Another good one might be 'The Lottery'. This story is quite shocking as it shows how blindly following traditions can lead to horrible consequences. It makes you question the power of group mentality and the importance of re - evaluating long - held beliefs.
One could be 'A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings'. It's a rather strange and thought - provoking story. It has elements of the magical and the ordinary, making the readers think about how we perceive the different and the unknown in our society.
One story from 'best really short stories' could be 'A Clean, Well - Lighted Place'. It's a story that delves into themes of loneliness, despair, and the search for meaning. The two waiters in the story have different outlooks on life, and through their conversations, we can feel the old man's silent struggle with his inner emptiness.
A short story of friendship could be: 'A woman dropped her books. Another helped. They started chatting and became friends. It shows how a small act can start a friendship.
One short bedtime story could be 'The Sleepy Rabbit. A rabbit was so tired after a day of hopping. It found a soft patch of grass and closed its eyes, falling asleep quickly. And that's the story.
One really scary short story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who is driven mad by an old man's vulture - like eye and eventually murders him. The narrator's increasing paranoia as he hears the heartbeat, which may be his own guilt - ridden conscience, is truly terrifying.
Sure. Once a man went to the doctor and said, 'Doctor, I think I'm a bell.' The doctor was puzzled and asked, 'Why do you think that?' The man replied, 'Because when I touch my head, I go ding - dong!'
Most of them are highly impactful. They often leave a strong impression on the reader. Like, they might have a twist at the end that completely changes your perception of the whole story, making you think about it long after you've finished reading.
One really short story could be: 'A man saw a coin on the ground. He picked it up. His day got better.'
There are many. For example, 'Carmilla' is a vampire story that predates Dracula. It has a very eerie atmosphere as the main character is haunted by a female vampire. Then there's 'The Black Cat' by Poe again. The narrator's descent into madness and his relationship with the black cat are quite disturbing. Also, 'The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar' is really creepy as it involves a man being hypnotized on his deathbed and the strange things that occur during and after that.
One really scary short story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who is haunted by an old man's vulture - like eye and his descent into madness as he plots to kill the old man. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' where a family gets a cursed paw that grants wishes, but with terrifying consequences. And 'The Yellow Wallpaper' which shows a woman's psychological breakdown in a room with hideous wallpaper.
One short and scary story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. In this story, the narrator is obsessed with an old man's vulture - like eye and eventually murders him. He then hears the sound of the old man's heart still beating, which drives him to insanity. Another is 'The Hitchhiker'. A person keeps seeing the same hitchhiker on the road no matter how far they drive, creating a sense of unease and mystery. And 'The Monkey's Paw' is also terrifying. A family gets a magical monkey's paw that grants wishes, but every wish comes with a horrible and unexpected consequence.