Ooh, Joyce Carol Oates – now THERE’s a scary writer! Pick up her book Zombie if you want to read the scariest ever serial-killer book. Goddamn, it’s frightening.
As for short stories by her, probably the one that squigged me out the worst was the one called don’t highlight this: a simple black bar for a title. Gaah!
Generally she’s got the horror-of-humanity, non supernatural terror thing down cold. I wouldn’t want to spend the night in the same house as her.
Daniel
There’s a Cliver Barker story that I read in a magazine in the 1990s; I think it’s called “When Spoilers Bleed.” I read it, and then passed it on to my then-husband, who is normally immune to horror stories.
We had problems touching each other for about three days afterwards. And we knew it was just a story. That didn’t help.
The Yellow Wallpaper. Man, what a creepy story.
Google “Lucy Lane Clifford” and “The New Mother” -then when that given link comes up (either the first or second link listed), hit the Cached file & you’ll have it.
Tons of stuff about the end were unsettling, but I don’t find the actual end scary at all.
Another vote for It by Stephen King. I read it close to 15 years ago, and I STILL refuse to walk over storm grates. Goes beyond that…I unconsciously avoid them because of that book. Also 'Salem’s Lot (and the short story Jerusalem’s Lot).
Stephen King has a way of nailing my eyes to the page. I’m completely horrified and completely unable to look away.