Pulled In: A Short Horror Story

by Matthew Nordman

Ben thought he was preserving an old family memory. Instead, he found the moment his brother disappeared.

While digitizing his mother's old VHS tapes for her birthday, Ben discovers footage from his eighth birthday party, the day his younger brother Michael vanished.

On the tape, Michael walks down a familiar hallway and passes through a wooden door.

There has never been a door there.

More than thirty years later, Ben finally has evidence that something impossible happened inside his childhood home. But some memories were never meant to be found.

Pulled In is a standalone short horror story about childhood memory, family, parenthood, and the impossible things hiding inside familiar places.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

18 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 27, 2026

Reviews

[Vicki Herbert]

Be Kind...
Rewind

PULLED IN: A Short Horror Story
by Matthew Nordman

4 stars. Ben was up long past midnight, trying to digitize his mother's old VHS cassette tapes for her birthday...

He was finally on the last one...

It would've bugged him mightily to stop the project for the night at the last tape...

The recording was of a sports event. At half time, the screen filled with static, then went black for a few seconds before clearing to a birthday party...

It was one of Ben's own birthday parties...

Ben's brother Michael was on the screen... Michael was a taboo subject in the family...

In the birthday footage...

Michael walked unnoticed down the hallway of the family home, opened a door that no one remembered being in the hall, and disappeared into oblivion...

Then the video stopped...

Ben rewound the tape several times, trying to figure out where Michael vanished to since there had never been a door in the hall...

It was time to show this footage to grandma and get some answers...

In searching for small horror stories for adults to read after taking their children out trick-or-treating, I ran across this little gem. While I didn't find it the least bit frightening, it was weird enough to jog my memory of my grandmother's mysterious hallway in her old house with many doors we weren't allowed to enter. Behind the door at the very end was my great-grandmother, who was spooky in her own right.

Happy Halloween! 🎃👻

[Peter Topside]

3.5 stars. The quality of the writing was what jumped out at me the most here. The story was quick, painless, and packed a punch. I'm into this new mindset where I'm scouting horror stories differently than before. Shorts are always a gamble, as this was, because they don't have the proper time to build up the plot points and then they, almost, always just come to an abrupt halt. And you feel like, "Where the hell is the rest of this thing?" Just leaves you hanging there wishing there was more to see. This was no different. Written very well with some very intriguing concepts, but nothing had the time to come to fruition. A good read for those newer to horror or who dabble in it very occasionally.

[✩｡°⋆ Lala ⋆｡°✩]

🖋️ Author: Matthew Nordman
📖 Title: Pulled In
📅 Pub Day: August 28, 2026
💌 Publisher: Matthew Nordman
📚 Format: Digital
🏷️ ISBN: 9044937357516
⏱️ Length: 18 pages
📌 Genre(s): Horror, Supernatural Fiction, Short Fiction
⭐ Star Rating: 5

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──  

I don't know how Matthew Nordman packed this much into 18 pages but here we are.

Ben is digitizing his mother's old VHS tapes as a birthday gift when he stumbles across footage from his eighth birthday party, the day his younger brother Michael vanished. On the tape, Michael walks down a hallway and passes through a door. A door that has never existed. More than thirty years later, Ben finally has evidence that something impossible happened inside his childhood home.

That setup alone had me completely hooked. What follows is nostalgic, eerie, and deeply unsettling. The atmosphere is incredible for something this short. There's a real family story underneath the horror that makes everything hit harder, and that ending genuinely caught me off guard.

Reading the author's note and realizing this is just the beginning of what Matthew Nordman is capable of got me genuinely excited. If he keeps writing, I'll keep reading. A new favorite in the making 🖤

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

If you like:

✔️ found footage horror
✔️ nostalgic dread
✔️ family grief wrapped in horror
✔️ debut authors worth watching
✔️ horror that lingers
✔️ quick reads

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Thank you to NetGalley and Matthew Nordman for gifting this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

This review is cross‑posted across multiple platforms.

[The Morbid Mama ☠︎︎]

Listen. This short story may only be 18 pages, but man was it good 😍 It was nostalgic, eerie, and heartbreaking all at once. The author made everything flow so well and the pacing was FANTASTIC. This is probably the best short story I’ve read! It had a very surprising amount of depth for being only 18 pages and everything just flowed so well! I actually can’t stop thinking about it and I really think this has the potential to be extended a little and maybe even become a novella! I would legit sell my right arm for that 🤣

Thank you so much Victory Editing and NetGalley for letting me check this one out!

