In The Ruins

Worksheet Description

This worksheet provides a horror writing prompt about a woman who returns from work to find her house in a state of ruin and abandonment, as though no one has inhabited it for years. When a light shines through a crack in a boarded-up window, she peers inside only to see an older version of herself living amidst the decay. The prompt creates a paradoxical scenario that invites a story exploring themes of time, identity, and the supernatural. It challenges the writer to explain this eerie transformation and the haunting realization of self-alteration.

The worksheet is designed to teach students how to craft a narrative that incorporates elements of suspense, temporal distortion, and self-reflection. It encourages creative thinking about the passage of time and its impact on one’s life and surroundings. Through this exercise, students learn to develop a sense of atmosphere and delve into the psychological horror of confronting an altered self. The prompt also aims to inspire students to use descriptive imagery to convey the unsettling decay of the house and the emotional turmoil of the protagonist.