'Blackwood': A Sample Horror Fiction Story

A lone walker passes a dilapidated mansion which has intrigued him for years.  One misty twilight evening, he takes a risk and explores the old ruin...This is a great way to see how a writer builds tension, describing the journey stage by stage.  Filled with varied vocabulary and creative technique, this sample story is a good reference point for students' own responses.  This sort of task is set at both entrance exam, school task and GCSE level. Many schools study Gothic literature and set this task as an extended homework.  Equally, it's a popular image choice for 11+ composition tasks.  Read this and you'll never struggle for synonyms for 'darkness' again!