Willow H. Wood

After years of circling the final pages like a wary cat, I’ve finally done it. The Ghost Collector is complete.

This short story has haunted me in more ways than one. All I had was a vibe and a concept that started off tender, and then the horror-lover in me demanded I stop being so…soft. For the longest time, I couldn’t bring myself to write the ending. Not because I didn’t know how it ended, but because I didn’t want to do it. I couldn’t make myself be so brutal…could I?

I think some stories resist closure because they’re more than just plot and prose. They’re emotional landscapes we wander through, digging deep into past memories so we can recall and portray pain. The Ghost Collector was one of those for me. It’s about memory, loss, and the strange intimacy of collecting what others leave behind. It’s goes from naught to hundred in a blink, just like life, sometimes.

Now that it’s out in the world, I’m curious—what do you think? Did the ending land for you?

You can read the full story on Wattpad: The Ghost Collector

Thank you to everyone who’s followed this journey, even through its quiet spells. Your encouragement helped me find the courage to finish what I started.

Let me know your thoughts. I’m listening.