there are two kinds of horror stories

One kind could be the supernatural horror stories, like those involving ghosts, vampires or witches. These play on our fear of the unknown and the things that go beyond our normal understanding of the world.

Sure. For the first type, the slasher horror stories are a good example. Think of movies like 'Friday the 13th' where a masked killer hunts down a group of people. It's a more straightforward kind of horror that plays on our fear of physical danger and sudden death.

Two kinds of short stories could be the character - driven ones and the plot - driven ones. In character - driven short stories, the focus is mainly on the development of the characters. The story unfolds as the characters grow, change, or face internal conflicts. On the other hand, plot - driven short stories are more about the sequence of events. There's often a fast - paced plot with twists and turns, and the characters are more secondary, serving to move the plot forward.

There are far more than just one or two kinds of fictional stories. There are numerous types. For example, science fiction which often involves futuristic technology and space exploration. Fantasy stories are full of magic, mythical creatures like dragons and wizards. Then there are mystery stories where the focus is on solving a crime or a mystery. There are also historical fictions that are set in different historical periods and often blend real historical events with fictional characters and plots.

There can be many kinds of fictional stories, not just one or two. Genres like fantasy, science fiction, romance, mystery, and adventure are all common.

Another really scary one could be 'My phone rang at 3 am. The caller ID said it was me.' It plays on the idea of the self being something other or unknown, and calls at that time are always spooky.

There are adventure short stories, for example, 'The Most Dangerous Game' by Richard Connell. It's full of action and danger. And then there are moral - lesson short stories. Aesop's fables are a good example. They are short tales that teach a moral or a lesson through the actions and consequences of the characters.

Story 1: I woke up to a cold hand on my face. When I turned on the light, no one was there.

Not that I'm aware of. Usually, there's just one main series of American Horror Stories.

They are concise. For example, 'The phone rang in the dead of night. It was my voice on the other end asking for help.' In just two sentences, it creates a sense of dread. They often rely on the unexpected. Like 'I found a door in my basement that wasn't there before. When I opened it, a cold hand grabbed mine.' It takes a normal situation and twists it into something terrifying.