There is a lot of horror out there, to be sure. Movies, short films, novels, two-sentence horror stories, flash fiction, etc. I’ve realized that my favorite medium of horror on the printed pages is the short story. I absolutely loved Stephen King’s Nightshift anthology, and I am always on the lookout for those older, “classic” stories that were innovative for their time.
Thus, I have three scary stories for you that you can read online at your leisure. Shall we begin?
‘At the Mountains of Madness’ – H.P. Lovecraft – 1931
If you’re a fan of science fiction horror in the vein of The Thing from Another World, the Alien series and the Blog, etc, you will like where this story is coming from .
Briefly put, it’s the story of a group of explorers in the Antarctic, who discover the remains of a civilization that came from space, plus alien bodies. Now that you know what direction the story is going, go read it now. You won’t be sorry.
‘They Bite’ – Anthony Boucher – 1943
So you like weird westerns? Odd events in the wide expanse of the desert, where there is nothing but cacti and the sounds of your screams for miles? Then “They Bite” is for you. I first read this story in an Alfred Hitchcock magazine as a teenager. I will say, this story has stuck with me through the years, and even as I read it again, it’s still scary.
Such a simple premise: how greed and killing can lead to a very odd end.
‘Patient Zero’ – Tananarive Due
I absolutely love stories like these. The premise is a little boy who is in the hospital. He’s also in isolation and those that deal with him have to wear what he calls “hot suits”. To say anymore would give the story away, so check it out here.
So there you are, three stories you can read online right now that are perfect for the spooky month of Halloween or anytime.
Enjoy!
Dahlia