The Best Horror Short Story Endings (and How to Write Them)

Horror is unlike other genres in many ways, including its endings. Romance is known for its happily-ever-afters, science fiction is known for defying the logic and boundaries of our current world, and tragedies are, of course, known for being sad. Horror is best known for, well, horrifying the audience. Even an ending that seems happy or looks to resolve things should leave that slight touch of dread and doubt that things aren’t all as they seem. The best horror short story endings linger, terrify, and make you question everything.

Why Endings are Everything in Short Horror Stories

If the beginning of a short horror story hooks readers, the ending is what makes it unforgettable. A strong conclusion lingers in the mind, replaying long after the last line. A weak ending? Readers will likely forget the entire story within hours, even if some parts of it were good.

Horror fiction, in particular, relies on endings because the final moments often carry the biggest emotional punch, whether it be fear, shock, unease, or revelation. And because short horror stories work within a smaller word count, the ending has to do even more heavy lifting.

So how do you end a horror story in a way that feels satisfying, terrifying, and memorable? Let’s explore the best types of horror short story endings and how you can write them.

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1. The Twist Ending

A twist ending flips expectations. Readers think they know what’s happening, but the final reveal changes everything. Done well, a twist makes readers want to immediately re-read the story, looking for clues they missed.

Why it works: Surprise paired with inevitability. The best twists don’t come out of nowhere; they make sense once revealed. You can seed confusing or ambiguous clues throughout the story, and when the “twist” makes it all come together, the payoff for the reader is huge.

Example: Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” is one of the most famous short horror stories with a twist ending. Readers go along with what feels like an ordinary town ritual until the true nature of the lottery is revealed. The ending shocks, but it’s set up so carefully that it feels inevitable.

How to write a twist ending:

• Plant subtle hints early that gain new meaning later.
• Avoid clichés readers have seen too often (e.g., “it was all a dream”).
• Test your ending: does it shock and feel earned?

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2. The Open Ending

Instead of answering every question, open endings leave space for the reader’s imagination. They may not reveal exactly what happened, or they may cut off at the moment of greatest tension. Often, an open ending in a short horror story will come with some clues or implications, but it’s still up to you to interpret what may have happened!

Why it works: What readers imagine is often scarier than what you describe. Open endings linger because they force readers to fill in the blanks. It also creates discussion amongst readers who have read the same story; the actual ending is up for debate.

Example: In Stephen King’s short story “1408”, a man trapped in a haunted hotel room endures an escalating nightmare. Without spoiling specifics, King leaves certain aspects unresolved. This forces readers to continually wonder what is real and what isn’t. The ambiguity is what haunts.

How to write an open-ended short story ending:

• Decide what to leave unresolved (the creature, the fate of a character, the truth behind an event).
• Make sure the story still feels complete; unanswered doesn’t mean unsatisfying.
• Focus on mood in your final lines.

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3. The Shocking Ending

Sometimes the best horror short story endings end with a jolt: a brutal moment, an image that sears itself into memory, or a sudden shift in tone that takes readers’ breath away.

Why it works: Shock, when earned, elicits intense emotions and reactions. Readers finish with an adrenaline spike.

Example: Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” delivers one of horror fiction’s most chilling shock endings. The narrator’s frantic guilt and paranoia erupt in a violent confession that hits like a thunderclap. The abruptness is what makes it unforgettable and leaves it lingering in the mind.

How to write a shocking horror story ending:

• Build steadily toward a single, devastating payoff. You can hint at what may happen, but don’t reveal any details.
• Keep your final line concise. One sharp blow, not a rambling paragraph. Overexplaining will dilute the impact. If you’ve seeded enough clues and foreshadowing, the reader will understand what happened.
• Use vivid sensory language: sound, image, or feeling.

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4. The Circular Ending

In circular endings, the story closes by echoing or repeating something from the beginning. It gives readers the eerie sense that nothing has changed, the characters are stuck forever, or that events are doomed to repeat.