[bambi ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.]

a super short read in true creepypasta format, and would’ve loved if this was a glimpse of something much bigger 📼

it’s creepy, immediate and does exactly what it needs to do without hanging around ~but~ i finished it wishing there was MORE. this could easily have been the opening chapter of a full length horror and i’d have happily kept going but even just a slightly beefier novella would’ve been appreciated! 🤲🏻

a brief rush of analog horror ft. VHS. unsettling and very easy to inhale in one sitting.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅

👁️ classic creepypasta energy
⏱️ tiny little 15 minute (for me) horror hit
🕳️ creepy premise with loads of potential
📖 really want this to be chapter one of something bigger!!

── ⊹ ࣪ ˖♡˖ ࣪ ⊹ ──

3.5 stars from me.

tysm for the early access x

[Hannah]

Well that was deeply unsettling. I knew where the story was going, but that didn't stop it from making my heart ache. For being such a short story, Nordman fleshed out his characters well; they have separate personalities, quirks, different responses to the horror in front of them. It was an engaging read and I would love to see a longer version, or simply whatever he writes next.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this early through NetGalley.

[Ash]

This might be a short story but I’m impressed and mostly creeped out. As someone who loves horror but never gets spooked, the writing created the perfect atmosphere that brought a chill to the bones. I could do with a full on novel just based on this story alone.

[Martha Brown]

This may be a short story, but it’s jam-packed with mystery and dread. Well done. I’m officially creeped out. 4.5 rounded up to 5 stars.
I received an advanced copy of the book from Net Galley, but all opinions are my own.

[Britney Ireland]

Thanks #NetGalley for the ARC of this short story

This was a really quick horror read that was so good. I recommend everyone reading. Around 17 pages but it really hit with a punch and I enjoyed it.

[Emily Witemeyer]

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Wow. This was such a short novella that really packed a devastating punch! 4 stars while I'm busy staring at the wall.

[ReadOnlyAnna]

It is remarkably difficult for a short story to create genuine emotional attachment in just a few pages, but this one completely pulled me in.

​The story immediately sets a chilling, nostalgic tone with its premise of digitizing old VHS tapes late at night and uncovering something deeply unsettling. What truly elevates this piece, however, is the character work. The family dynamics feel completely natural and grounded, which made me genuinely worry for them as the suspense mounted.

​The author builds the atmosphere with incredible precision—no cheap tricks or unnecessary padding, just a slow, creeping dread that keeps the tension high until the very last sentence. It is classic, atmospheric horror with real heart and a strong psychological core.

A fantastic, memorable read that I thoroughly enjoyed 🖤.


​(NetGalley disclosure: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)

[Alan]

This review is for an ARC copy received through NetGalley.
While digitizing some old VHS tapes, Ben finds one from his eighth birthday party, the same day his little brother vanished without a trace. For the first time he notices his brother go down the hallway and open a door - a door that shouldn't be there. Now, thirty years later, Ben may finally be able to answer what happened to Michael. But some mysteries should be left behind.
For a story just 18 pages in length, it really packs a punch. This tale is perfect reading for anyone who got the itch for liminal space horror thanks to the movie Backrooms. And that ending!

[Katie Paige]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This is my first book by this author and I am honestly impressed.

Super short novella. Jumped straight into it and felt unsettled almost immediately. I NEED more to this story.

[Shay]

It is crazy how much that made me feel in such few pages! The story and characters felt so fleshed out and each scene went smoothly. There was a lot of really good story here and you go on a rollercoaster of emotions in a very short and of time. The ending 😳

[Cecilia]

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this story


I was expecting to like this more than I did. While I did enjoy it I had 2 main issues with it.

1. How did not only the police but the main characters father investigate the brothers disappearance without ever watching camera footage of the party he went missing at. I mean as police wouldn't they want to check cameras to see if he possibly went with someone. Considering he was surrounded by people and he disappeared quietly he could have gone off with someone he knew. His father supposedly dedicated the remainder of his life to the search and even ruined his remaining sons friendships by questioning the parents about their standing positions when it was all videotaped.

2. I guessed the ending and I wouldn't have cared if the ending wasn't also completely preventable. The father talks about having gone through years of therapy after not doing more when his brother disappeared and the guilt he felt. As a parent as soon as I seen that clip even if my children had played near it previously with no issues I would have immediately had concerns about my kids being around it after the clip. I also have to say I was expecting the father to have some actual information about the door or newspaper clippings about other disappearances int the house or something to help support the idea that he thought his son disappeared inside the house.

As with all short stories I do wish this was longer. I'm not a big fan of open ended stories. At the least I would have loved some explanation about what the door was.

