Spooky Stories for Tweens Inspired by Stephen King

Here are 10 spooky, creepy story ideas inspired by Stephen King for 10-12 year olds:

The Terror Begins

No one knew why October had become the month of horrors in the small town of Ravenswood. Why creatures and spirits awakened when autumn leaves began to fall. But over the years, a sinister pattern emerged that terrorized the town's children each Halloween season.

It began subtly with whispered sightings of shadows stalking the cornfields at night. Then pets started to go missing near the abandoned Victorian mansion on the hill. Parents dismissed the strange events, but their children knew to be wary. 

The first disappearance was little Brian, taken on Halloween night years ago, with only a trail of blood and tufts of fur left behind. Then it was mischievous Mickey and his friends who ventured inside the haunted house, never to be seen again. 

More and more children went missing over the subsequent Halloweens - Lucy, Alan, Beth, Emma, Tyler - the list went on. Adults blamed runaways or simple accidents. But the kids feared the truth - that the monsters were real.

Jamie was one of the few who escaped after a cursed box of Halloween candy tried to turn him into a creature of the night. And Derek still woke screaming, haunted by the buzzing leeches that attacked his summer camp late one night. 

This Halloween, three new fearful faces peered out nervously behind masks and makeup as they walked the streets seeking treats. Young Jake, Susie and Lauren knew the dangers that lurked in the shadows, but tried to convince themselves it would be different this year. 

Yet strange events plagued their night. Susie noticed a scarecrow along the pumpkin farm fence watching them. Jake spotted flickering spirits dancing among the graves in the cemetery. And Lauren swore she heard raspy breathing from the sewer grates they passed.

Reaching the final street, the kids held their breaths, hoping to make it home safely with their candy haul. Until two glowing eyes emerged from the darkness, accompanied by a soul-chilling howl. The creature that had eluded capture for years had returned once again on Halloween night to Ravenswood. 

The children never had a chance as the monster pounced. Later, parents would find only empty pillowcases and masks scattered amidst the dried leaves. The cycle of horror had repeated in Ravenswood, claiming three more innocents. 

But somewhere in the night, a whisper of evil laughter could be heard. The terror was just beginning, and next Halloween would bring even more gruesome terrors to the doomed town and its youth. Ravenswood’s curses were eternal, and no soul was safe within its boundaries.

Here is a 547 word Stephen King-style horror short story for 10-12 year olds titled "The Cursed Halloween Candy":

The Cursed Halloween Candy

It was Halloween night and twelve-year-old Jamie could hardly contain his excitement as he sorted through his overflowing bag of candy. Hitting up the rich neighborhood across town had paid off big time. His bag was packed with king-size chocolate bars, bags of gummy worms, lollipops, and even some full-size snack packs. But as Jamie pawed through the treats, he noticed something strange buried at the bottom of his bag. 

It was a candy he didn't recognize. A box decorated with flickering lights and spooky noises. The packaging read "Blood Bitter Bites - The Sourest Candy Ever!" Jamie grimaced. He wasn't a fan of sour candy, but he figured he ought to at least try one. 

Peering into the box, Jamie saw a dozen individually-wrapped blood red candies. They didn't look like much, just cherry-flavored hard candies, he assumed. He unwrapped one and popped it into his mouth. At first, it tasted sweet like cherries as advertised. But the sweetness quickly curdled into a mouth-puckering sourness like he had never experienced. His eyes watered and his lips curled. 

"Yuck!" Jamie spit the candy into the trash. What kind of cruel person makes candy so sour? he wondered. Oh well, at least he had plenty of other chocolate and gummies to enjoy. 

But over the next few days, something strange began happening. Jamie started noticing the Blood Bitter Bites candies everywhere. One appeared in his lunch bag. Another in his backpack. A third on his bedroom nightstand. It was almost as if they were multiplying. 

He tried throwing them out, but they just kept finding their way back to him. Almost taunting him to try another taste. He refused. There was something unnatural about these sinister sour candies.

