One nice short ghost story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who is haunted by the old man's 'vulture - like' eye and his descent into madness as he tries to deal with it. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' where a family is granted three wishes by a mummified monkey's paw. Their first wish brings unexpected and tragic consequences. A third one could be 'The Open Window' which has a clever twist involving a young girl's made - up ghost story that scares a visitor half to death.
A good short ghost story often has an eerie setting. For example, an old, abandoned house or a fog - covered cemetery. This immediately sets a spooky mood. Also, a sense of mystery is crucial. The reader should be left wondering about the nature of the ghost or the events that are taking place. A strong, unexpected twist at the end can also make a short ghost story nice. Like in 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant, where the final revelation changes the whole perspective of the story.
There was a house with closed doors and windows, and all the furniture had been moved out, but every night, strange sounds could be heard. One day, a young man began to write. He left after he finished writing an article. But when he walked into the house again the next day, he found that the door was open and there was no one inside. However, he heard a strange sound, as if someone was talking. He walked to the window and looked outside. He saw a long-haired woman standing at the door with a strange smile on her face.
There was a girl named Mary who lived in a small town. Her room was always filled with a strange atmosphere. Every time she slept at night, she would hear some strange sounds. One day, she went out alone in the middle of the night to see the situation around the town. When she walked to a remote place, she suddenly heard a deep voice calling out to her. She followed the voice to a small river and saw a man standing by the river with a smile on his face.
There was a girl named Amy who often stayed at home alone. One night, she heard a voice that seemed to come from her closet. She walked to the wardrobe and found that it was empty, but there was a black box with some strange symbols written on it. She opened the box and found an ancient piece of clothing with some strange symbols on it. She put on her clothes and was about to go out, but she realized that the door was locked. She tried to open the door but found that the doorknob had failed. Finally, she pushed the door open, but there was no one inside, only a cloud of black smoke.
One characteristic is a concise plot. Nice short stories can tell a complete story without being too long - for example, they can convey a moral or an emotion in just a few pages. Another is strong characters. Even in a short space, the characters need to be vivid so that readers can quickly understand their motives and personalities. Also, they often have a twist or a surprise at the end to leave a deep impression on the reader.
They often rely on simple yet effective elements. Like the use of a single, unexplained sound in the middle of the night to create fear. And they usually have a small cast of characters which makes it easier to focus on the horror. For instance, a lone traveler in a haunted place. The stories in 'short story short ghost stories' also tend to have a twist at the end that leaves the reader with a sense of unease.
There was a story of a little girl who saw a ghostly figure in the park. It was a boy from the past who got lost there. Instead of being afraid, the girl started to talk to him. The ghost boy told her about his favorite spots in the park. Over time, they became friends of a sort. The girl would often visit the park to see her spectral friend. It was a story that showed that not all ghosts are menacing.
Mystery is a key element. A good ghost story should keep you guessing, like not knowing exactly who the ghost is or what it wants. For example, in many classic ghost stories, the identity of the apparition is only revealed slowly.
Sure. One of the nice ghost stories is 'The Turn of the Screw' by Henry James. It's about a young governess who takes care of two children in a large, isolated house and starts to see apparitions. Another is 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' which features Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman.
The one where a little girl's ghost haunts her old bedroom. She died of an illness and now her presence can be felt when the room is cold. It's really spooky.
Yes, they can be. Ghost stories often play on our fears of the unknown, and in this book, they might be especially spooky. The short format allows for quick jolts of fear.