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, not zombies, not 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 combed the internet to find 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!
This post may include affiliate links.
We bought this run-down house, my boyfriend and I. While he started working on converting the kitchen into the main bedroom, I insisted on removing the old wallpaper. The previous owner papered every wall and ceiling in the house! It’s a lot of work to remove, but it feels so good to get rid of it. The best feeling is getting a long peel, like when your skin peels after a bad sunburn. I turned it into a game, on the hunt to rip the longest piece possible.
I noticed there was a person’s name and date under a corner section of paper in every room. I couldn’t help but investigate and Googled those names. What I discovered left me speechless. The names all belonged to missing people, and the dates matched the day of their disappearance! We notified the police, who sent the crime scene team. I overheard one of them say, “Yeah, it’s human.” Wait, what’s human? “Ma’am, where is all the material you removed? This isn’t wallpaper.”
A father went to say good night to his son, as it was routine since he knew his son would have trouble sleeping if he didn’t. It was a sort of silent tradition between them, one he never forgot to attend. The room was dimly lit by the lamp, but the father could clearly see there was something unusual about the kid tonight. He looked the same, just with a huge grin that drew from ear to ear.
“You okay, buddy?” he asked. The son nodded, still grinning, before saying, “Daddy, check for monsters under my bed.” The father chuckled and got on his knees to take a look. There, under the bed, was his son. His real son. Pale, trembling, and scared to death. He whispered, “Daddy, there’s someone on my bed.”
my continuation the father felt a touch on his shoulder.he trembling looked back.he looked at his son expect the son wasn't there anymore . he heard a ear piercing scream from the kitchen.the father quickly ran to the kitchen.there sitting on the cabinet was his son and a copy of his son.the father screamed to both recite our father.one of the sons started reciting it with the father .and the other figure gave a demonic scream and started to burn into ash. the father told to the sone to run and bring the holy water and when the son came back they both still reciting prayers sprayed the holy water to the ash.the ash became a mist and dissapeered tell me if you want part 2
I stood there, watching as my future father-in-law held his precious daughter’s hand as he walked down the aisle. Tears in his eyes as the wedding march played in the background, reminding him that, in a matter of minutes, he would be witnessing me hold his daughter’s hand and slip a ring on her finger. He reached the altar, and I finally held her hand, grinning from ear to ear. I’d never been this happy before.
My bride’s father then got down on his knees and started begging. “I did what you asked. Just please, please give my daughter back to me.” I glared at him. He was ruining this beautiful moment. “Shut up. If you sit down and enjoy the wedding, maybe I’ll tell you where I’ve hidden the rest of her body.”
Every night, I relive burying my comrades from the war in my dreams. Not because of the night terrors, but for the scratches on my arms and dirt on the floor every time I wake up.
When I smiled in her direction, she didn’t smile back. There’s something really wrong with this mirror.
Mommy has the habit of going out every Saturday night, so Daddy and I always go get ice cream together after dinner, just the two of us. Around dinner time, I go to the kitchen to see what Daddy is cooking, but he’s not there. I saw a note on the counter that said Mommy and Uncle James were going somewhere together. I’m not sure, I don’t read that well.
I find Daddy in the garage. I shut the door behind me like I’m supposed to. Daddy is in the front seat, the car engine already turned on. It seems like we won’t be having dinner tonight, only ice cream. I get in the backseat behind him since I’m not a big boy yet. Daddy doesn’t answer when I say hello to him, maybe he can’t hear me over how loud the car is. I think I’ll take a nap on the way to the ice cream shop. I feel kinda sleepy.
My four-year-old said he wished people didn’t have to knock to get in a house. I told him about doorbells, and he asked me if we could install one on his window.
It’s so dark here. I can’t even move, breathe, speak, or hear anything. If only I knew it would be this lonely, I would have asked to be cremated instead.
A daughter was in her room, busy with homework, when she heard her mother call her name: dinner was ready! She jumped onto her feet and began making her way downstairs when suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her into the laundry room beside the staircase. She panicked before realizing it was her mother — unusually weepy, with bloodshot eyes. “Don’t go down there, honey. I heard it too.”
