We Should Leave: First Edition

by Amanda Ruzsa

On Halloween night, three friends break into an abandoned shop. What begins as a thrill-seeking evening quickly turns into a nightmare. Haunted by what they witnessed, the survivors try to escape the horror—but the board isn’t done with them yet. Some games aren’t meant to be played… and some spirits refuse to let you go.

“This is a perfectly haunting and dread-inducing story about friendship and “finding out” when you f*ck around.” - Chris, Goodreads Review

This is the First Edition of this story.

Genres: Horror

18 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 26, 2024

About the author

Amanda lives in Minnesota with her husband, three children, a dog and two cats. When she isn’t buried in a spooky book, she enjoys baking and spending time with her family— usually watching creepy movies or playing outrageous board games. In her free time, she enjoys collecting Halloween decor, writing macabre poetry, reorganizing her books and coming up with ways to surprise and amuse her friends and family. It has been a lifelong joke among her friends and family that Amanda is a member of the ‘grammar police.’ Writing and reading have always played a huge part in her life, stemming from growing up idolizing the talents of her Mother: a novelist, artist and journalist. Amanda began creating stories and crafting poems at a young age and never stopped. Now, reading and writing is still a huge part of her everyday life, and she feels blessed to be able to share her love of spooky stories with so many.

Reviews

[Chris Carelse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclaimer, and potential spoiler:
I highly recommend companion reading this with Wanna Play? It shouldn’t matter the order, but chronologically, this read takes place after those events, in a shared universe

What an outstanding little cautionary tale this was.
I genuinely hope Amanda will revisit the den of curiosities in which this story begins.
I feel like it would be an amazing bridge for a potential short story collection.

The problem with short stories is that there is only so much you can say without giving too much away, so congrats on popping my Spoilers? slider cherry, buddy!

This is a perfectly haunting and dread inducing story about friendship and “finding out” if you insist on fucking around.

[Brandon Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda never disappoints! I have loved absolutely all of her short stories that I have read recently. They are perfect for any short downtime you have during the day.

When three friends break into a store to do some snooping, they unknowingly leave with something that they can't seem to get rid of.


If you are looking for a really quick read, especially leading up to Halloween, look no further! I recommend We Should Leave.

And if you have read her story, Wanna Play? you will catch a fun Easter egg.

[Chiara Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered why people are always wary of ouija boards? And why you should always trust yours or your friends’ instincts? Well, this very short story by Amanda Ruzsa is the perfect explanation to those questions, perfect for Halloween season.

In just a few pages the author conveys a sense of unease and dread through the vicissitudes of three friends, who learn the hard way why snooping around a creepy antique shop after the owner’s mysterious disappearance, it’s not a good idea!

Thanks to the author for a copy and this is my honest opinion.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uhg

You know when you read something and you get a gut feeling you should STOP reading because it's making you uneasy and nothing good could possibly ever come from it?

Yeah... if you need me I'll be burning sage...

[Sam Whittaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick & Creepy. "We Should Leave" is a decent and creepy short. Three friends break into an abandoned store filled with oddities. They take a Ouija Board (yeah... always a good idea) and traipse out to the woods for a seance. Horror ensues. If you've read Amanda Ruzsa's other short, "Wanna Play?" you might like to know this is a "sort of" sequel to that, although you don't need to have read that one to enjoy this one. Still, I recommend both.

[Daniel Nobles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, this short story started out great and the end was nothing short of amazing. Hopefully leading to what could be believed as a full story!

[Shannon Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the reason why I love Amanda!!! This was a scary good short book to read that is about 3 girls who steal a ouija board from a horror store. And what happens when they decide to go into the woods with it! I cannot wait to get my hands on more books by Amanda cause omg! Loved it!!!!

[Brian Bowyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Quick and Sinister Treat!

My second read by Ruzsa, and this one was a blast! It's definitely one I won't soon forget. I'm looking forward to more of Ruzsa's fiction. Highly recommended to those in the mood for something fast, absorbing, and creepy!

[Charlie Barclay]

very short but creepy for the length. reading challenges - need this

[Breanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Should Leave is a chilling short story about curiosity gone wrong. When Liz convinces her friends to explore an abandoned shop filled with “cursed” items, they stumble upon an old ouija board that sets off a terrifying chain of events. What starts as innocent Halloween fun quickly turns into something much darker.

Amanda Ruzsa captures the tension and unease perfectly, making you wish the girls had listened to Beth’s warning — they really should have left. A quick but eerie read that leaves you with goosebumps.