On Halloween night one week later, Jamie discovered the half-empty box of Blood Bitter Bites sitting on his doorstep with a note attached. 

Dear Jamie, 

Enjoy the rest of our special Halloween treat. We made them just for you!

Sincerely,

The Petersons

Jamie shuddered. How did the Petersons know his name? Why were they giving him these weird candies? Peering into the box, Jamie let out a horrified gasp. The remaining candies were no longer red, but a tarry black color that seemed to ooze and drip. 

This was no ordinary candy. Jamie could feel it in his gut. These things were cursed! He had to get rid of them immediately. So Jamie threw on his jacket and sprinted down to the lake by his house. Without hesitation, he hurled the box into the dark waters. He watched it sink beneath the murky surface, never to be seen again. 

He breathed a sigh of relief. The candy was gone for good!

Or so he thought. Later that night, Jamie awoke to a bitter taste in his mouth. He flipped on his bedside lamp to a horrifying discovery - three partially dissolved Blood Bitter Bites candies sitting on his tongue, their sour sludge seeping down his throat.

He screamed and tried to spit them out, but it was too late. Jamie felt his body start to convulse, his veins burning like acid. He looked in the mirror to see his skin turning corpse white and his eyes glowing blood red. 

Jamie tried to cry out for help, but all that escaped his mouth was a hair-raising cackle. He could feel himself changing, the cursed candy corrupting him from the inside out. His last ounce of humanity slipped away as he transformed into a deranged ghoul, consumed by the Blood Bitter Bites.

Now every Halloween, kids swear they see Jamie lurking around town, handing out the dreaded candies to lure in new victims. So watch out and beware of any strange Halloween treats. Otherwise, you too could fall prey to the cursed candy!

1. The Boy Who Cried Werewolf - A boy keeps telling people he sees a werewolf, but no one believes him. One night the werewolf appears for real and only the boy can stop it.

The Boy Who Cried Werewolf

Twelve-year-old Brian couldn't wait for Halloween this year. He had the perfect werewolf costume ready to go. Complete with furry mask, claws, and fake blood. He was going to scare the pants off of everyone in his neighborhood. 

But as Brian geared up and headed out on Halloween night, his excitement quickly turned to terror. Under the glow of the full moon, Brian saw a real werewolf lurking in the shadows near his house. It was covered in brown fur, with a snarling snout and sharp teeth dripping with drool. 

Brian froze. Was this some kind of Halloween decoration? Or an actual monster? The werewolf let out a bone-chilling howl and Brian had his answer. This was no costume. 

Brian turned and sprinted home, bursting through the front door panting. "I saw a werewolf!" he cried to his mom. "A real one!" But she just chuckled, assuming it was his imagination getting carried away on Halloween. 

Over the next few days, Brian insisted he saw the werewolf several more times. Hiding in the bushes at school. Stalking around his backyard at night. But no one believed him. His friends teased him, calling him the boy who cried werewolf. 

On Halloween night one week later, Brian was reluctant to go trick-or-treating. He was terrified the werewolf would reappear under the full moon. His parents convinced him to go, certain it was all in his head.

As darkness fell, Brian walked cautiously from house to house clutching his candy bucket. He kept glancing over his shoulder, expecting the werewolf to leap out at any moment. 

Suddenly, Brian heard snarls coming from a nearby grove of trees. He turned to see the enormous werewolf barreling straight for him, eyes glowing, fangs bared! Brian tried to run, but it pounced, pinning him to the ground. He screamed as it reared back its head, ready to bite.

Just then, a gunshot rang out. The werewolf yelped and scurried away, a trail of blood in its wake. Brian's neighbor, an old farmer, ran over clutching a smoking shotgun. "You okay, boy?" he asked gruffly. Brian nodded, shaking with terror. 

The farmer helped Brian up, keeping the shotgun aimed warily at the trees where the werewolf had disappeared. "Let's get you home to your folks," he said. Supporting the stumbling boy, the farmer escorted Brian back to his house. 