Last night I was rushed out of the house by a friend to catch the opening act at a local bar’s music night. A few drinks later, I realized I had lost my phone. I checked everywhere, even in the restrooms. Nothing. I ended up using my friend’s phone to call mine. The phone rang twice — someone picked up, giggled with a low and raspy voice, and hung up. I tried again, but nobody responded anymore. In the end, I gave up and headed home. I found my phone on the nightstand, right where I had left it.
I don’t know why I looked up, but as soon as I did, I saw a man standing against my window. Forehead on the glass, still eyes, lipstick-red cartoonish smile. My wife was sleeping upstairs, our son in the crib. I couldn’t move a finger, frozen as I watched him past the glass. With his creepy smile still there, he put a hand up and slid it down the window, watching me with piercing eyes. I just stayed there, unable to move, feet still in the bushes I was pruning, looking into my house. He stood against my window.
I open the door to see a policeman who informs me that my husband died in a car crash. I turn my head to see my husband sitting at the table and eating the dinner I just served, grinning at me.
In 2026, the Messiah descended on Earth. She performed miracles and cured the sick. There was no doubt about her authenticity. Everyone believed her. Everyone revered her. Following this historical moment, known as the Age of Peace, everything suddenly changed. She warned us there were only a few spots left in heaven for the dead. That was natural: nobody had gone to hell during this age. People started to go hysteric. Everyone wanted a place in heaven. That’s when mass suicides started — the Messiah had assured us that taking your own life is not a sin if you died a devout man. It was literally a race to kill yourself before everyone else.
She was left on her own as humanity perished at their own hands. Grinning, she returned home to her throne of fire and flames and greeted her people with a nod of her demonic horns.
Every night, my brother and I used to knock on the wall separating our bedrooms. After I came back from his funeral, I could still hear the knocking.
It’s been 315 days since the outbreak, 187 days since I realized I might be the only survivor, and 3 days since the two of us found each other in the wreckage of the world and made me feel like everything was going to be okay again. After so long alone, I almost forgot that the first sign of infection is hallucinating imaginary people.
I was on my way to school when something in the woods caught my eye. I couldn’t get it back.
“Are you afraid of the dark?” That’s what I heard just before the lightbulb shattered behind me.
Growing up with cats and dogs, I grew accustomed to being awakened by the sounds of scratching on my door. Now that I live alone, the sound is much more disturbing.
thats just me, you said you had some bread for me last week and you never gave it to me so i came to get it myself. :^
Last year, a young girl named Emily disappeared. Now, new sidewalks are being poured into my neighborhood, and I’ve found her name in the wet cement — but it was written backward. And from below.
... how????? 🤨 sidewalks are poured like 6 inches thick at least?????
The world was thrilled to hear the first mission to Mars would be led by an all-female crew. A year later, the world was shocked when they all came back pregnant.
We felt proud as our daughter got on the bus to enjoy her first day of school. Our hearts dropped when the real school bus arrived two minutes later.
I aimed my gun at the sick bastard who murdered my wife. He cried so desperately, scared for what was to come. If only he had talked to me and tried to reason, maybe I could have spared him. But that was impossible. After all, he was born just a few minutes ago.
“You look like death,” he said, concern clear on his face. A wide grin crossed my face, flattered to be recognized, as I caught him with my scythe and pulled him down into the abyss.
As I rolled over in bed, I saw something clearly not human smile at me through the window. My heart almost stopped when I noticed it was my reflection.
Mommy always told me there’s a rule I can’t absolutely break: don’t go in the basement. That place is a total mystery to me. The only thing I know is that there’s often a sound coming from there, like a weeping puppy. And I really wanted to see the puppy! So one day, I opened the basement door and tiptoed downstairs. There was no puppy, and then mommy yanked me out of the room and yelled at me like never before. It made me so sad I started crying. She told me never to go in the basement again and then gave me a cookie. In the end, I never asked her why that boy in the basement was making noises like a puppy, or why he had no hands or feet.
