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The 20 Most Terrifying Stories on the Internet

Yet another installment in the Internet is a Scary Place. Photo: C.J. Burton/Getty Images

Halloweekend is almost upon us and one thing is for certain: You’re not nearly scared enough. But, instead of paying $40 for a haunted house, why not get your spoops the old-fashioned way and scare the ever-loving crap out of yourself by reading creepy stuff online. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most terrifying stories, myths, and legends from the history of the internet that are practically guaranteed to keep you up at night.

Stories from the depths of /r/nosleep …

Footsteps

This legendary multipart story by /u/1000vultures about his childhood memories is so bone-chilling, it inspired a successful Kickstarter campaign, and an actual goddamned book, Penpal. (You can also listen to it here.)

Correspondence

Shaun and his girlfriend, Amy, saw something a little strange coming home from a party one evening that they can’t seem to shake. The action of this absolutely terrifying story, written by /u/bloodstains, plays over a series of emails between Shaun and an “old buddy from school.”

The Cabin

So much more than the average cabin-in-the-woods story, the Cabin is a long and totally riveting series by Reddit user /u/TheColdPeople that will leave you scared shitless by the end.

Three Kings Experiment

This is a bit different from the other stories found on /r/nosleep. The Three Kings Experiment is a set of instructions that’s said to be a physiological experiment or ritual involving a dark room, two mirrors, a fan, a candle, and perhaps contact with something called the “Shadowside.”

Spooky internet mysteries …

Lake City Quiet Pills

It begins with a cryptic Reddit eulogy, and ends in … the possible assassination of a senior Hamas military commander?

This Man

Have you ever dreamed of This Man? Started as a bizarre marketing strategy, the creepy tale of This Man has taken many forms over the years — from Creepypasta to meme. And although it’s technically been “debunked,” it’s still pretty undeniably haunting.

Isabella V.

The blog She’s a Flight Risk either tells the story of an heiress who ran away from her family and an arranged marriage, or it’s an incredibly elaborate hoax. Who’s to decide which is true?

Creepy Wikipedia binges …

3 Guys 1 Hammer

This wiki details the crimes of the Dnepropetrovsk maniacs, a team of Ukrainian serial killers who gained notoriety online back in 2008 when a recording of one of their most heinous murders made its way onto a shock site. [The aforementioned video is not on the wiki, and I strongly recommend that you do not look it up and/or try to watch it, as it is very, VERY disturbing.]

Unit 731

Unit 731 was part of a covert Japanese chemical-and-biological-warfare “research” unit during the Second World War that conducted horrifying (and very, very lethal) experiments on its thousands of detained human subjects. The wiki goes into a disturbing amount of detail about some of the most heinous war crimes committed within the complex.

Kwalliso No. 22

Kwalliso No.22 is the “official” name given to North Korea’s most infamous concentration camp. The wiki details the countless human-rights abuses that have taken place inside its walls as recently as 2012.

The best Creepypasta …

Psychosis

A man begins the slow spiral into madness … or does he? This one has a slow buildup, but a great payoff. (You can also listen to Psychosis here.)

Haunted Majora’s Mask

Featuring a mysterious (and definitely haunted) blank N64 cartridge with “MAJORA” written on it, a game save entitled “BEN,” and a bunch of video clips from the supposed gameplay, Haunted Majora’s Mask is one of the most terrifyingly well-done Creepypastas of all time.

SCP Foundation

Secure. Contain. Protect. The SCP Foundation is a collection of horrifying tales about a world not too unlike our own that spawned out of a very successfulCreepypasta post.

Tales from Reddit …

The Bridge

While exploring the sparsely populated coast of North Wales, a redditor and his friends decide to force their way inside an ominous-looking cement bridge. After forcing open a manhole cover, they find themselves in a scene straight from a horror movie, and almost immediately turn around and book it back to the world of the living. The writer’s description of the scene is so fascinatingly terrifying that Reddit actually convinces him to return to the Bridge — this time with only one buddy for comfort — and bring a camera to record his journey. And for once, OP actually delivers.

What Are You Doing??

A woman using a sleep-recorder app finds something unsettling on her tape one morning and asks Reddit for help. (This one wins bonus points for actually having a copy of the recording.)

Stranger Under the Bed

While moving into her new apartment, a redditor happens to take a peek under her bed and finds something … unexpected.

OM

When asked about the scariest true thing that’s ever happened to him, a redditor recounts the tale of a mysterious driver known only by his unique license plate. After posting, he finds out he’s not the only one who’s had a run in with OM.

The Lamp

A dude on Reddit was living a wonderful life — a loving wife, adorable kids, the whole package — until he noticed something off about his living-room lamp.

Just generally terrifying crap …

The David Parker Ray Transcript

A DocumentingReality user posted a transcript of the “rules” serial killer David Parker Ray played for his victims after abducting them. [Definitely don’t read this one if you’re squeamish.]

The Bong-Chon Dong Ghost Webcomic

This is terrifying. It will scare you. Don’t read it at night. (Or, ever, for that matter.) But especially not with your sound turned all the way up while you stare directly at the screen.

The 20 Most Terrifying Stories on the Internet