One short horror story could be about a lonely old house. A traveler seeking shelter knocks on the door. When no one answers, he enters. As he explores, he hears faint whispers. Suddenly, the doors slam shut and he feels an icy cold hand on his shoulder. He turns but sees nothing, just the feeling of being watched.
Isolation is a common element. For example, a character might be alone in a big, empty house or in a desolate forest. This isolation makes the fear more intense as there's no one to turn to for help.
Non - copyrighted short horror stories often have a simple yet effective plot. Since they don't have the backing of big publishers, they rely on basic horror elements like sudden scares, eerie settings, and strange characters. For example, a story might be set in an abandoned house at night, with a creaking door and a shadowy figure. They also tend to be more experimental in terms of style as the authors are not bound by commercial expectations.
One common theme is the fear of the unknown. Stories often play on the idea that there are things in the world that we can't understand, like in 'The Call of Cthulhu' where the cosmic entities are beyond human comprehension. Another theme is death and the afterlife. Many horror short stories explore what might happen after we die or how death can be a terrifying and sudden event.
A common theme is friendship. For example, in 'The Body', the boys' friendship is a central element as they face various challenges together on their journey. It shows how friendship can be tested and strengthened.
Many of them explore deep human emotions. In 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption', the hope of the main character is palpable throughout the story. Also, his non - horror short stories usually have a well - crafted plot. Just like in 'Apt Pupil', the story unfolds in an engaging and thought - provoking way that keeps the reader interested from start to finish. They can also touch on important social and moral issues, making them more than just simple stories.
You can try some public domain literature websites like Project Gutenberg. They have a vast collection of old stories that are in the public domain and might include some non - copyrighted short horror stories. Another option is to look on some free - to - use writing platforms where amateur writers share their works. Some of these works may be non - copyrighted short horror stories.
In some situations, companies might not respect the right to be forgotten. Let's say a person had a bad experience with a particular service and left negative reviews. The company then retaliates by using old, private information about the customer that should be forgotten. They spread this information to other businesses or on social media, making the person's life difficult. This shows how the violation of the right to be forgotten can lead to real - life horror scenarios for individuals.
One horror story could be when a contestant thought they won a big prize like a car but due to a technicality in the rules, they didn't get it. They were so excited, jumping up and down, only to be crushed when they were told the bad news.
One of his well - known non - horror short stories is 'The Body'. It's a coming - of - age story about a group of boys who go on a journey to find a dead body. It was later adapted into the movie 'Stand by Me'.