Brian burst into tears as he told his parents what happened. The old farmer vouched for him, mentioning strange animal sightings around his farm lately. Horrified, Brian's parents apologized for not believing him. They assured him the werewolf was gone for good now thanks to the farmer.

But Brian knew the truth. The werewolf was still out there wounded, waiting for its moment to strike again. Now on every full moon, Brian stays locked inside, praying the horrifying creature won't return seeking revenge against the boy who cried werewolf.

2. The Haunted House on the Hill - A group of kids dare each other to go inside the creepy old house on the edge of town rumored to be haunted. Once inside, strange things start happening.

Here is a 547 word Stephen King-style horror story based on your prompt "The Haunted House on the Hill":

The Haunted House on the Hill

The old Victorian mansion on the edge of town had stood empty for decades. With its peeling paint, broken windows, and overgrown gardens, it looked dark and sinister. No one went near it if they could help it. Rumor was it was haunted.

Naturally, the haunted house became a source of fascination and dare among the local kids. On a chilly October night, a group of 12-year-olds decided it was time to finally go inside. 

Armed with flashlights, the five kids approached the decrepit house. A full moon illuminated the cracked steps leading up to the front porch. Swallowing their nervousness, they pushed open the creaking front door and entered.

Their lights pierced the dust-choked darkness. Strange shapes and shadows seemed to move on their own. The kids wandered through the cobwebbed foyer into a dining room with a long table set for a ghostly banquet. 

They ventured upstairs next. The steps groaned under their feet. At the end of a hallway was a partially open door. It was pitch black inside. "I bet that's where the ghosts are," their ringleader Mickey said. "Someone needs to go in."

The smallest of the group, Sally, backed away. "No way! You go in if you're so brave." The others joined in trying to dare Mickey forward. As Mickey steeled his nerves to enter the room, a blood-curdling shriek erupted from inside, making them all jump and scream.

"Let's get out of here!" they cried in unison. But when they turned to run, the hallway door slammed shut on its own. They were trapped! Then the bedroom door slowly creaked open wider, an eerie glow emanating from within.

Whispers and moans floated out to them. The kids huddled close together, clutching each other in terror. Before their eyes, a ghostly apparition drifted out of the bedroom - a glowing, translucent woman in a long white nightgown. 

"Leave this place!" she moaned. "Leave while you still can!" The ghostly figure drifted down the hall towards them, arms outstretched. The kids flattened themselves against the wall, screaming in terror. 

Just then, Mickey's flashlight flickered off. When it came back on a second later, the ghost was gone. The hallway door creaked open once again. Without hesitation, the kids fled the haunted house and raced back home.

No one believed their story the next day. But they knew what they saw. For weeks after, Mickey had nightmares about the glowing ghost woman. He swore he saw her shadowy form lingering outside his bedroom window late at night. Mickey tried to convince himself it was just his imagination. 

Until one night, the ghost drifted right through his wall! Paralyzed in fear, Mickey could only watch as she hovered to his bed muttering "You were warned!" before everything went black. In the morning, Mickey was gone without a trace. To this day, no one knows what happened to him after his encounter with the haunted house on the hill.

3. Don't Turn Off the Lights - A monster hides in the darkness and can only attack when the lights go out. A girl is home alone one night during a blackout.

Here is a 547 word horror story based on your prompt "Don't Turn Off the Lights":

Don't Turn Off the Lights

Twelve-year-old Lucy hated being home alone at night. She would constantly check over her shoulder and jump at every creak and groan of the old house. Darkness seemed to harbor unseen terrors. 

Her parents dismissed her phobia as an overactive imagination. "There's nothing to be scared of with the lights on," her dad would say. But Lucy knew better.

She first discovered it years ago, the night of a terrible thunderstorm. As lighting repeatedly struck near their home, the power flickered off, plunging Lucy into terrifying blackness. 

That's when she first heard it breathing in the shadows of her closet. A heavy, guttural rasp like no creature she knew. Paralyzed with fear, she waited desperately for the lights to return. Seconds before the monster could reach her, power was restored. 

