Well, everyone loves scary stories, but everyone hates being scared. Why? Why are scary stories so addicting to read?
I think part of its because we subconsciously know that these stories are fake, but there is a childish part, you know, the part that believes in Santa and the Easter Bunny (sorry if I just ruined your childhood), that believes that the story you are reading is true. Take Jeff the Killer for example.
Long story short, there's a bunch of mean neighborhood kids that charge a person named Jeff and his brother, Liu, a "bus fare". So, Jeff and his brother disagree, and the kids pull a knife, but Jeff beats them up. The neighborhood kids whine to the police and whatnot, and the police want to take Jeff to juvy. But no, he doesn't go to juvy. Liu pretends that he was the one who beat the kids up, and Liu goes to juvy. Yeah. I know. What an amazing older brother. Anyways, Jeff had to go to this little kid's birthday party. Then, guess who shows up? The neighborhood kids. And this time, they brought guns. I'm going to partially quote this part because its pretty intense.
Jeff: Hey, we're even. I beat you all up, and my brother went to juvy. Stop messing with me. We're even.
Neighborhood kids (who actually have names but I don't want to type everything out...): We don't stop at even. We're here to win.
Then, BAM BAM! Everyone starts fighting. In the process, someone smashed a bottle of alcohol over Jeff's head. Jeff accidentally killed two people, then he ran upstairs to the bathroom, and the last kid followed. Jeff picked up a bottle of bleach, but the kid hit him, and the bleach got over both of them. Jeff shot the last kid, and the last kid starts laughing. Why?
Jeff: Why are you laughing? What's so funny?
Kid: What's so funny is that you are covered in bleach and alcohol. *brings out a lighter and throws it at Jeff*
(Jeff screams from pain and blacks out)
He wakes up at a hospital with bandages over his head. The doctor take the bandages off, and... Wow. What happened to his face? Jeff looks in the mirror... And starts laughing, saying "it's perfect!" The doc says that his behavior was a result of taking too much of the pain killers.
Jeff and his family go home. They all go to sleep. Jeff mother wakes from what sounds like crying coming from Jeff's room. She goes in and. OH MY GOSH WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE, JEFF? HE CARVED A SMILE INTO HIS FACE WITH A KNIFE!
Jeff's mom: Jeff, what are you doing?
Jeff: I couldn't keep smiling. It hurt after awhile. Now I can smile forever!
Jeff's mom: Jeff! Your eyes!
Jeff: I couldn't see my face. I got tired and my eyes started to close. I burned out the eyelids so I could forever see myself; my new face. Mommy? What's wrong? Aren't I beautiful?
Jeff's mom: Y-yes, son. L-let me get daddy so he could see. HONEY, GET THE GUN WE...
Jeff: Mommy, you lied...
And that was the end of her. Then the dad died too. Yeah..... The way I said this, it probably sounded boring, but you could read it on creepypasta.com. Great site, by the way.
Anyways, when I first read this, which was at midnight in a dark bedroom, I was freaked out and I wasn't able to sleep. His face was VERY creepy. I kept having nightmares. But I couldn't stop reading it over and over! Night after night, I kept doing this, and I got scared every time. I wanted to stop, but I wasn't able to stop. Finally, one night, I stopped reading the story. The next morning, I actually felt unsatisfied. Weird, right? I guess the reason why people like scary stories is because we love the thrill and our heartbeats growing faster and our adrenaline rushing through our veins. To me, its exhilarating. And that's why we humans love reading scary stories, unless if you get scared very easily and you just are too scared or not curious enough to read on...
And yes, I have stopped reading Jeff the Killer. Now, you might want to check your closet and under your bed. And don't go to sleep because you might never wake up.