[Tony splatterpunk · Rating 5 out of 5]

3 girls steal a ouija board from a horror shop with devastating consequences, good short story that can be read in one sitting 😀

[Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Spooky Short

Today’s toxic trait is wanting a quick read and then being mad there isn’t more. This is a super fast read, just what I had time for right now. I really liked the setting and the premise of this little bite of horror- dark woods, old creepy shop, cursed objects! The description of the horrific event that occurs (carefully keeping this spoiler free) is fantastic. I’ll be checking out more from this author.

[Jessie Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay I loved this one. Linked to wanna play 3 girls enter the now abandoned shop and see the creepy doll. But instead they decide to take an ouija board. They start a seance in the woods nearby and it all goes tits up to put it nicely! Super creepy and now I feel itchy and like something is watching me. Thanks for the nightmares!

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quickie for me, but again, Amanda did something in such a short space.

This is why you don't fuck with cursed objects, and if you do, you don't take them to a even creepier location, dear lord.

I have a very few rules, no dolls, no mannequins, no cursed shit.

These kids of course did not listen to me shouting these things to them.
I loved this one as well, now I need to see what else they have, if its anything like this, i have found a new favorite author to add to my list.

[Risshan Adele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girls, girls, always getting into trouble! This is a fun short read, perfect for spooky season! Ouija boards are fascinating and this story is a great reminder of what happens when we let curiosity take the lead.

[Darren Manoharan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Generally if you are told to leave you should! This is a very short story but packs a punch in very few pages. So a group of kids break into an abandoned store. Find a ouija board and decide that as it is Halloween they should take it for a spin, what could possibly go wrong? This is despite the fact that there is a warning and the owner of the store had mysteriously disappeared. Could it all be connected. You bet it is.

Great little read for spooky season.

[Tim Nudd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short story! 3 girls explore an abandoned store and leave with a cursed item. In the woods they have the fright of their life. Fast paced read, pulls you in feeling the emotions of each of the 3 girls.

[Mallory Krebs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wanna Play? And We Should Leave by Amanda Ruzsa.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Man! Both of these short stories packed am amazing punch! I loved how much suspense was created in only 15 pages each. I also loved how the stories connected to each other. Definitely give these a read!

[Jessica Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need a sequel!

This was a great short paranormal read and I can definitely see a sequel of novella length... Pleaassseee? Lol
This story follows 3 young girls who break in to an abandoned shop on Halloween and end up taking a quija board out of the shop and decides to head to the woods to do a seasance. BAD IDEA!
Please do a follow on story!! I need more lol

[Brianna Raine · Rating 5 out of 5]

We should leave by Amanda Ruzsa
18 pages
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was a great short paranormal read and I can definitely see a sequel of novella length... Pleaassseee? Lol

This story follows 3 young girls who break in to an abandoned shop on Halloween and end up taking a quija board out of the shop and decides to head to the woods to do a seasance. BAD IDEA!

Please do a follow on story!! I need more lol

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect scary short story! Just proves that you shouldn't fuck with haunted shit. Really enjoyed

[Megan Russ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect Halloween Read!

Amanda does it again with another horrifying short.
1. I love that the doll made an appearance.
2. We should leave... Famous last words!
I hope there will be a continuation of this story in the future.
One day Amanda is going to be a big name in horror and I'm here for the ride! Amazing work, I cannot wait for more!

[Breena White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liza and her friends explore an abandoned store on Halloween night. While looking through all of the haunted memorabilia, Liz finds an old Ouija board and wants to have a seance. Pushing fear aside, the girls begin, but what comes next is beyond anything they could have imagined.

This is a quick scary story that will have you sleeping with the lights on.

[Sonya Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few minutes of terror

The best kind of spooky horror ! A creepy old Halloween store and a haunted ouija board ! Quick read packed full of creeps and scares !

[Amanda Elizabeth Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another short story that hits the nail on the head. Amanda makes it easy to pack so much horror into such a short amount of pages.

[Jessica Stauffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, what a lovely book to read it keeps you interested the whole time and teaches you a valuable lesson in life and not to play with old things, are stuff

[Bambi Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is why we don't play with ouija boards.

Amanda brings us yet another chilling short story that doesn't disappoint.

[Janelle Halstead · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very short 21 page story. Just took me a few days as I was busy and fit it in when I could. But oh so good!! It’s a follow up to Wanna Play which is a short 7 page story. I would love to see these combined and expanded into a novella. Amanda definitely has some skill and should hone her stories.
Both stories were 5 stars.

[Brittnee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short and simple story that would have been perfect as an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark.

[Taylor Dawicke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a short, spooky read. I would’ve read so much more of this! Really they should’ve listened to Beth.