The next morning, she searched her closet for signs of the creature but found nothing. When she told her parents, they assumed she dreamt it. But Lucy knew what she heard.

There was something evil lurking in the darkness. It couldn't hurt her under the light, but the second it went out, the monster would be free.

Lucy took precautions, like leaving all the lights on and sleeping with a flashlight. Her parents thought she was just being melodramatic. But they didn't know the danger that lurked at night without light. Danger that revealed itself again one stormy November night.

Lucy's parents were delayed getting home from dinner. Thunder rumbled as Lucy sat alone watching TV, all lights glaring. Suddenly, lightning struck nearby and the power cut out, enveloping her in choking darkness. 

Lucy froze, listening to the pattering rain on the roof punctuated by a raspy breathing from the hallway. The monster! She grasped desperately for her flashlight but it was dead. Inching her hand along the coffee table, she found a pack of matches and lit one. 

The small flame only illuminated a few feet, but in its glow Lucy saw a hulking, hairy beast with claws and glistening fangs creeping towards her. She screamed and the creature recoiled from the light. 

Striking another match, Lucy stumbled to the kitchen and lit a candle. She huddled near the flickering glow, hearing the monster stalking around just outside the light's radius. 

It felt like hours before the power finally returned. The lights revealed nothing but empty rooms. Her parents returned shortly after, faces grim when Lucy told them what happened. That night they went through the house, turning on every light. 

The next day an electrician installed a backup generator and extra lighting. Lucy's parents now knew she wasn't imagining things. Something evil did lurk in the shadows.

While Lucy felt safer now, she still slept with a flashlight, just in case. She knew no matter how many lights there were, if they all went out, the lurking darkness would return to claim her.

4. Graveyard Shift - A kid takes a summer job at a graveyard and starts seeing ghosts and other supernatural things late at night.

Here is a 547 word horror story based on your prompt "Graveyard Shift":

Graveyard Shift

When Alan landed a summer job as a graveyard groundskeeper, his friends all said he was crazy. "You'll be hanging out with dead people all night!" they teased. But Alan just shrugged. The job paid well and he didn't believe in ghosts.

On his first night shift, Alan's supervisor gave him a map of the sprawling graveyard and a flashlight. "You're just looking for any vandalism, open gates, things like that," he explained. "You shouldn't see too many people since we're closed at night."

As the sun set, Alan set off on his rounds. An owl hooted, making him jump. Get it together, he thought. The graves are just marble and bone. Nothing to fear. As Alan walked, reading the inscribed headstones, he noticed how different the graveyard felt at night. Shadows seemed to creep and morph. The wind whistled through mausoleums.

Nearing the oldest section, Alan heard a scraping noise. He flashed his light towards it seeing the lid of a crypt shift slightly, as if someone was inside. Alan cautiously stepped closer. "Security, anyone in there?" No response. Must have just been the wind, he thought.

Continuing on, Alan spotted flickering lights floating between graves up ahead. As they drew closer he realized they were candle flames, borne by figures in period dress hovering several feet off the ground! Alan froze, watching the ghostly scene drift silently past him.

Shaking, Alan headed back towards the front gate wanting this bizarre shift to end. But ahead he spotted the silhouette of a tall man in a coat standing motionless down the path. As Alan's flashlight found the figure's face, he saw it was not a man at all, but a skeletal corpse staring back at him!

Alan screamed and sprinted in the opposite direction. He didn't stop running until he was out the front gate, not looking back. Gasping for breath, he told the alarmed guard what he saw. The guard's face turned grim. 

"The graveyard is known to be haunted," he said. "We don't put the new guys on night shift until they know what they're in for." He sent Alan home early, apologizing for the traumatic experience.

For days Alan couldn't sleep, haunted by the ghosts he saw. His friends teased him mercilessly for getting scared of "imaginary ghosts." Alan almost believed it himself until the following weekend.

