It’s Monday, and for most of us that means it’s time to go back to work. My return to the office has me pondering horror set in the most ordinary places. We all know the typical horror settings—a cabin in the woods, a hotel in the mountains, the unreachable places of the world—but can’t bad things happen anywhere?
Some of the most disturbing horror doesn’t come from monsters—it comes from the growing suspicion that you’re the only one who notices something’s wrong. Offices, family functions, city streets—these places are supposed to ground us in reality. But when the details start to shift—when your coworker uses the wrong name, when your aunt hugs you just a little too tightly, when the same man walks by your apartment every day at the exact same time—your mind starts unraveling in silence.
Psychological horror thrives on isolation in crowded places. No jump scares, no dramatic reveal—just you, watching the seams fray while everyone else carries on like everything’s fine. It's the slow horror of questioning your own perception… and wondering if it’s already too late to pull yourself back.
In that spirit I offer you a prompt:
Everyone at the office seems normal—except they all refer to a project you were never told about. They insist you've been working on it for weeks. There's even an email chain with your name on it. You don’t remember any of it—but the more you dig, the more it feels like maybe you’re the one who forgot something important… or someone wants you to think you did.
The Weekly Digest
A selection of last week’s memorable Macabre Monday offerings:
- killed it with her story, “It Wanders.”
Here's a nicely dark drabble from
- shared his first ever piece on Substack. Let’s give him a warm MM welcome! Read his piece, share your thoughts!
- did this one following our cli-fi horror challenge. She could honestly be featured every week. Her stories are so good.
- shared a dark fantasy story, “Sinkhole.”
If you like gory murals in a maze containing hidden patterns, this story from
is a perfect fit.
- served up a bloody good (forgive me UK) cli-fi flash fiction piece, “The Blood Fields.”
Great prompt and wonderful stories mentioned. Thanks for the kind words as well!
Thanks very much for the mention Shaina 🙏