Tried writing a horror prompt about a haunted toaster and accidentally scared myself at 2 AM

So last night I was brainstorming for a short story and thought, hey, a possessed kitchen appliance could be funny. I started typing out this prompt about a toaster that burns cryptic messages into bread instead of toast. Got really into describing how the smoke smelled like burned hair and the pop-up sound was off. Next thing I know, I'm sitting in the dark with my own kitchen light off, jumping at every creak from the fridge. Had to turn on every lamp in the apartment just to finish the paragraph. The prompt ended up decent but I learned never to write horror alone late at night again. Anyone else ever spook themselves with their own writing?

3 comments

3 Comments

vera_lewis27d ago

Oh man, I did that with a story about a creaking door. Now every time my door makes noise I freeze like a moron.

miller.rowan5d ago

@vera_lewis2 lmao man that creaking door thing would wreck me too. I used to think bedtime scary stories were just silly kid stuff, but after reading a thread where someone described a shadow that moved exactly like theirs did a second later, I actually tried sleeping with my closet light on for a week. Totally changed my mind about how your brain can latch onto anything after reading something creepy. Now I swear I hear footsteps in my own house when I'm trying to fall asleep, and it's all because of some random story online. It's wild how a few words can mess with your head that bad.

avery2197d ago

Woke up at 3 AM the next night convinced my blender was plotting against me. Had this dumb idea to check under my bed for ghosts but my own reflection in the microwave door made me scream. Ended up sleeping with the kitchen light on for three days straight. My roommate still brings up the time I yelled at the coffee maker for "acting suspicious." Now I only write horror in broad daylight with all the windows open. At least if the toaster does try something I'll see it coming.