There’s something timeless about telling short scary stories. Whether it’s around a campfire, at a sleepover, or just to entertain friends and family, these tales tap into a primal part of our imagination that makes them both thrilling and terrifying. The best scary stories are often the ones that are short and punchy—delivering chills and suspense in just a few sentences or a couple of paragraphs.
In this guide, we’ll explore some of the most spine-tingling short scary stories to tell, perfect for your next spooky gathering. From ghostly apparitions to psychological terrors, these stories will surely leave your audience on edge.
The Vanishing Hitchhiker
One of the most classic short scary stories is “The Vanishing Hitchhiker.” This tale has been told in many different ways, but the premise remains the same. A driver picks up a young woman hitchhiking on the side of the road late at night. As they drive along, they exchange a few words, and the woman remains mostly silent. The driver offers to take her home, and when they reach her destination, he turns to let her out—only to find the seat empty.
Confused and shaken, the driver knocks on the door of the house. An elderly woman answers, explaining that her daughter died many years ago in a car accident on that same stretch of road. The driver realizes that the ghost of the young woman still haunts the highway, forever searching for a ride home.
The Call Is Coming From Inside the House
This is a simple but terrifying story that has made its way into popular culture. A young babysitter is watching over two children one evening when she receives a series of strange phone calls. Each time she answers, the voice on the other end asks, “Have you checked the children?”
At first, the babysitter dismisses the calls as a prank, but they continue, and she becomes increasingly frightened. She calls the police, who tell her they will trace the next call. When the phone rings again, she picks up, and the voice repeats its question. Moments later, the phone rings again—it’s the police. They frantically tell her, “The call is coming from inside the house. Get out now!”
The story ends with the horrifying realization that the intruder has been in the house the entire time, and the fate of the children remains unknown.
The Man in the Mirror
Mirrors have always been a source of eerie fascination, and this short scary story plays on that fear. A woman buys an antique mirror at a flea market, charmed by its old-world beauty. After hanging it in her bedroom, she begins to notice something strange. At first, it’s subtle—a shadow passing across the reflection, a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye.
One night, as she prepares for bed, she glances into the mirror and sees a man standing behind her in the reflection. Terrified, she whips around to confront him, but there’s no one there. She checks every corner of her room, but it’s empty. However, when she looks back into the mirror, the man is still there, smiling ominously.
The story leaves the unsettling question—was the mirror haunted, or was the man only ever visible to her through the glass?
The Midnight Knock
Imagine hearing a knock on your door in the dead of night when no one should be visiting. This short story centers on that very fear. A couple is asleep in bed when they hear a loud, insistent knock at their front door. Groggy and confused, they check the clock—it’s 3:00 AM. Thinking it might be an emergency, they go to answer the door, but when they open it, there’s no one there.
They return to bed, but the knocking starts again, louder this time. The husband grabs a flashlight and opens the door once more, but again, no one is there. For the rest of the night, the knocking continues every hour, driving the couple to the brink of terror. They never see anyone outside, and when they finally check their security cameras in the morning, the footage shows nothing at the door.
The Forgotten Doll
This eerie tale involves a young girl who finds an old, forgotten doll in her attic. The doll is dusty and worn, but the girl is enchanted by it. She brings it down to play with, and everything seems fine at first. But strange things begin to happen in the house. Objects go missing, odd noises come from the attic, and the girl’s behavior becomes increasingly odd.
One night, her mother wakes up to the sound of her daughter talking in the dark. When she checks on her, the girl is sitting on her bed, holding the doll, whispering, “She wants to be my only friend.” The mother is chilled, but she takes the doll away, determined to get rid of it in the morning. However, when she wakes up, the doll is back in her daughter’s arms, smiling—almost too lifelike.
The story leaves the disturbing possibility that the doll has a life of its own and won’t be given up so easily.
The Intruder’s Shadow
This short, terrifying story builds on the classic home invasion fear. A man living alone begins to notice things out of place in his apartment. Small things at first—furniture moved slightly, cupboards left open. He brushes it off, thinking he’s just being careless, but the strange occurrences become more frequent.
One night, as he is getting ready for bed, he notices a shadow on the wall that doesn’t match his own. It moves when he moves, but it’s not quite right—there’s something unnatural about its shape. As he stands still, watching the shadow, it shifts ever so slightly, as though something is behind him, mimicking his movements. The story ends abruptly, leaving the horrifying thought that he was never alone in his home.
These short scary stories to tell are perfect for sharing during spooky gatherings, late-night conversations, or anytime you want to give someone a quick fright. They tap into universal fears—strangers, shadows, and things that go bump in the night—making them timeless and endlessly effective. Whether you prefer ghostly apparitions or psychological tension, these stories are guaranteed to chill you and your audience.