It’s been a long day, and you’re just trying to get some sleep. But as you struggle to drift off, your mind wanders to the dark side. That’s when you know it’s time to get spooked!
True crime podcasts, unsettling horror movies, creepypasta: getting your daily fix of the macabre is easier than ever and a welcome distraction from the daily grind. We’re not sure why people tend to feast on horror content just when they’re alone in a bedroom in the middle of the night, but we can totally relate. Nothing can tingle your nerves like reading a well-written horror story in the pitch dark of your room, especially when the plot focuses on realistic situations. Not ghosts, zombies, or vampires: people can be even more terrifying.
Heart racing like crazy, goosebumps, and the familiar pump of adrenaline — that’s the power of a scary story done right. And while we know the best way to enjoy the genre is through cinema and literature — and we encourage it! — there’s often just no time for any of that. That’s when short horror stories come in handy! Small pieces of dreadful entertainment ready to be devoured at a moment’s notice. So if you want to get your horror fix without having to sit through an entire film or read dozens of pages to get to the juicy part, then grab yourself a blanket, dim the lights, and settle in for some creepy stories.
Bored Panda has searched the internet for some of the best scary short stories. Some of these are two-sentence horror stories, perfect for getting horrified in a matter of seconds! You can read them in bed on your phone while your significant other sleeps soundly next to you, or alone with only a flicker of candlelight as a companion to your reading. Only one thing is sure: these spooky stories will have you clinging to your pillow for dear life tonight!
#41
My new horror story was finally finished. I typed “The End” on the last page. Then my keyboard, entirely on its own, typed “is coming.”
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20points
#42
A pandemic has killed over 99% of humanity, but don’t worry — it’s only contagious among those who know about it.
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20points
#43
This story dates back to a few years ago. A married couple decided to enjoy a night out, just the two of them. They called their most trusted babysitter to look after their kids. When she arrived, the two children were already fast asleep in bed, so the babysitter just sat around and ensured everything was okay.
Later that night, she got bored and decided to watch TV, the only cable TV in the parents’ bedroom. She called them and asked if she could use it. Of course, the parents said it was okay, but the babysitter had one final request. She wondered if she could cover that angel statue placed outside the bedroom window with a blanket or something because it made her uneasy. The phone line was silent for a moment, and the father said, “Take the children with you and get out of the house… we’ll call the police. We don’t have any angel statue.”
When the police arrived, they found the kids and the babysitter in pools of their own blood. No statue was found.
unknown
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#44
Two young siblings, Peter and Dennis, find a clapping monkey toy in the basement of their great uncle’s home.
There’s a story behind this toy. In the past, their father Hal had found that monkey in his father’s cupboard without knowing the toy was cursed. Hal’s father disappeared under unusual circumstances, and the monkey was connected to it. It’s revealed that whenever the monkey claps, someone from Hal’s family dies — his relatives dying one after the other until he figured out the connection with the monkey.
Oppressed by the monkey’s devilish enchantment, Hal threw it into a deep well until it was found again by his kids. When Peter and Dennis find the monkey again, Hal shoves it deep down in a lake to avoid a new death. He hopes the problem is solved forever. A couple of days later, the local newspaper ran a story about the mysterious death of all the fish in the lake.
unknown
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#45
I love diving into the deeper ocean where you can’t even see the bottom! Somehow, this time I can’t see the surface either.
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16points
#46
Two teenagers are in a deserted lover’s lane, making out in the car. The radio is on, announcing the news that a convicted serial killer just escaped from the asylum he was kept in. Police ask people to call them if they see a bizarre-looking man with a hook in his hand. The girl, unsettled by the news, asks the boy to take her home immediately. He tries hard to convince her date to stay but eventually gives up and heads back. Safely at the girl’s house, she gets out of the car, but the door doesn’t close. She freezes as she sees a hook suspended from the door handle.
unknown
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#47
When Murlock returns home, he finds his wife suffering from severe fits, eventually leading to her death. Destroyed by the pain and exhaustion, Murlock drifts off to sleep.
From an open window in Murlock’s cabin comes a loud, weeping sound that gets louder and louder. When Murlock wakes up, he feels some strange presence in the house. Something moves in the dark. Murlock takes his rifle and fires in the air. After lighting a candle, he witnesses a panther hauling his wife by the neck. When he examines his wife’s dead body, Murlock notices that a tiny piece of the panther’s ear is stuck between her teeth.
unknown
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