One common theme is the supernatural. Stories often involve ghosts, curses or otherworldly forces. For example, in 'The Monkey's Paw', the paw has a supernatural power to grant wishes in a very dark way. Another theme is madness. In 'The Yellow Wallpaper', the main character's descent into madness is a central part of the story. It makes the reader feel uneasy as we watch her lose her grip on reality.
Sure. 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe can be a great one - page scary story. It's about a man who is driven mad by the old man's 'vulture - like' eye and eventually kills him.
There was a man who loved to hike alone in the mountains. One day, he took a new trail. As he walked, he noticed a one - page note pinned to a tree. It had a strange symbol on it. Ignoring it, he continued. But soon, he felt as if he was being watched. The wind seemed to carry whispers. He saw a figure in the distance that disappeared when he blinked. As night fell, his flashlight started to flicker. Then he saw the same symbol from the note carved into a rock. A cold hand grabbed his ankle from the bushes. He screamed and ran blindly, not stopping until he reached the safety of his car.
One short one - page scary story could be about a girl who hears strange scratching noises every night at exactly 3 am. She lives alone in an old house. One night, she decides to follow the sound. It leads her to the attic, where she finds a doll with a sinister look, and its eyes seem to follow her every move. Then, she realizes the doll wasn't there before.
The brevity. In a short one - page scary story, there's no room for long - winded explanations. It hits you right away with the spooky elements. For example, a simple description like 'The old mirror showed a face that wasn't mine' can send shivers down your spine without needing a whole backstory.
Sure. 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe is a great one - page scary short story. It's about a narrator who is haunted by the vulture - like eye of an old man and eventually kills him. Another one could be 'The Landlady' by Roald Dahl. In this story, a young man checks into a bed - and - breakfast run by a seemingly nice landlady, but there are some very creepy undertones as he discovers some strange things about the previous guests.
There is a story where a traveler gets lost in a forest at night. He comes across an abandoned cabin. As he enters, he finds a diary on a table. As he starts reading it, he realizes it's the account of someone who was driven mad by a shadowy figure that haunts the forest. The more he reads, the colder the room gets and he starts to feel like he's being watched. Before he can leave, the door slams shut on its own.
Dark settings are common, like old houses, forests at night or abandoned places. Also, the unknown, such as strange noises or unseen presences. For example, in a lot of these stories, there are unexplained scratching sounds or cold winds that seem to have no source.
Sure. There's a story about a girl who moved into an old house. One night, she heard strange scratching noises coming from the attic. When she went to check, a cold wind blew out her candle. In the pitch black, she felt a bony hand touch her shoulder. She ran out of the attic, but the door slammed shut behind her and she could still hear the scratching.