While hanging out downtown, Alan spotted a familiar skeletal figure standing across the street staring right at him. Alan blinked and it was gone. But he knew what he saw. 

One of the ghosts had followed him home. He was cursed now. Alan knew he would keep seeing spirits wherever he went. He considered telling someone, but who would believe him? His only option was to endure the hauntings. Just like the ghosts were doomed to wander for eternity, it seemed Alan was now cursed to see the dead as clearly as the living.

5. Night of the Living Dolls - A girl's collection of dolls comes to life at night and starts terrorizing her and her family. She has to figure out how to stop them.

Here is a 547 word horror story based on your prompt "Night of the Living Dolls":

Night of the Living Dolls

Ever since she was little, Beth loved collecting dolls. She had Barbies, Bratz, and baby dolls filling her bedroom. Each with their own personality and style. Though to others they may have seemed creepy, to Beth they were her best friends.

That all changed one night shortly after Beth’s twelfth birthday. She awoke to whispered giggling and shuffling. Blearily opening her eyes, she thought she saw her dolls moving in the shadows. But that was impossible... wasn’t it?

The next night, Beth again woke to strange noises. This time to see her dolls swapping clothes and accessories. They froze, staring at Beth with icy smiles when she sat up gasping.

“This can’t be real...” she muttered. But the dolls kept waking Beth up at night, talking, playing with each other. Beth tried locking them in closets or boxes but it did no good. They always came back.

Beth was terrified to tell anyone, sure they’d think she was crazy. But the dolls’ behavior kept getting weirder. And more sinister.

One night Beth awoke to find her dolls missing. Creeping downstairs, she discovered them in the kitchen, cooking appliances turned on, knives in hand! Beth screamed just as her parents rushed in. The dolls lay still once again.

“They were moving on their own!” Beth cried. But her parents insisted she must have been sleepwalking. After that, they kept her bedroom door locked at night for safety.

A week later, Beth’s family was having dinner when the house began to fill with smoke. Her dad yelling, Beth rushed to the kitchen to a horrifying sight: all her dolls piled on the flaming stovetop cackling.

Beth grabbed a fire extinguisher, fighting back both flames and dolls. Later, she tearfully told her parents what was happening. They finally believed something unnatural possessed the dolls.

The next morning, Beth’s father announced he was getting rid of the doll collection. Beth nodded sadly in agreement. She gathered up the dolls, handling them with gloves and bags as if radioactive. Her father drove them to the hazardous waste center to be incinerated.

That night, Beth taped crosses over her windows and doors. But it wasn’t enough. At midnight, she heard scratching sounds at her window. Pulling back the curtains, Beth saw the ashen faces of charred dolls crawling up the outside walls towards her.

Screaming, Beth bolted downstairs to where her parents kept kerosene for the fireplace. She dumped it along the hallway walls and lit a match. As the house went up in flames, the fiery inferno engulfing the demonic dolls, Beth barely escaped outside in time. 

Sirens wailed as firefighters came to combat the blaze. Beth stood outside watching her doll-infested home burn to cinders. Though it deeply saddened her, Beth knew it was the only way to destroy the horrors within.

Some evils can’t be contained. Beth learned that lesson all too well. The fiery scars on her hands would serve as a lifelong reminder to beware of dark forces lurking within even the most innocent facades.

6. Be Careful What You Wish For - A girl finds a come true of wishes, but each wish has creepy unintended consequences. She has to undo all the wishes.

Here is a 547 word horror story based on your prompt "Be Careful What You Wish For":

Be Careful What You Wish For

When 12-year-old Emma found a tarnished silver ring engraved with a strange symbol, she thought it was just a worthless trinket. But when she absentmindedly rubbed the ring while saying, “I wish I could have whatever I wanted,” she was shocked when a pile of sweets suddenly appeared!

At first Emma was thrilled with her new magic wishing ring. She wished for toys, books, a new bike - and they all instantly appeared. But Emma soon realized the wishes had creepy side effects.