[Zoe Powell]

I went into Pulled In expecting a quick creepy read, and it ended up sticking with me more than I expected. The old VHS setup hooked me right away, and once the door came into play I was fully in.

What I liked most was that it wasn’t just “weird thing happens” horror. There’s a real family story underneath it, which made the ending hit harder. The last stretch was especially unsettling without over-explaining everything.

It’s very short, but it didn’t feel throwaway to me. I finished it in one sitting and was still thinking about that door afterward. I’d definitely read more from Matthew Nordman.

[Kristen]

I did not realize how short this novella was when I originally requested it and zoomed through it in about 10min. I can say that within the full 18 pages I was creeped out and had goosebumps from start to end. The premise of finding a VHS tape from the day your brother disappearing that no on new existed and then realizing something has happened that makes absolutely no sense!

Did I see the ending coming? Partially yes, but I believe this short story deserves to be a full novel. I really enjoyed this story and will 100% be reading more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley & the author for the opportunity to read an eARC for an honest review!

[zëëbs]

—Thank you to the author Matthew Nordman and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this review.

I really enjoyed this short story and I was absolutely pulled in from the start! I liked how it was initially set up and I was quickly drawn to the charm of the family. It definitely had that nostalgic tone, and a growing sense of dread as the story progressed. I also loved the way it ended!! It definitely left me wanting more. I would read future projects from this author!

#PulledIn #NetGalley

[Hayley O' brien]

Thanks to netgalley for this opportunity to read. I adore novellas as they can be so impactful as thus one was. It allowed you in a short amount of pages to experience a variety of emotions alongside its main characters. I could not give a half otherwise it would have been 3.5 stars. I thought the premise was great and in a short story there was a character build up a s the eerieness of something paranormal . I enjoy the mystery around it but it just dropped star because I think the ending was cut short and there was just something missing ... it could be good as a lead up to a prequel with more details about the house the dad's hunt etc in a longer story

[Iris O]

[This is a voluntary review. Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for this opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.]

This was a quick, short horror story. I saw the ending before it happened but overall it induced the spooky and uncertainty feeling. I rate it a 3.75⭐️.

[Mandy]

I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Ben is digitizing his mother's old VHS tapes for her birthday when he comes across a video from his eighth birthday party. While this should be a happy memory from his past, it's overshadowed by being the day his little brother, Michael, went missing. What he sees during this hidden footage changes everything.

This story is told so very well. Right from the beginning, we are painted a picture of Ben as an adult with his own family. The writing in this is fantastic, Matthew Nordman giving us a peek into what their everyday life looks like in such little time. It's paced extremely well, not overloading us with info, giving us just enough to understand how this loss has impacted their lives today.

I won't go into too much detail as this is such a short novella, and it has to be experienced rather than explained. The growing sense of dread is so subtle but kept me so very invested up until that climax. He gives us the exact amount of information we need to trust us to understand, and I absolutely love that it ended when it did. He knew exactly when to stop to make the horror hit the hardest.

The visuals I got during this made me fall madly in love with his writing. His writing built a 3d picture around me while I read, able to hear and see everything like I was a fly on the wall.

I truly hope to read more from Matthew Nordman, absolutely chef kiss five star read for me.

[Brynx]

This was a very quick novella that I enjoyed. If you love found footage, liminal space, grief, and open to interpretation endings, Pulled In is the book for you!

Ben is digitizing his parent’s VHS tapes–mostly sports. Until he comes across a taped over section documenting his 8th birthday party–which also happens to be the day his brother, Mikey, disappears. As the film plays, Ben’s wife notices a door at the end of the hallway that they’ve never seen before. Mikey goes to the door and disappears within never to be seen again.

This took me about ten minutes to read and I really enjoyed the story. I do feel like the story could have been greatly extended if not turned into a full novel. The author did a fantastic job packing so much into just a chapter worth of pages. I can’t say I was satisfied with the ending though it did invoke genuine fear in me. I wanted to scream at the parents (both sets) the entire time. I would be interested in reading more from this debut author!

Thank you, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for a ARC E-book in exchange for an honest review!

⭐⭐⭐

Pub Date Aug 28 2026

[Christina Bruce]

Pulled In by Matthew Norman

I have a serious love/hate relationship with short horror stories.

I LOVE that they get straight to the point. No 300 pages of unnecessary waffle.
But I HATE finishing them and immediately thinking that I wanted more. And Pulled In by Matthew Norman did exactly that.

A man is converting his mum’s old VHS collection to digital when he stumbles across a family secret that could finally reveal what happened to his missing brother.

