Can you recommend some dread short stories?

One classic 'dread horror story' is 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. It's filled with dread as the vampire Dracula slowly preys on his victims, and the sense of his omnipresence is really terrifying. The descriptions of his castle and the way he can manipulate those around him create a great horror atmosphere.

Sure. One success story could be about a salon that started using Dread Wax. They noticed that their clients with dreadlocks were much more satisfied as the wax helped keep the dreads in shape for a longer time. It also made the dreads look neater and more defined, which attracted new customers who were interested in well - maintained dreadlocks.

He uses dark and gloomy settings. For instance, a desolate alley or a decaying old building. These settings immediately set a mood of unease.

Sure. 'Dread Nation' by Justina Ireland is a well - known one. It presents an alternate history where zombies exist during the Reconstruction era. It's a great read for YA as it has a strong - willed protagonist dealing with complex social and survival issues. Also, 'Chainbreaker' by Tara Sim, while not strictly the same, has historical and YA - friendly elements with a bit of steampunk and adventure.

One popular dread game story is 'Silent Hill'. The fog - covered town is filled with all kinds of grotesque creatures and psychological terrors. The main character has to face his or her inner demons while trying to survive in this nightmarish place.

A girl with long, beautiful dreadlocks once slept over at a friend's place. In the middle of the night, her friend's cat got into her hair and made a huge mess. The cat's claws got tangled in the dreads, and when the girl woke up, she had a big struggle trying to get the cat out without hurting it or further damaging her hair. It was a very chaotic and unexpected situation.

Well, there's a story about a guy who used the wrong products to maintain his dreads. He thought a regular hair wax would work fine. But instead, it made his dreads really hard and brittle. As a result, some of the dreads started to break off easily. He had to cut those damaged parts and start over with a proper dreadlock maintenance routine. This taught him the importance of using the right products for dreadlocks.

Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry is a great short short story. It tells about a young couple who are very poor but sacrifice their most precious possessions to buy gifts for each other. Another one is 'A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings' by Gabriel García Márquez. It's a magical story about a strange old man with wings who appears in a village.

One notable aspect is Barker's unique and often dark atmosphere creation. His descriptions draw you into a world filled with dread. Another is his complex characters. They are often morally ambiguous, which adds depth to the short story.