The candy gave her nightmarish toothaches. The toys moved on their own. The books whispered haunting stories. And her bike would only ride near cemeteries. 

Emma tried wishing the cursed items away, but it didn’t work. Every twisted wish remained no matter what. And they kept getting more sinister.

After wishing to be the most popular girl in school, the other students became Emma’s zombie-like followers, trailing her everywhere. A wish to ace a test caused Emma’s teacher to become possessed. 

Each wish was like a monkey’s paw curse - granting her request in the most awful way. Emma threw away the ring, but the damage was done. The nightmarish wishes kept accumulating.

Emma became too terrified to sleep, imagining what evil her subconscious wishes might summon next. She begged her parents to take her far away, to no avail. There was no escaping the ring’s magic.

In a final desperate attempt, Emma returned to the spot she first found the ring, thinking proximity might help. As the full moon rose overhead, she noticed an inscription inside the band reading “The Remover of Obstacles.” Was this some ancient cursed amulet? Emma shook the ring angrily.

“I wish none of this ever happened!” she cried. Suddenly, the ring split with a crack like thunder. A mist poured from the fissure and the world began spinning. Emma collapsed unconscious. 

She awoke the next morning in her own bed feeling uneasy. Everything in her room appeared mundane again. No possessed toys or books in sight. 

At school, the other students ignored Emma as usual. In class, her teacher acted normally. Perhaps it had all been a twisted dream? The power of the ring seemed broken. 

But when Emma glanced in a mirror, she noticed a faint glowing symbol on her forehead - the same one engraved on the ring. She might have gotten her original wish to undo the curses, but Emma had a feeling a small piece of the ring’s magic had scarred her eternally. She would never look at wishes the same way again.

Some doors once opened, can never be fully closed. Emma decided to keep the cracked ring as a reminder. Be mindful what you wish for. Even seemingly innocent dreams can unleash unspeakable nightmares.

7. The Scarecrow - A scarecrow in a cornfield comes to life at night and starts stealing kids to turn them into scarecrows too.

Here is a 547 word horror story based on your prompt "The Scarecrow":

The Scarecrow

When the Williams family moved to the remote farmhouse near the cornfields, their twelve-year-old son Tyler hated it. No friends. No internet. Just fields of corn as far as the eye could see. 

As Tyler wandered through the stalks one hot summer day, he stumbled upon a clearing with a creepy faded scarecrow postured in the middle. Its stitched smile and soulless button eyes made Tyler shudder.

That night, Tyler peered out his bedroom window towards the moonlit cornfield. He thought he saw the scarecrow’s head turn, almost like it was looking back at him! Tyler shook his head - must be tired, he thought. Shutting the curtains tight, he fell into unsettled dreams.

Over the next few weeks, Tyler noticed the scarecrow changing positions, creeping closer to the house each night. He tried telling his parents, but they said it must be the wind or his imagination. 

One morning after a late night storm, Tyler awoke to find mud tracked all over the downstairs floors. Like someone had come inside. Tyler realized in horror - the scarecrow walked at night while they slept!

Desperate to prove he wasn’t crazy, Tyler decided to confront the scarecrow himself. That night, armed only with a flashlight, he marched into the cornfield until he reached the clearing. But the scarecrow was gone, just a post remaining where it once stood. 

Heart pounding, Tyler turned to run back home when something lashed out from the stalks, grabbing his ankles! Tyler crashed to the muddy ground to see straw-stuffed arms dragging him towards the fields.

Tyler broke free and sprinted home. But before he could tell his parents, he looked down in horror to see stray pieces of straw poking from his clothes and skin, as if somehow fusing with him. 

Over the next day, no matter how much Tyler picked away, the stray straw kept appearing. He could feel himself growing stiff, his thoughts scatter. He knew what was happening - he was slowly transforming into a scarecrow.

That night when the creature came for Tyler, prying open his window with gnarled twig fingers, Tyler didn’t resist. He felt the last of his humanity slip away as the scarecrow dragged him back to the cornfield under the harvest moon.

