The Exorcist is a really scary devil story. It's about a young girl who gets possessed by a devil. The things she does while possessed, like speaking in strange voices and having superhuman strength, are truly terrifying.
There are some medieval devil stories where the devil would appear in the form of a black dog with red eyes at crossroads. If you made a deal with it, you'd be doomed. The idea of this sinister figure lurking in the shadows waiting to trap the unwary is quite frightening.
A scary real devil story is from the exorcism cases. There are accounts of people being possessed by what was thought to be the devil. Their bodies would contort, they would speak in strange languages, and they showed inhuman strength. The priests who performed exorcisms had to fight against this evil presence, which was a terrifying battle between good and evil.
One of the scariest stories might be 'Tomie'. It's about a girl who has an uncanny ability to regenerate and the chaos she brings to those around her. Her beauty is both alluring and terrifying, and she drives men to madness and murder.
I'm not sure specifically which '10 scariest short stories' you're referring to as there are many collections with such titles. But generally, they might include tales about haunted houses, like a story where a family moves into an old mansion and strange noises start coming from the attic at night. Another could be about a cursed object, for example, a doll that seems to move on its own and brings misfortune to whoever owns it. And there might be a story about a vengeful spirit that haunts a particular place because of a wrong done to it in the past.
One of the scariest elements could be the sense of the unknown. In many ghost stories, the ghosts are often mysterious figures with unclear motives. For example, a ghost that haunts an old mansion but no one knows why it's there or what it wants. Another scary part is the feeling of being watched. When the characters in the stories constantly feel like they're being observed by an unseen entity, it creates a very eerie atmosphere. Also, the sudden appearance of ghosts can be terrifying, like when a figure suddenly materializes in a dark corridor.
The scariest WVAGhost Story might be the one about the haunted asylum. There were reports of strange noises, like patients screaming, even though the place has been empty for years. Shadows seem to move on their own, and it feels like there are unseen presences all around.
The scariest might be the story of the vengeful ghost ship. As Factinate reports, this ship sails the seas at night, with a crew of undead sailors. It's said to appear out of nowhere and vanish just as quickly. Sailors who have claimed to see it say that it gives off an aura of pure evil.
One of the top scariest stories could be 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a man who is driven mad by the old man's vulture - like eye and eventually murders him. Another is 'The Shining'. The story of a family in an isolated hotel where the father slowly loses his sanity. And 'Dracula' is also quite terrifying, with the vampire Count Dracula preying on the living.
The story of 'The Babysitter and the Man Upstairs' is quite terrifying. A babysitter is taking care of a child at night. She keeps getting strange phone calls from someone asking if she's checked on the children. Then she realizes there's someone upstairs in the house. She tries to call the police, but the phone lines are cut. It creates a lot of suspense as she has to protect the child while being in a really scary situation.
Well, a famous true devil story is that of the Borley Rectory in England. It was known as the most haunted house in England. People reported seeing apparitions, hearing strange noises, and feeling an overwhelming sense of evil. There were claims of a nun's ghost and other unexplained phenomena. Another story could be the Salem Witch Trials, which were somewhat related to the idea of the devil. Innocent people were accused of being witches, and it was believed that the devil was influencing them. The hysteria and the false accusations show how the fear of the devil could get out of control.
Well, the one where 'I woke up in a coffin. As I screamed, I realized I was buried six feet under.' is quite terrifying. Just the thought of being trapped alive underground is a nightmare.