Ghost Horror Short Story Themes in This Short Story
They Visit When It’s Dark is a ghost horror short story that dives deep into guilt, unforgiven sins, and the unrelenting pursuit of justice from beyond the grave. It taps into the primal fear of being haunted not just by spirits, but by one’s own actions.
This short story weaves the eerie inevitability of retribution with the tender vulnerability of adolescent desire. If you love stories like Stephen King’s Pet Sematary (where emotional choices lead to supernatural consequences) or the chilling phone-centric horror of The Ring by Koji Suzuki, you’ll find this tale disturbingly unforgettable.
This short story echoes themes found in R. L. Stine’s Fear Street. It also adds a modern twist with a haunted piece of technology, which delivers a punch of psychological and supernatural horror. Fans of urban legends, cursed objects, and ghost revenge tales would devour this short story with sweet delectation.
Want more? Check out the second instalment of this short story series, Whispers from Beyond, and The Tooth Collector.






Spooktastic! Wildly imaginative! Great, multi-faceted characters. Suspenseful plot. Vivid descriptions. A REALLY great coffee break quick-read!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
A great little/scary story. I really felt for Davey being bullied like he was. First loves are forever on our minds. Loved the story. Would like more.
A short and interesting little horror story that drew me in from that start. This is a tale of choices and consequences.
David now 26 is telling us the story of what happened to him when he was 12.
Be careful what you wish for and who you pray you never know who might answer them. Karma can be vengeful and getting what you want isn’t always all you think it is in the end
This was a really good short story. I liked this story so much that I ended up adding three more of his books to my TBR list. Be careful what you wish for and how you obtain it because getting what you want isn’t always as fruitful as you think it is in the end, especially in this neat little horror story.
This is just a quick little tale of young love and how sometimes it doesn’t always work out the way you would like it to. It also teaches you that there are consequences in the choices we make in life that will eventually catch up with you. I can see this story going further but it was a decent quick read. I look forward to more works from Mr. Black in the future.
I received a copy of this little ARC and am leaving my review voluntarily.