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 one is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. Since it's in the public domain, it's copyright free. It's a terrifying tale of a man's descent into madness over an old man's 'vulture - like' eye. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' which is also well - known. It tells a spooky story about a magical paw that grants wishes but with horrible consequences.
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.
There is also 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It's a psychological horror story about a woman who is confined to a room with yellow wallpaper while she is suffering from postpartum depression. As she becomes more and more obsessed with the wallpaper, the story takes a very disturbing turn.
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.
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.
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.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a very popular one. It's often available in printable form on many classic literature websites. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw', which has a very eerie and suspenseful plot that makes it perfect for Halloween.
They are often concise. Since they are short stories, they usually get to the point quickly, introducing the horror element fast. For example, a story might start with a strange noise in an old house right at the beginning.
One characteristic is that they can cover a wide range of horror sub - genres in a concise way. It could be supernatural horror, like a ghost story, or psychological horror, where the fear comes from the character's mind. Also, royalty - free scary short stories usually have relatable characters at the start. This makes the reader more engaged before the horror elements kick in. They might be about an ordinary person in an extraordinary and terrifying situation. And the endings are often left open - ended or with a final shock to leave a lasting impression on the reader.
One popular story could be 'The Haunted House'. It often features elements like strange noises and ghostly apparitions that make it really spooky.