most horror short stories

In my opinion, 'The Call of Cthulhu' is one of the most terrifying. It involves an ancient, otherworldly being that drives people mad just by the knowledge of its existence. It's a Lovecraftian horror that plays on the fear of the unknown and the cosmos.

Most horror short stories often have a sense of the unknown. They create an atmosphere full of mystery and suspense. For example, in many classic horror short stories, the setting might be a desolate old house where strange noises come from the attic at night. There's also often a menacing presence, whether it's a ghost, a monster or a deranged human. Another characteristic is the use of vivid and disturbing descriptions to make the reader feel uneasy. They might describe grotesque scenes or the appearance of the horror element in great detail, like a decaying corpse with maggots crawling all over it, which can send shivers down the reader's spine.

Most horror short stories often have a sense of the unknown. They play on our fears of the dark, the supernatural, and the unexpected. For example, many use elements like ghosts or unexplained phenomena to create a spooky atmosphere.

One of the most successful horror short stories is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a chilling tale of a narrator's descent into madness as he obsesses over an old man's 'vulture - like' eye and ultimately commits murder. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs. It shows the terrifying consequences of making wishes on a cursed object. Also, Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery' is very successful. It starts off seemingly normal in a small town but takes a dark turn as the true nature of the annual lottery is revealed.

Most scary horror short stories often have a sense of the unknown. They leave a lot to the imagination. For example, in 'The Tell - Tale Heart', the narrator's madness is not fully explained, and the reader is left to wonder what really drove him to such extremes. Another characteristic is a build - up of suspense. In 'The Monkey's Paw', the wishes are made one by one, and with each wish, the tension rises as the characters don't know what horror will befall them next.

Edgar Allan Poe is a major author of famous horror short stories. He wrote 'The Tell - Tale Heart', 'The Cask of Amontillado', and 'The Masque of the Red Death' among others. Shirley Jackson wrote 'The Lottery', which is a very well - known horror short story. W. W. Jacobs is the author of 'The Monkey's Paw'.

One of the most famous is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a disturbing tale of a man's descent into madness as he is haunted by the vulture - like eye of an old man he lives with. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' by W. W. Jacobs, which shows the dangerous consequences of interfering with fate through a cursed monkey's paw that grants wishes in a twisted way. And 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson is also well - known. It presents a seemingly ordinary small town with a dark and horrifying annual tradition that shocks readers when revealed.

They also usually have a strong sense of atmosphere. Take 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The description of the room with the yellow wallpaper, and the narrator's slow descent into madness as she is confined there, is all about building a claustrophobic and disturbing atmosphere.

One of the most terrifying is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a man who kills an old man because he can't stand the old man's 'vulture - like' eye. The guilt drives him insane as he imagines he still hears the old man's heart beating even after the murder.

In some of the stories, there might be a cursed object. For example, a doll that causes misfortune to whoever owns it. People around the owner start to have bad luck and then worse things start to happen. The doll's eyes seem to follow you around the room, which is really creepy.