The Monkey's Paw

All that scares me
Drops to the bottom
Of my list
"The Monkey's Paw"
Reigns
And makes me
Fear to wish.

For Imaginary Garden With Real Toads

The Story That Terrifies Me

I'm not sure when I read The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs but it terrified me.  A movie is out. I refuse to watch it.

Basically The Monkey's Paw is a tale of three wishes.  What I came away with was never wish because there is a price.  If I wished, say for money, I would say, "I wish for money without any harm coming to anyone I know or love".

I was so terrified by this story it has stayed with me for years!  It is well known in my family if someone says, "I wish..." that I start screaming  "Monkey's Paw! Monkey's Paw!"

The reason I find this extremely unusual is I gravitate toward dark writing.  I am an avid Poe, King, and Koontz fan along with many other authors that make my hair stand on end.  I write darkly.  I love the thrill of a good scare.

Yet The Monkey's Paw takes the cake.  I will not read it nor see the movie.  And that's final!

What story, book, movie scares you like this and why?