Why it works: It creates a sense of inevitability, like fate has trapped the characters. Readers feel the weight of the cycle continuing beyond the page. Especially if you’ve built up the potential for hope or a happy ending, the inevitable realization that the protagonist is actually trapped in a loop is even more impactful.

Example: Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” creates a circular effect by linking its final moments back to its opening scenario. The repetition of imagery shows that the protagonist hasn’t escaped. Instead, she’s trapped in the very pattern that consumed her.

How to write it:

• Revisit an image, line of dialogue, or setting from the start.
• Let readers recognize the repetition just before the end.
• Hint that the cycle is unbreakable.

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5. The “Everything Is Normal” Ending

Some of the most chilling horror endings are deceptively calm. After the terror and chaos, the final scene shows life returning to normal… at least on the surface. The atmosphere you’ve crafted allows readers to sense that something is amiss.

Maybe the sun isn’t the right colour, everyone’s eyes are soulless, or someone makes an offhand comment that hints at something darker happening. Done well, this type of ending is subtle and haunting. Readers will wonder what truly happened long after they finish the story.

Why it works: The contrast between horror and normalcy creates a sense of unease. Readers can’t stop thinking about what’s still lurking beneath the calm; what might have truly happened to lead to this.

Example: In Daphne du Maurier’s “The Birds”, nature’s quiet at the end of the story feels unnervingly temporary. After relentless terror, the false calm leaves readers unsettled, knowing the horror could resume at any moment.

How to write the “everything is normal” ending:

• Use mundane details (the sound of the coffee maker, the morning commute) to create a sense of simple normalcy.
• Add one off-note; a small, lingering reminder of what just occurred.
• Maintain a subdued tone, avoiding drama. This ending doesn’t require a dramatic flair or lots of action. The effectiveness comes from subtlety, suspense, and build-up.

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Tips for Writing the Best Horror Short Story Endings

• Tie it back to the theme: If your story is about loss of control, the ending should reinforce that fear. If it’s about isolation, make sure the final moment highlights it.
• Keep it concise: The last lines should land with impact. Overexplaining kills the effect.
• Think about rhythm: Try reading your final sentences aloud. Do they flow like a final breath, a gasp, or a slammed door?
• Read widely: Explore anthologies of short horror stories, from gothic classics to modern flash fiction. Pay attention to how each story closes, and how you feel after reading it. Uncovered: The Story of Eva Courtland and Other Spooky Tales is a great place to start; it includes stories that use all of these endings.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overexplaining the monster: Fear fades when too much is explained. Mystery is stronger.
• Clichéd twists: “It was all a dream” or “the character was dead the whole time” rarely land. If you’re going to use these concepts, pair it with something more.
• Dragging past the impact: Once the punch lands, end it. Don’t dilute your power by tacking on extra paragraphs. If you’ve set the story up correctly, have some faith in your readers. They’ll pick up what you’re putting down.

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Putting It Into Practice

If you want to master writing the best horror short story endings, try this exercise:

1. Write a 1,000-word horror story with no ending. Stop right before the climax.
2. Draft three different endings: one twist, one open, one shock.
3. Read them aloud or share with a friend. Which one leaves the strongest impression?

This exercise helps you understand how endings shape the overall story experience. It’ll also help you learn what type of endings complement different types and styles of stories.

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Final Thoughts on the Best Horror Short Story Endings

The best horror short story endings don’t just wrap things up; they haunt. Whether you choose a twist, an open end, a shock, or quiet normalcy, your goal is the same: leave readers with an emotion they can’t shake. Images they won’t forget.

Remember: horror fiction is about impact, and nothing has more impact than the last line.

And if you’d like examples of these techniques in action, you can explore my collection Uncovered: The Story of Eva Courtland and Other Spooky Tales. Each story closes in its own way, but all were crafted to linger long after the page.