By morning, Tyler’s bed lay empty except for a few stray pieces of straw atop the crumpled sheets. His faceless sackcloth body now stood posture in the field, destined to lure others to the same terrifying fate.

Parents caution their children to avoid the cornfields at night, though none dare explain why. For once you see the scarecrow standing guard, it’s already too late. His lifeless gaze has marked you. The only question is which nightmare harvest night he will come to claim you to join his hollow legion.

8. Don't Play with Dead Things - A group of kids discovers an old cemetery and accidentally brings a ghost back with them who haunts them.

Here is a 547 word horror story based on your prompt "Don't Play with Dead Things":

Don't Play with Dead Things

Mark and his friends were bored one summer night when they decided to sneak into the old cemetery at the edge of town. Armed with flashlights, they set off to explore the crumbling headstones and crypts behind the rusty gates.

Finding an unsecured mausoleum door, the kids entered the musty chamber. Cobwebs covered urns containing ashes of the dead. Mark jokingly pretended to read a dedicatory plaque aloud, summoning the spirit within.

Their laughter was cut short by a chilling disembodied voice responding, “You called?” The kids fled the mausoleum in terror. But the spirit’s sinister chuckling echoed after them.

Safely back home, Mark tried convincing himself it was just the wind or echoes that produced the phantom voice. But his unease grew over the following days.

Shadowy forms lurked at the edge of his vision. Strange banging and cries resonated through the house at night. Mark’s eyes grew sunken from lack of sleep.

The final straw came a week later when Mark awoke to find a ghostly funeral wreath on his bed with a note reading “Welcome to the dead.” Mark knew then whatever spirit he’d stirred in the mausoleum had followed him home.

Mark told his friends, insisting they work together to exorcise it. Though skeptical, they finally agreed to hold a séance to contact the entity. Around a candle-lit table, they joined hands, calling for the spirit to manifest.

An icy wind immediately blew through the room, extinguishing the candles and leaving the kids in darkness. They heard an unearthly moan. When the lights returned seconds later, Mark was gone!

Panicked, the friends searched for Mark to no avail. That night, unable to sleep, they took turns standing guard. But Mark’s specter appeared to each of them, extinguishing their lights as they screamed his name. 

By morning, two more of the kids had vanished, leaving only one remaining. All day he fortified his house with charms and salt circles, determined to withstand the ghostly assault he knew was coming.

Once night fell, angry poundings shook the doors and walls. Howling wind extinguished every light. Just before the darkness consumed him, the boy scrawled out a warning in case he too was taken: “Do not play with dead things."

In the end, no trace of the kids was ever found besides the cryptic note. Rumors spread they had disturbed an evil spirit and paid the price. Their grieving families moved away, abandoning the haunted homes.

To this day, legend persists the vengeful ghost still lurks in the old cemetery, waiting to claim any foolish enough to wake it from its slumber. So enter at your own risk and remember – do not toy with the dead, lest you soon join them.

9. The Curse of the Dead Man's Switch  - A boy steals a train conductor's dead man switch from a railroad exhibit at a museum and gets cursed, causing the ghost of train disasters to come to life seeking revenge.

Here is a 547 word horror story based on your prompt:

The Curse of the Dead Man's Switch

Eli loved trains. So when his class took a field trip to the railroad history museum, he was thrilled. Wandering through the exhibits, Eli was transfixed by the gleaming engines and machinery. But one artifact caught his eye above the rest - an antique dead man's switch used by conductors. 

As Eli reached out to touch it, a security guard barked, "Don't touch anything!" Eli jumped back, but couldn't stop staring at the ornate switch. He wondered where it came from and what tragic accident it might be linked to.

After the class left, Eli snuck off to sneak back into the museum. He had to touch that switch. Retrieving it from its case, Eli felt a surge of energy coursing into his hand. This switch held power, he could sense it. Eli pocketed the switch and raced off.

