Fun, right?
It's probably best if you go into this one not knowing what to expect. All I'll say is this: If you ever see a house where you never realized there was one before… don't go inside.
3. “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater”
We all know the story of Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater — he had a wife, couldn't keep her, stuck her in a prison made out of a pumpkin, and pretty much didn't let her out of the house after that. This is all disturbing enough in and of itself when you think about it — but did you know that there's a second verse, too? Most versions talk about his second wife and how he didn't love her; then he learned to read and spell, and after that, he “loved her very well.” But another version, from a rhyme called “Eeper Weeper,” goes a little something like this:
Eeper Weeper, chimbly sweeper,
Had a wife but couldn't keep her.
Had another, didn't love her,
Up the chimbly he did shove her.
Now imagine what would happen if Eeper Weeper had a habit of doing this to every woman he met.
4. “Old News”
This is why you should always check to make sure the apocalypse is actually happening before you make any important decisions about it.
5. “A Small Radio”
If you're a fan of games like “Charlie, Charlie," “A Small Radio” will be right up your metaphorical alley. All you need to do it is a cell phone and a dark location outside on Oct. 30 right before midnight — that is, right before the clock ticks over to Halloween proper. The prize for this one is overwhelmingly good luck… but like all luck, it's bound to run out eventually.
And you don't want to know what happens when it does.
6. “Swanson Field”
OK, so “Swanson Field” isn't really a creepypasta in the technical sense; it was originally presented as a video written, shot, and edited by Ryan Murphy (who, by the by, is also the mastermind responsible for Potter Puppet Pals), which kind of takes the “copy-paste” aspect out of the whole thing. Given how creepypasta as a genre has evolved over the years, though, it still fits the idea of it being a short piece of horror fiction that makes its home on the Internet.
Did you have a field in the town you grew up in? One you were told never to go in alone? The narrator of this tale did — but the reason the children were told to avoid it probably isn't the same one you grew up with.
Especially not on Halloween night.
7. “A Normal Halloween”
I'll be honest: “A Normal Halloween” isn't the most well-written story in the world. It is, however, kind of a fun update of the ol' “Killer in the Back Seat” urban legend — but with a seasonally appropriate twist.
If you're planning on trick-or-treating this year... mind how you go. And who you go with.
Images: a.e.ray, DigiTaL~NomAd, AshleyRickson, E Von Zita, Binomialphoto, Pigeoneyes.com, kregg.steppe/Flickr