YOU SAW OUR DETAINED, IMPRISONED CHILD! YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO GO DOWN THERE! Here, have a cookie :)
Yesterday I wrote “69” on my wrist as a joke. Today it’s “68,” and I’m even more worried because I can’t wash it off.
Update; it says 67 now, and it’s starting to hurt, like something’s on my wrist, and it’s getting hotter by the second. It seems almost burned into my skin… I’ve started hearing weird noises at night too, children’s voices repeating the same phrase. “Your turn… counting down…”
Alone in my room, I sneezed softly. “Bless you,” said a voice.
Our daughter spent the day at her friend Sally’s birthday party. Around midnight, when I was asleep after watching the Braves game, she woke me up, tugging my shirt sleeve. “Daddy, guess how old I’m going to be next month.” I decided to follow her lead. “I don’t know, beauty,” I said as I slipped on my glasses. “How old?” She smiled and held up four fingers. It’s 7:30 now. My wife and I have been up with her for almost 8 hours. She still refuses to tell us where she got them.
One night, a girl finds herself alone at home, with only her dog to keep her company. The TV news is on, reporting that a serial killer is on the loose. Feeling uneasy, she locks all the doors and windows, accidentally leaving one open.
In the middle of the night, she is awakened by a dripping sound. Scared, she searches for her dog for comfort, feeling him licking her hand. But the dripping sound keeps going, so she checks everything, from the taps in the kitchen to the bathroom, but nothing. She gives up and returns to her dark bedroom, her hand down again for her dog to lick. In the morning, when she opens her closet, she finds her dog dead and hanging upside down. That dripping sound was from his blood. On the closet doors, she sees a message: “Humans can lick too.”
She's about to find that guy and go Jane Wick on him. I most certainly would John Wick anyone who did that to my dog.
“Mommy, my friend is coming over,” my daughter cheerfully told me about her imaginary friend. Then the motion-detecting light turned on.
There’s a girl outside my window. The only problem is that my apartment is on the seventh floor.
You may be experiencing a Christian disease we call being possessed by a demon with demonic things haunting you! All you gotta do is to pray the f*k out of your situation.
My closet door slid open with a creaking sound, making me jump. I pretended his distraction had worked and that I didn’t see him crouched in the corner of the room.
When I came home from a hard day at work, my daughter’s smiling face greeted me from the driveway. Where’s the rest of her body?
Annie, quit with the astral projecting and get out here already! Can't mom/dad get a proper greeting and a hug rather than just your face???!!!
I came home after a weeklong trip away. I went straight to the bathroom and took a well-deserved shower. As I pressed the towel against my face to dry myself, I discovered it was already wet.
My twin brother and I often share experiences and sensations. If only he had warned me before getting open heart surgery.
The spiders cocooned their prey in layers of silk. The muffled screams of the man grew fainter with each new layer.
I saw a severed arm poking out of the dumpster. It gave me a thumbs-up when I walked by.
thats just Jerry, its been a hard week but he's staying positive
Don’t ask, I’ve had a tough week. I tend to dumpster dive when I’m stressed.
Ugh my baby-sitter's ashes are REALLY going out of control. Thanks for telling me, she knew you would tell me that's she gave you a thumbs-up
“It’s just a harmless mask on the wall,” my mom said. She’s right; it is harmless — if not for the fact it suddenly appears in my room every night.
Best friends Meg and Samantha share a room in the college dormitory. One night, Samantha goes out to party with her date while Meg decides to keep studying for the upcoming mid-term exams. When Samantha comes back from the party, the lights are all turned off. She doesn’t switch them on, as her friend is asleep.
Early in the morning, Samantha asks Meg to discuss the exams. As Meg stays silent, Samantha hesitantly uncovers her face to wake her up. Horrified, she looks at Meg’s face, now turned black and blue, and falls to the floor in shock. She sees that Meg’s desk is all messed up, with only a note on the wall. “Aren’t you glad you didn’t turn on the lights?” The murderer must have been in the room when Sam returned the night before.
A pandemic has killed over 99% of humanity, but don’t worry — it’s only contagious among those who know about it.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Detecting multiple leviathan class lifeforms in the area. Are you sure whatever you're doing is worth it?
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.
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.
