There's also 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs. This story is about a family who comes into possession of a cursed monkey's paw that grants wishes but with horrible consequences. It's a great example of how a short story can create a lot of horror and suspense.
One popular one is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a classic that's both short and extremely creepy, with the narrator's descent into madness over an old man's 'vulture - like' eye.
One popular story could be about a haunted house. There might be strange noises at night, like creaking floors and whispering voices. The children in the story might go to explore the house out of curiosity and then encounter spooky apparitions. Another could be a story of a cursed object, like a doll that seems to move on its own and causes bad luck to whoever possesses it.
Often, they have a sense of the unknown. Like in 'The Tell - Tale Heart', the narrator's madness makes his actions and the situation seem very unpredictable. Another characteristic is a strong atmosphere. In 'The Monkey's Paw', the gloomy and superstitious mood adds to the scariness.
One popular story could be 'The Haunted House'. It often features elements like strange noises and ghostly apparitions that make it really spooky.
Well, there's 'The Werewolf of Fever Swamp'. In this story, a boy moves to a new place near a swamp and strange things start to happen. There are rumors of a werewolf. 'Monster Blood' is also quite popular. It's about a strange gooey substance that causes all sorts of chaos and horror. And don't forget 'The Curse of the Mummy's Tomb', which takes you on a terrifying journey inside an ancient tomb filled with deadly curses.
Well, 'The Enigma of Amigara Fault' is a great scary manga short story. In it, there are these strange holes in a fault that seem to be shaped exactly like human figures. People become obsessed with climbing into these holes for some unknown and eerie reason. Also, 'Franken Fran' has some really disturbing short stories. Fran is a mad scientist girl who does all sorts of grotesque experiments that will give you the chills.
There's a story called 'The Campfire Ghost'. It's about a group of campers who gather around a campfire at night. As they start sharing spooky stories, they notice a strange figure lurking in the shadows just outside the light of the fire. They try to ignore it but it gets closer and closer until they run away in fear. 'The Red Room' is another classic. A man decides to spend the night in a supposedly haunted red room in an old mansion and experiences all sorts of terrifying things during the night.
Well, there's 'Lavender Town Syndrome'. It's set in the context of the Pokémon games and tells a spooky tale related to the Lavender Town area. 'Candle Cove' is quite famous too. It's about a strange, disturbing children's TV show that doesn't seem quite right. These stories have gained popularity due to their ability to create a sense of unease and horror through text alone.
Yes, many of them are quite good. Some are written by amateur writers who are really creative and can come up with unique and terrifying ideas. For example, on Creepypasta, there are stories that have given me goosebumps.