Stephen King had some short horror stories popular in the 70s and 80s too. For example, 'Children of the Corn'. It's set in a small town where the children have been influenced by a strange cult and they start to murder all the adults. The sense of isolation and the creepiness of the children's actions make it a great horror short story from that time.
One popular one is 'The Monkey's Paw' from that era. It's a really spooky story about a magical monkey's paw that grants wishes but with a horrible twist. Every wish comes with a great and often tragic cost.
One popular children's horror short story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a man who is haunted by the sound of his victim's heart. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' which has a creepy premise where a family makes wishes on a magical paw with unforeseen and often terrifying consequences. Also, 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' is a collection full of short, spooky tales for kids.
There's a short audio horror story called 'The Thing on the Stairs'. It's popular because it creates a sense of dread with its description of an unseen entity lurking in a familiar place - the stairs of a house. 'The Red Room' is also well - known. It delves into the psychological horror of being trapped in a room with an unknown and malevolent presence. These stories are often shared and spread because they tap into our primal fears and keep listeners on edge.
One popular horror short story that has been in magazines is 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It was first published in 'The New England Magazine' and is a classic in the horror genre, exploring themes of mental illness and the oppression of women.
One popular horror short story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a disturbing tale of a man's descent into madness as he is haunted by the sound of his victim's beating heart. Another is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson, which has a shockingly cruel ending that makes you question the nature of society. And 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs, where a family's wishes on a cursed paw lead to tragic consequences.
The book 'Dark Tales' is popular. It has a variety of short horror stories that range from the classic haunted house type to more psychological horror. The stories are crafted in a way that they can be read quickly but still leave a lasting impression of unease.
One popular one is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a man who kills an old man because he's bothered by his 'evil eye' and then he's haunted by the sound of the dead man's heart.
Stephen King has written many short horror stories as well. For example, 'Children of the Corn' which is set in a small Nebraska town where the children have been influenced by a malevolent entity. His stories are known for their vivid descriptions and ability to create a sense of dread.
One popular one is 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark'. It has a collection of really spooky short stories that were very popular among kids in the 80s and 90s. The illustrations also added to the horror factor.
One popular 1920's horror story is 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'. It features a disturbing and dream - like narrative with a menacing figure in a fairground attraction. Another is 'Nosferatu', which introduced the iconic vampire figure in a truly terrifying way for that era. And 'The Phantom of the Opera' was also quite popular, with its spooky setting in the Paris Opera House and the mysterious, disfigured Phantom.
In the 1890s, 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson was very popular. It's about a man who can transform into a more evil version of himself. The horror in it lies in the duality of human nature and the unknown of what this transformation might bring. There were also various short horror stories in magazines of the time that often dealt with ghosts, haunted houses, and other spooky themes.