A hiker got lost in the woods at night. He saw a faint light in the distance and followed it. As he got closer, he realized it was a figure in white floating above the ground. Terrified, he ran in the opposite direction, but the figure seemed to follow him.
I don't think it'll necessarily meet your needs, but I'll try my best to recommend a novel that's most relevant to your description."Night Talks at a Haunted House" is a short-story novel written by the author who refuses to use false words. The general plot of this novel is:
"Haunted House Night Talks", also known as "Ghost Stories", was a collection of horror stories that he had put in a lot of effort to release. If you saw this series of stories at night when you were alone, it was best not to read it because every story in this series was extremely scary.
----------------------------
"The Ghost That Isn't a Ghost" was a novel written by the author, Su Qing. It was a mystery detective novel. The general plot of the novel was:
There are ghosts in this world, there really are ghosts, I really don't lie to you, otherwise what are these things? Ghost 1: There are no ghosts, a trick to deceive children Ghost 2: According to modern science, ghosts and such things cannot exist Ghost 3: The human heart is not enough to have such gods and ghosts Ghost 4: Yes, yes, there are no ghosts in this world Xiao Sheng: Then what are you? We're not ghosts ~ Alright, alright! No, no, don't shout. My head hurts.
----------------------------
Nightmare Realm was a mystery detective and horror novel written by Nan Muling. The general plot of the novel was:
As night fell, she suddenly opened her eyes and was shocked to find herself in a strange and desolate place. There were some supernatural 'creatures' around her, such as ghosts!
The timid her fled in fear, and in desperation, she fought back crazily, including killing ghosts and people…
When she opened her eyes again, she returned to her room. It turned out that everything was just a nightmare…
She did not realize that this was a never-ending nightmare…
Fate had already been decided.
It turned out that the most terrifying thing was the human heart!
----------------------------
"Your Parade of a Hundred Ghosts in the Other World" was a fantasy-mystery fantasy novel written by a white scholar. The general plot of the novel was:
When you fall into the endless abyss of darkness, do you choose to die like an ant or survive like a jackal…Nightmare Ghost, Bewitching Woman, Earth Goat, Ghost Mother…There are countless strange and terrifying ghosts hidden in this dark world, but the most terrifying thing is not them, but the ravings that come from your Heart World…
----------------------------
"The Ghost's Record" was a suspense novel written by the author, Bloodstained Ghost. The general plot of the novel was:
An ordinary Ghost-Hunting Association had actually led to the mysterious tomb's eternal mystery case! The descendants of the Xu and Wang families searched for the mysterious tomb, but they encountered ghosts hitting the wall and demons seducing souls, each of which was shocking. They also encountered the human-faced badger and the zombie king, each of which was fatal! He also witnessed the secret technique of soul refinement, the revenge of the ghost fetus, and the evil spirit entering the dream! Let's see how the descendants of the Spirit Master divined Yin and Yang, turning good into bad, and revealing the ultimate secret behind the bizarre tomb…
----------------------------
'Horrible Funeral Parlor' was a mystery detective novel written by the author, Fog Shadow. The general plot of the novel was:
It was late at night, and there was the sound of corpses whispering. I'm a corpse carrier in a funeral parlor. There are many taboos in this profession. In the dead of night, close your eyes and listen to me tell those horror stories!
----------------------------
Ghost Eyes was a modern romance novel written by the author, Yilian Youmeng. The general plot of this novel was:
Ever since I was young, I was regarded as a jinx because of my strange eyes. Everyone avoided me like the plague. There was a lovestruck female ghost who committed suicide in a university campus, a resentful ghost whose corpse was dismembered in an abandoned well, a human flesh restaurant, a little ghost who controlled people... All of this was happening around me. It seemed like I was destined to never be able to escape from this…
----------------------------
"Secret Panic" was a mystery novel written by the author since he was a child. The general plot of the novel was:
The Ancient House of the Evils, the Ghost High School, the Wilderness of Mystery, and the Desperation of Life. He shuttled through one mysterious and dangerous scene after another. This was a world of endless panic!
----------------------------
"The First Season of Skeleton Night City" was a suspense novel written by the author, Meng Xuanlang. The general plot of this novel was:
Strange tragedies and wandering vengeful spirits! Why was the mysterious Night Walker so strange? Was there a connection between the supernatural cases and the Underworld? The King of Hell ordered people to die at the third watch, but he would never leave people alive until the fifth watch! How could Meng Xuanlang, who had transformed into a Soul Reaper, face the love and hatred of the two worlds of Yin and Yang? Grudges and fate?
----------------------------
The book, Ghost Story Studio, was written by the author, Twelve Sentences, and was a novel about a mysterious world. The general plot of the novel was:
A nightmare descended upon them. Ghosts ran amok, and aristocratic families dominated the world. All living beings were like ants, struggling to survive in the quagmire. Fang Yue inexplicably came to a world where demons and ghosts ran amok. He had the merit system, and all kinds of strange objects such as jade pendants, bronze mirrors, straw sandals, straw raincoats, human skin masks, and so on transformed into merit divine powers to deduce, see, divine, avoid water, paint skin…
They play on our primal fears. Everyone is a little afraid of the unknown, and ghosts represent that. For example, a story about a haunted mirror where you see a face that's not your own briefly. It gives you chills because it's something that could potentially happen to anyone, yet it's so strange and unexplainable.
One creepy short ghost story is about an old abandoned house. A girl was dared by her friends to go inside at night. As she entered, she heard a faint whispering. She saw a shadowy figure in the corner that disappeared when she blinked. She ran out in terror and never went back.
The story of 'Bloody Mary' is also quite creepy. Legend has it that if you stand in a dark bathroom, light a candle, and say 'Bloody Mary' three times into the mirror, a ghostly apparition will appear. She is said to have a pale face covered in blood, and her eyes are filled with malice.
One story could be about a haunted old mansion. People who enter at night hear strange whispers and see shadowy figures moving in the halls. Another might be a story of a lonely cemetery where a ghostly figure in white is often seen floating among the tombstones. The third could be a tale of a possessed doll that causes strange things to happen in the house it's in.
A sense of unease and a feeling of being watched are key factors. For example, in some stories, people feel a cold presence following them. It's not just about seeing a ghostly figure, but also that lingering feeling that something is not right. It could be a sudden drop in temperature in a room where no one else is around, or a feeling of dread that overcomes you for no apparent reason. This makes the story more than just a spooky tale, but something that can really get under your skin.
A true short ghost story that gives me the chills is about a cemetery. A caretaker often heard strange whispers when he was working late. One night, he saw a figure floating above a grave. He thought it was his imagination at first, but then it started to move towards him. He ran away and never worked there at night again.
They often contain a moral or a lesson in a way. For instance, in a story where a greedy person is haunted by a ghost, it might be teaching us about the consequences of greed. Even though it's a spooky story, there's often a deeper meaning that can be explored, which makes these short stories more than just tales to scare us.