A Reddut short story features a guy who was driving on a lonely road at night. His radio started to pick up strange static and voices. He thought it was just a malfunction. But then, his headlights started to flicker. Out of the darkness, he saw a figure standing in the middle of the road. He slammed on the brakes. As he looked closer, the figure had no face. Terrified, he tried to reverse, but his car wouldn't start. He was trapped with this faceless figure approaching him.
One of the terrifying ones is about a family that moved into a new neighborhood. Their daughter started to talk about an invisible friend. But then, things in the house began to move on their own. The family found out that a murder had occurred in the house years ago, and it seemed the spirit was not at peace. The daughter's 'friend' started to become more aggressive, and the family felt constantly in danger.
There was a story on Reddut. A hiker got lost in the forest. As night fell, he found an abandoned cabin. Inside, there were strange markings on the walls. He decided to stay the night. In the middle of the night, he heard howling outside. Then, the door slowly creaked open. He saw a shadowy figure, but it disappeared as soon as he blinked. He ran out of the cabin into the dark forest, not knowing what was chasing him.
In some of the stories, there might be a cursed object. For example, a doll that causes misfortune to whoever owns it. People around the owner start to have bad luck and then worse things start to happen. The doll's eyes seem to follow you around the room, which is really creepy.
Well, in '20 most terrifying horror stories', there could be a story of a small town haunted by an ancient evil. The townspeople start experiencing unexplainable phenomena like animals acting strangely and people disappearing. There might also be a horror story about a group of friends who go camping in a forest that has a dark history. They encounter something that hunts them down one by one. Additionally, a story about a possessed doll that seems to have a life of its own and causes chaos in a family's home is also a possibility.
In some of the stories, the unexpected twists are what make them so terrifying. For example, a seemingly innocent situation like a young girl going to visit her grandmother turns into a nightmare when it's revealed that the grandmother has a dark secret. The build - up of suspense and the final reveal in these types of stories are what make 'Tales from the Crypt short stories' so spine - chilling.
One of the terrifying short stories could be 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who is driven mad by the old man's 'vulture - like' eye and eventually kills him. Another might be 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson, which has a shockingly cruel ending in a seemingly ordinary small - town setting. And 'The Monkey's Paw' is also very scary, as the wishes granted by the paw come with horrible consequences.
Often, they have an element of the unknown. For example, in many short ghost stories, the origin of the ghost is not clearly defined. This lack of knowledge creates fear. Another characteristic is the use of atmosphere. A dark, quiet setting like an old house or a deserted forest can make the story scarier. For instance, in stories set in old mansions, the creaking floors and dimly lit hallways add to the terror.
One common theme is the unknown. Stories often play on our fear of what we can't understand or explain, like in 'The Monkey's Paw' where the power of the paw is mysterious. Another theme is death. Many of these stories deal with sudden or unexpected death, as in 'The Lottery'. Also, madness is a theme, such as in 'The Yellow Wallpaper' where the narrator slowly loses her mind.
One of the most terrifying is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a man who kills an old man because he can't stand the old man's 'vulture - like' eye. The guilt drives him insane as he imagines he still hears the old man's heart beating even after the murder.
Well, there was a story where a group of friends went on a road trip in 2019. They stopped at an abandoned motel for the night. As they were settling in, they found strange markings on the walls. Then, they all started having the same nightmare about a dark figure chasing them. In the morning, they couldn't leave fast enough.
One of the most terrifying monsters from stories is the vampire. Vampires are often depicted as undead creatures that feed on the blood of the living. They have superhuman strength and speed, and can often transform into bats or wolves. Another terrifying monster is the werewolf. Werewolves are humans that transform into wolf - like creatures during the full moon. They are known for their savagery and strength. The zombie is also a very popular monster from stories. Zombies are reanimated corpses that have a craving for human flesh.