The mystery. In scary weird short stories, there are often elements that are not fully explained. It's like a puzzle that our minds can't help but try to solve. For example, in 'The Yellow Wallpaper', the woman's hallucinations of a woman trapped in the wallpaper are so strange that it makes us wonder what is really going on. It draws us in.
Sure. 'The Yellow Wallpaper' is a great one. It's about a woman who slowly descends into madness while confined to a room with hideous yellow wallpaper. Another is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. The narrator's obsession with an old man's 'vulture - like' eye and his subsequent murder of the old man is both scary and really weird. Also, 'The Monkey's Paw' where a family gets a magical paw that grants wishes but with terrifying consequences.
They allow us to experience fear in a safe way. We can read about the scariest situations, like in 'The Pit and the Pendulum' where the protagonist is facing a slow and torturous death, but we know we are not actually in danger. It's a form of thrill - seeking from the comfort of our own space.
There's 'The Tell - Tale Heart'. The narrator in this story is obsessed with an old man's 'vulture - like' eye. He plots and kills the old man, then hides his body under the floorboards. But as the police come to investigate, he starts to hear the old man's heart still beating, getting louder and louder until he confesses. The paranoia and the sense of guilt make this story quite scary.
There's a story of a deserted old house in the woods. Those who pass by it at night often hear strange noises, like someone moaning or chains rattling. Legend has it that a criminal was locked up there long ago and died a horrible death, and his spirit still haunts the place. Once a group of teenagers went near it and they all felt an unexplainable sense of dread.
I once had a dream where I was in an old, abandoned house. The walls were dripping with some sort of black goo. Every time I tried to find an exit, I would end up in the same room. There was a creepy doll sitting in the corner that seemed to be watching me. I could hear strange whispers all around me. It was really terrifying.
Some weird and scary stories originate from local folklore. For example, in many European villages, there are tales of werewolves. These stories were often used to explain strange disappearances of livestock or people in the woods. The idea of a human transforming into a half - man, half - wolf creature was a way to instill fear and also perhaps a cautionary tale about straying too far from the safety of the village at night.
The story of Bloody Mary is quite popular. Legend has it that if you go into a dark bathroom, light some candles, and say 'Bloody Mary' three times while looking into the mirror, a terrifying apparition will appear. It's said to be the spirit of a woman who was horribly murdered.
One story is about an old, abandoned house. People say that at midnight, you can see a figure in the window that looks like a woman in a white dress. She just stands there, staring out. No one knows who she was or why she's there, but it gives off a really creepy vibe.
One Weird NJ Scary Story is about the haunted Pine Barrens. Legend has it that there are strange creatures lurking there. People have reported seeing shadowy figures and hearing unearthly howls at night. It gives the area an eerie and spooky feeling that has persisted for years.