Writing Contest Rules and Guidelines

A man sat in his room, watching TV.

There was a knock on his door.

Curious, the man wondered who it was.

"It's me, your mother. I've been worried about you, won't you open the door?"

But the man's mother was dead for years, dead from illness. He dare not answer the door.

Knock knock knock, then footsteps, then silence. He was alone once again.

- 

The man sat in his room, reading a book.

There was a knock on his door.

Curious, the man thought who it was.

"It's me, your sister. Everyone's been worried about you, will you open the door?"

But the man's sister had already passed, taken from an accident. He dare not answer the door.

Knock knock knock, then footsteps, then silence. He was alone once again.

-

The man sat in his room, preparing to sleep.

There was a knock on his door.

Curious, the man questioned who it was.

But there was no answer.

Knock knock knock.

"Who is it?" He asked. But only silence responded.

The man grew nervous. "Hello?"

Knock knock knock.

For the first time, fear creeped over his curiosity. What would happen if he didn't answer?

The man waited. The knocking did not stop. 

The man grew scared. Who was it that wanted into his room so badly? A robber? A criminal?

Surely, if they got in, they'd take everything he had-

BANG.

The door resounded, as if someone smashed their fist against it. Startled, he refused to give in.

"Please go away!" He pleaded.

BANG.

The door creaked again, slightly bending with sheer force. A robber surely would have given up by now.

The man was scared. Who was it that wanted into his room so badly? A murderer? A killer?

Surely, if they got in, they'd stab, gut, and kill him-

BANG BANG BANG.

The door creaked, as if someone threw their body against it. Frightened, refused to give in.

"I'm calling the police!" He yelled.

BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG

The door leaned and bent under the sheer force, cracking the hinges. Was it even human? 

The man was scared. What kind of monster could it be to force its way into his room?

Surely, if it got in, it'd torture, maim, disembowel, skin-

BANG. 

-flay, drain, impale, eat him-

BANG. BANG. BANG.

The hinges flew off, and the door cracked. By some miracle, it was left standing, but for how long?

The man was terrified, and he started to give in.

"I-if I answer the door-"

BANG. BANG. BANG.

"...will you stop?" He questioned.

. . .

Silence responded. Slowly, shakily, he approached the door, held up with what he only thought were his hopes of his last bastion of defense.

Would it really stop if he answered?

Would it go away?

Would he be safe?

Tears running down his face, he turned the knob, and pulled the door open, as he stared into the darkness of the outside.

There were no more questions.

There was no more knocking.

There was only his screaming.

- - -

A woman sat in her room, playing with a Reu plushie.

There was a knock on her door...