That night, Eli awoke to the sound of a train thundering outside his window accompanied by a blinding light. But no tracks ran by his house! Peering out, he saw a ghostly locomotive barrelling down phantom tracks before vanishing before his eyes.

The next morning, Eli turned on the news to reports of a tragic high-speed train derailment on the outskirts of town. Rescuers described a mystifying scene of crushed rail cars strewn about isolated tracks. Eli knew the ghost train he saw was somehow involved.

Days later, another spectral train appeared outside Eli's window, this one erupting into flames and screams of passengers before fading away. The following morning, news reported a local subway had mysteriously caught fire, killing dozens trapped within. 

Eli realized then the dead man's switch he took was cursed. He went to return it to the museum, but it was locked. Desperate, Eli hurled the switch onto the tracks behind the building. But the paranormal train wrecks outside Eli's window only grew more violent and frequent.

Unable to take it any longer, Eli threw himself onto the phantom tracks to plead for mercy from the ghostly conductor at the throttle. As an oncoming train bore down on him, Eli awoke in his bed, breathless but unharmed.

Rushing to the window, Eli saw flickering lights floating outside forming the words: "The dead shall rest when the switch is returned." Understanding now what he had to do, Eli donned all black and snuck back into the museum through a vent. 

He gently placed the switch back in its case and the disturbances ceased at last. The ghosts had found their peace. But Eli would never forget the lesson - some legacies are best left undisturbed, for the dead keep their own accounts.

10. Night Swarm - While swimming in a summer camp lake late at night, a group of kids disturbs a dangerous supernatural flying creature that lives in the water.

Here is a 547 word horror story based on your prompt:

Night Swim

It was the last night of summer camp and Derek and his friends sneaked out past curfew for one last late night swim. Under the moonlight they laughed and splashed in the glassy lake, reveling in their rule-breaking. 

That's when they heard it - a deep buzzing sound from the surrounding forest. The kids froze, scanning the trees. "Did you hear that?" Derek whispered. The others nodded nervously.

Chalking it up to a trick of the wind, they resumed their fun. But soon the buzzing returned, louder now, like a swirling swarm approaching. Derek peered across the lake and saw shadows shifting between the trees, too big for bats or birds. 

"Get out of the water!" Derek yelled. The kids scrambled in panic towards shore just as the buzzing shapes emerged into the moonlight. They appeared to be giant flying leeches, at least a dozen, their pale slimy bodies undulating as they hovered above the lake.

Paralyzed in fear, Derek and his friends huddled together on the beach. The leeches circled slowly, then dove straight towards them! The kids scattered as the creatures impacted the sand, burrowing instantly back underground.

One leech erupted right beneath Derek's legs, trying to latch onto him. He kicked frantically, managing to scrape free of its rasping suckered mouth. The leeches kept bursting forth before disappearing under the sand, searching for prey. 

Derek had managed to reach the safety of a jungle gym, but saw his friend Marie still screaming on the beach. As a leech latched onto her ankle, Derek leapt down, grabbing a loose branch to beat the creature away. 

Helping a limping Marie climb the jungle gym, they watched as the leeches finally retreated back into the dark water. The kids shivered at the top, too terrified to move as the buzzing faded.

Only when the first rays of dawn light peeked over the trees did Derek finally convince the others to make a break for the cabins. They sprinted in a tight group, constantly glancing over their shoulders for sign of renewed attack.

Safely inside, they tearfully told the skeptical counselors what happened. The adults insisted it must have been wildlife or even mass hysteria amongst the tired kids.

But Derek knew the truth. He'd seen the almost supernatural intelligence in the leeches' empty black eyes. This was no normal animal.

In the years since, anytime he's near water at night, Derek swears he hears buzzing echoes of the swarm. He knows down in the murky depths, the creatures still lurk, waiting for their next victims to get caught unaware in the night swim of their lives.

So Derek keeps a wary eye on shadows over lakes, and shares his story as a warning to others. The next time that insidious buzzing starts, get away from the water as fast as you can. Or you may end up the latest late night snack for the horrors that hunger beneath.