Written by Jessica Moore

 

Trick or Creep.

Warning: this article is not for the faint of heart. 

 

If you haven’t heard of this genre of scary internet folklore, lock your doors, turn on your lights, and take a seat, because these tales may terrify you.

The history of creepypasta can be traced to the 1990s when viral content began to emerge online via internet forums like Reddit, Something Awful, and those creepy chain emails that spooked your youth (you know the ones foretelling your imminent death if you didn’t forward to seven of your friends?).

In the same way the Blair Witch Project blurred the line between reality and fiction while popularizing the found footage technique, creepypasta’s makeup of user-generated content and the lack of any real clarity in the validity of its tales are what make creepypasta stories so frightening and utterly unnerving.

Since these anecdotal tales are usually copied and pasted multiple times across different online platforms around the world, it’s challenging to pinpoint each story’s origins, which mystifies each story further. Creepypasta achieves a lot by doing little and proves that less can be more; stories are usually quite short, with the most exemplary ranging between 2-4 sentences.

 

It can be brief as this:

There was a picture in my phone of me sleeping. I live alone.

Or as long as this chilling Facebook chat history.

 

source: priscilla du preez on unsplash.com

In a genre where typos are welcome (as per authenticity), as are text threads, photos, and comics that add to the complexity of this style, the possibilities are limitless.

Creepypasta Wiki is an impressive collection of frightening stories that take on their own life online. Probably one of the most ubiquitous examples of creepypasta protagonists permeating mainstream culture is none other than Slender Man.

Last year’s release of the HBO documentary Beware the Slenderman focuses on the impact of the internet on modern folklore and urban legends, and features the mystery surrounding the viral fictional figure. as well as the unfortunate real-life consequences of the Slender Man’s portrayal.

Creepypasta’s influence is unmistakable. Here are our top 8 creepypasta tales to get you in the Halloween spirit.

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Mother’s Call:

Really short tale from nosleep

 

Human

Annoying Neighbor

source: nicole mason on unsplash.com

Annoying neighbor from shortscarystories

I hate it when my brother Charlie has to go away…

I hate it when my brother Charlie has to go away. from shortscarystories

The Portraits

source: byron johnson on unsplash.com

Dear David

Whether Adam Ellis categorizes his experience in 2017 as creepypasta or not, something strange was happening in his apartment.

His documentation fits the creepypasta bill: we’re unclear if this is all staged or if this is a real paranormal experience. We’re still leaning on real. We won’t give too much away, but it involves real polaroids, spooked cats, and other…disturbances. Read the full story thread here.

Annie96 is Typing

If this interactive chat history between two pals doesn’t stir some fear in you, we don’t know what will. Check it out here.

 

We love creepypasta tales as much as we love scary television shows. Check out our current scary TV recommendations to keep freaking out your friends.