Horror Fiction Short Stories

His name is a byword for unspeakable horror and dread. Across ten stories this dark master holds a fascinating lure for all of us. Word by word, line by line we are drip-fed stomach-churning terror of a mesmerizing kind…

For fans of the oral history genre phenomenon World War Z, a worldwide plague of insomnia creates a devastating new apocalypse. Sleep Over is collection of waking nightmares, a scrapbook of the haunting and poignant stories from those trapped in a world where the pillars of society are crumbling, and madness is slowly descending on a planet without rest.

These beautifully crafted, emotionally resonant stories speak of the unknown encroaching upon the familiar, the inscrutable power of grief and desire, and the thinness between all our layers. Where nature rubs against small towns, in mountains and woods and bedrooms, here is strangeness seen through a poet's eye.

And now, a great Bigfoot book for both the Bigfoot believer and those who just enjoy a good story! Flyfishing guide Rusty Wilson spent years collecting these stories from his clients around the campfire, stories guaranteed to scare the pants off you—or make you want to meet the Big Guy! Come read about a lonely albino Bigfoot—being stalked in the forests of northern California—a Bigfoot and his dog—rockhounding in Nevada with the Big Guy—the Bigfoot who tried to stop the BASE jumpers—and many more great campfire tales!

When the White family comes into the possession of a monkey’s paw that magically grant wishes, they do what many people would do - they wish for money. But every wish has a consequence, and the White family finds they are completely unprepared for what comes next. The Monkey’s Paw is a classic horror tale that gives new meaning to the phrase “be careful what you wish for”.

Max receives a piece of his mother's funerary jewelry and realizes that he now has the power to touch certain objects and relive their owner's last moments. But exactly how far will he need to go to reach divinity? This audiobook includes the original short story, as well as an essay about the origins of the idea for this tale.

On a dark desert highway, hidden from sight, there is a place that exists just beyond the shadows. A place that calls to the broken, the lost, and the tormented who wander the desolate roads of night. Temptation to leave the world behind presents itself as a beautiful seductress offering a variety of exquisite pleasures, luring you further into the dream. But elegant parties and pretty faces quickly dissolve into the stuff of nightmares as the door closes and the feast begins.

It's glorious spring in Darkbridge and time for the first match of the cricket season. A single father shuns the friendly overtures of the neighbours. What sinister secret is he trying to hide?

Melanie doesn't understand why she's not allowed in the cellar, and the curiosity is getting the better of her. Finally, she's determined there's no way around it. Even if her parents and her nanny will be angry she just has to understand why she hears noises and why she's not allowed inside. This thrilling little gem is yet another example of why Arthur Pendryll is rapidly gaining a name in the world of short horror fiction.

The piano was a gift, a symbol of enduring love, but from the moment she began playing it, Melody's nights became filled with terrifying visions. Visions of an ancient city in ruins where the streets run red with blood and winged creatures watch lustfully from high above. Visions of murder, betrayal, and madness. She knows that her night terrors are inextricably entangled with the piano and its troubling history, but she must keep playing...searching for that one melody that will quiet the haunting voice that threatens her very sanity.

Navy wife, Andy Davenport, would do anything to make amends with her husband, Tyler. The trouble is, he never made it back from deployment. When Andy's free spirited sister suggests a seance, Andy is skeptical at best. But could this be her chance to see Tyler again and make things right? Some ghost stories are worth believing in...

The calm of a suburban evening is shattered by a horrific murder. An average man and his beautiful wife are dead, killed in a horrific orgy of blood. A child is missing, and a disturbed man in a police interrogation room holds the key to everything. A detective is driven to arrive at the truth, but how can he possibly find truth in the mind of a man so deranged?

The year is 2013 and you have found that which you were seeking. However, you have inadvertently placed yourself in harm's way and zombies are hunting you.

This ain't no Jimmy Stewart Christmas movie. A policeman patrols the downtown area during the Christmas season, checking knobs and keeping the neighborhood safe. His rounds take him past the bridge on the edge of town where he sees a man standing on the railing, contemplating jumping to his death. Can our friendly neighborhood cop talk him out of it and give him a reason to live? Sometimes it's better to just mind your own business.

This issue of Weird Tales presents a variety of stories, essays, and poems about cryptids and urban legends. Not to dispel, but to reveal.

This handbook for the cheerful nihilist contains tales to chill, thrill, and amuse: A secret sex club that brings couples closer together in more ways than one, the disgruntled host of a dystopian game show determined to go out with a bang, and more....

Soar among the redwoods in this bite-sized adventure with Chloe, the recently divorced fairy inventor. She's the one who'll discover the encroaching zombie horde, but what will she do when she does? Come for the campy creature face-off. Stay for the inventiveness, adventure, romance, and intrigue. Torn between her handsome ex-husband and the brave and beautiful captain of the fairy guard, Chloe must fight to save her unborn young and the rest of the fairies.

Below the pale orb of a full moon, a lone boat navigates the dark channels of the Louisiana bayou, moving between ancient cypress and the heave mats of Spanish moss that dangle from their gnarled limbs. Who are the two who brave the swamp at night? One is a lanky Cajun man by the name of Pierre, while the other is his visiting cousin from Tennessee. The man folks call...the Old Storyteller.

Joining together, nine Babylonian necromantic sorcerers were appointed as secret protectors of the royal court and the city by the King. In the shadowy halls of Babylon’s underground temples, they met under the veil of night, engaging in the most secretive of esoteric rites. In their ancient Akkadian tongues, they shared their dark secrets, communed with the dead, and joined with sister witches for intense sexual magic rituals.

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. They can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that are difficult to achieve elsewhere. The Gothic short story is one of the most enduring of genres. In this volume we explore works by classic authors from all corners of Europe as they explore and exploit narratives with their undeniable talents.