One is 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs. It's a classic horror short story about a cursed monkey's paw that grants wishes but with terrifying consequences. Another is 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It's a psychological horror story that delves into the mind of a woman going insane.
Richard Matheson's 'Prey' is a great horror short story. It's about a woman being haunted by a small, menacing doll. It creates a sense of unease and horror as the doll seems to have a mind of its own. And don't forget Ambrose Bierce's 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge', which has a surprising and somewhat horrifying ending.
I'd recommend 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It's a creepy tale that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.
One must - read horror story is 'The Shining' by Stephen King. It takes place in an isolated hotel with a family as the main characters. The father slowly descends into madness, and the hotel itself seems to have a malevolent life of its own. Another is 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. It introduced the world to the iconic vampire, Count Dracula, with its dark and gothic atmosphere, and the battle between good and the undead. 'The Exorcist' is also a classic. The story of a young girl possessed by a demon is truly terrifying and has been a benchmark for possession - themed horror.
One classic short horror story is '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 ends up murdering him. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs, where a family is granted three wishes by a mummified monkey's paw, but each wish comes with a horrible price. And 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, which tells a woman's descent into madness in a room with hideous yellow wallpaper.
One great story could be 'The Yellow Wallpaper'. It's a disturbing tale about a woman's descent into madness. Another might be 'The Monkey's Paw' which has that classic horror element of wishes gone horribly wrong. And 'The Tell - Tale Heart' is also quite famous, with its unreliable narrator and the growing sense of dread.
One great 'Must Read Horror Short Story' is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a classic that delves into the mind of a madman. The narrator's obsession with an old man's vulture - like eye and his subsequent descent into madness and guilt is truly chilling. Another is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It starts off innocently enough in a small town with an annual lottery, but as the story unfolds, it reveals a dark and disturbing tradition that shocks the reader. And 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is also a must - read. It shows a woman's psychological breakdown while being confined in a room with yellow wallpaper, and the horror builds as her sanity slips away.
One must - read short story is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. It's a chilling tale that starts off seemingly normal in a small town but takes a dark turn during an annual lottery. Another is 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find' by Flannery O'Connor, which explores themes of morality and redemption through a family's road trip. And 'Hills Like White Elephants' by Ernest Hemingway is also great, with its subtle yet powerful exploration of a relationship through a simple conversation at a train station.
Stephen King's 'It' is a must-read. It's terrifying and has a complex story that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
Perhaps 'The Monkey's Paw'. It's a well - known horror story where a family is granted wishes by a magical paw, but each wish comes with a terrifying and unforeseen consequence. It shows how our desires can lead to horror when meddling with the unknown.
There is a story where a student finds an old diary in the school library. As he reads it, he realizes it was written by a student who disappeared many years ago. The more he reads, the more he feels like he's being watched. In the diary, the writer describes strange events that happened in the school, like seeing shadowy figures in the hallways at night. The student then starts experiencing the same things. Another gcse short horror story could be about a family who moves into a new town. Their neighbor is really friendly at first, but as time passes, they notice that the neighbor always seems to be around, watching them. One night, they find out that the neighbor has a dark secret and is not who they seem to be.
One of the must - read classic short stories is 'The Lady, or the Tiger?' by Frank R. Stockton. It ends with an interesting moral dilemma that makes you think. 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' by Ambrose Bierce is also great. It plays with the concept of time and reality in a very engaging way. And don't forget 'The Cask of Amontillado' by Edgar Allan Poe, which is a dark story of revenge and betrayal.