Can you recommend some of the greatest scary short stories from different authors?

Edgar Allan Poe is a well - known author of great short scary stories. His works, such as 'The Fall of the House of Usher' and 'The Cask of Amontillado', are filled with dark themes, psychological horror, and a sense of impending doom.

Sure. One of the scariest ones could be 'The Haunted House' in it. It's about a family who moves into an old, dilapidated house and starts experiencing strange noises and apparitions at night.

Another excellent story from it could be 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. This story is quite thought - provoking as it starts with a seemingly normal small - town lottery but takes a very dark turn, making readers reflect on society and human nature.

Well, 'The Yellow Wallpaper' is also remarkable. A woman is confined to a room with yellow wallpaper as part of her rest cure. As time passes, she becomes obsessed with the wallpaper, seeing strange figures and eventually descending into madness, which reflects the oppressive nature of her situation.

Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' from this collection is really great. It's a story about a young couple who are very poor but they each sacrifice their most precious possession to buy a gift for the other. It shows deep love and selflessness.

Another great one is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson. In a seemingly ordinary small town, there is an annual lottery. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that this lottery has a very dark and disturbing outcome, which shows how blindly following tradition can be terrifying.

One of the greatest short scary stories is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who is haunted by an old man's vulture - like eye and ultimately murders him, only to be driven mad by the sound of the dead man's heart still beating in his head.

Sure. One short scary story could be about a haunted house. A family moves in, and every night they hear strange noises coming from the attic. When they finally go to check, they find a cold, dark presence that terrifies them. Another could be a story of a cursed object. A girl finds an old doll in an antique store. Once she takes it home, she starts having nightmares and seeing a strange figure in her room at night. And there's also a story where a hiker gets lost in the woods and comes across a strange cabin with a sinister feeling. Inside, he discovers things that make him realize he's in a place he should never have been.

Sure. One of the scariest could be 'The Haunted House' in it. The story creates a spooky atmosphere with creaking floors and shadowy figures. Another might be 'The Curse of the Doll' where an old doll seems to have a life of its own and brings misfortune to those around it. And 'The Midnight Visitor' which is full of suspense as a strange figure shows up at midnight.

Authors like O. Henry, he wrote 'The Gift of the Magi'. Guy de Maupassant, known for 'The Necklace'. And Edgar Allan Poe who penned 'The Tell - Tale Heart' are among the authors of the greatest short stories. These authors have a unique ability to tell engaging stories within a short span, using vivid language and deep insights into human nature.