And then it turns into every parent’s absolute nightmare.

This took me about 15 minutes to read. I would have happily read 400 pages of this story.

The whole time I was thinking, I need to know more.

This is exactly what I want from a quick horror read — something you can smash through on your lunch break, but that leaves you sitting there afterwards desperately wanting to know what happened next.

Short. Creepy. Disturbing.

And annoyingly… far too short.

If you need a quick thrill that gets straight to the point, add this to your TBR.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

[Rudi McKay]

I don't know how Matthew Nordman managed to pack this much creepy atmosphere into only 18 pages, but somehow he did.

This was such a quick, unsettling read. The idea of digitizing old VHS tapes and suddenly discovering something impossible in footage from your childhood immediately hooked me. There is something about old home videos that already feels eerie, and adding a missing child and a mysterious door that shouldn't exist made this genuinely creepy.

I loved the nostalgic feeling mixed with supernatural horror. It isn't just about the scary stuff—the family history and the grief underneath the mystery give the story an emotional weight that makes the horror hit harder.

And that ending?! 👀

Short, creepy, atmospheric, and just strange enough to get under your skin. I definitely want to see what Matthew Nordman does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Matthew Nordman for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[mya]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC!

I usually shy away from short-stories, worrying that I'll struggle to understand anything or get any reaction to what transpires. However, the same can't be said about "Pulled In".

From the few pages we get of this story, you're connected to the main character Ben and how his life has been shaped due to the loss of his younger brother, Mikey, in their youth.

The story, though short, is harrowing. You get the impending feeling of doom in the last few pages, hoping and praying that what you think is going to happen -- doesn't happen.

Matthew Nordman has a talent in making you long to save his characters from turmoil, even when you've only got a few thousand words to make you feel anything at all.

I really hope he continues to write more in future, long form or another short story!

[Penny]

⭐⭐⭐⭐


This is a super short story, but WOW. That’s all it takes!

It doesn’t need loads of character build-up, pages of fluff or endless explanations. It gets straight to the point, builds the tension, and then just when you think you know where it’s going… oh fuck.

Without giving anything away, we follow a family, a VHS tape, a missing kid and a door, and that’s genuinely all I’m saying.

The build-up is brilliant, the creepy factor is there, and that ending gave me actual goosebumps. It’s one of those stories that proves you absolutely do not need a huge word count to tell an effective horror story.

Short, creepy, unsettling and bloody brilliant.

It’s tiny. It’s creepy. It’ll take you about five minutes. READ THE FUCKING THING.

Thanks to The author, Netgalley snd publisher for the Arc

[Meaghan Marx]

I loved this story so much. Super fast paced short story. It was a throw back to a Twilight Zone episode. Perfect for the start of spooky season. 30 years ago Ben’s younger brother Mikey disappeared into essentially thin air at Ben’s eighth birthday party. While going through and digitizing his mother’s old home video collection for her 70th birthday, Ben comes across a home video from the night of Ben’s disappearance that might explain what happened. But the explanation leaves them with more questions than answers. And it comes at a cost.


Thank you NetGalley and Matthew Nordman for giving me the opportunity to review this short story before it was released!

[Ksenia]

This was fine. With one hand the story was reaching for House of Leaves and for Lake Mungo with the other. The key elements and the main hook seemed very compelling, but I found Nordman's writing largely juvenile. Pulled In is told in a Uketsu-esque (creepypasta), purely utilitarian manner that reads like a short film treatment. It's a lot of setup and scene description, with very little connective narrative tissue or interiority. The twist was telegraphed so aggressively from page one that I couldn't believe that was actually it. It is a fun idea, but the prose just wasn't there for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.

[Stella]

Have you ever watched a video of yourself and you see things that you missed the first 200 times you saw it?

Ben finds the video of the birthday party that changed his life. He's able to see his little brother for the last time, as he disappeared briefly after. But, in this brief view, Ben sees his brother enter a door, where there is NO door.

Over the brief 18 pages of Pulled In, Matthew Nordman was able to create a mystery full of nostalgia, confusion, and terror.

This plot could be a larger story in a collection or this could be a full on horror novel, but to me, this is perfect.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

[Leah]

Every time I read a novella, I always wish it was much longer because it draws my attention in as quickly as it ends. I really hope that the author decides to turn this into a full book or a movie producer asks to use it as the plot for a horror movie. In the short amount time we get with the story, I could already see it playing out like a movie. Definitely one of my favorite novellas I've read in a long time, double the points because it was horror.

Thank you to Netgalley and Matthew Nordman for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback and opinion.