This is a compiled list of some of my favorite pieces of short horror fiction, ranging from classics to modern-day horror, and includes links to where the full story can be read for free. Please be aware that any of these stories may contain subject matter you find disturbing, offensive, or otherwise distressing. Exercise caution when reading. Image art is from Scarecrow: Year One.
PSYCHOLOGICAL: tense, dread-inducing horror that preys upon the human psyche and aims to frighten on a mental or emotional level.
CURSED: stories concerning characters afflicted with a curse, either by procuring a plagued object or as punishment for their own nefarious actions.
MONSTERS: tales of ghouls, creeps, and everything in between.
CLASSICS: terrifying fiction written by innovators of literary horror.
SUPERNATURAL: stories varying from spooky to sober, featuring lurking specters, wandering souls, and those haunted by ghosts and grief.
UNSETTLING: fiction that explores particularly disturbing topics, such as mutilation, violence, and body horror. Not recommended for readers who may be offended or upset by graphic content.
- “Survivor Type” by Stephen King, 1982
- “I’m On My Deathbed So I’m Coming Clean…” by M.J. Pack, 2018
- “In the Hills, the Cities” by Clive Barker, 1984
- “The New Fish” by T.W. Grim, 2013
- “The Screwfly Solution” by Racoona Sheldon, 1977
- “In the Darkness of the Fields” by Ho_Jun, 2015
- “The October Game” by Ray Bradbury, 1948
- “I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” by Harlan Ellison, 1967
HAPPY READING, HORROR FANS!