What are some characteristics of cliffhanger short stories?

Sure, they can. A cliffhanger at the end of a short story can leave readers intrigued and eager for more.

One example could be 'The Lord of the Rings' in a way. At the end of 'The Fellowship of the Ring', Frodo and Sam are setting off on their own towards Mordor, leaving the rest of the fellowship in various states. It's a cliffhanger as we wonder if they'll succeed in their quest. Another is 'The Hunger Games' series. At the end of some books, Katniss is in a precarious situation, like when she is suddenly re - entered into the games again in a new format. A third example is 'Sherlock Holmes' stories. In some tales, Holmes might be in a dangerous situation at the end of a chapter, such as being trapped by the criminal he's chasing, and we're left hanging, eager to know how he'll escape.

One of the best cliffhanger stories is 'The Lord of the Rings' series. At the end of 'The Fellowship of the Ring', Frodo and Sam are setting off on their own towards Mordor, leaving the readers eager to know what challenges they will face. Another is 'The Hunger Games'. At the end of the first book, Katniss and Peeta are both about to eat the poisonous berries, which is a huge cliffhanger. Also, 'Sherlock Holmes' stories often have great cliffhangers, like in some cases where Holmes seems to be in a life - threatening situation at the end of a chapter, leaving the readers wondering how he will escape.

There was a family who moved into a new house. At night, they heard scratching noises from the walls. One night, the youngest son followed the noise to the basement. He opened the door and saw a shadowy figure. Before he could do anything else, the story just cuts off.

Sure. Here's one: The old house at the end of the lane was said to be haunted. A young girl, curious, entered at midnight. As she climbed the creaking stairs, she heard a low growl. Then, suddenly, a cold hand grabbed her ankle. End of story.

There are many cliffhanger online stories. For example, 'The Forgotten Realm' has a lot of cliffhangers. The protagonist often finds themselves in a tight spot at the end of each section, like being trapped in an ancient maze with no clear way out. 'Starlight Trails' also has great cliffhangers. It's about space exploration and at the end of some parts, the crew is facing a seemingly unbeatable alien threat. Then there's 'Eternal Dawn' where the characters are about to unlock a powerful magic but the story stops, leaving you in suspense.

The game 'Uncharted 4' has a cliffhanger of sorts. At the end, there are implications about Nathan Drake's future adventures and whether he will truly be able to stay retired. 'Final Fantasy VII Remake' also has a cliffhanger. It changes the original story in some ways and ends in a way that makes players eager to see how the story will continue, especially with the new elements introduced.

A really good cliffhanger horror story is 'The Shining'. The mystery of the hotel and the strange things that start to happen to the family are full of cliffhangers. For example, the boy's visions and the father's descent into madness. And then there's 'Rosemary's Baby'. The build - up to the baby's birth and the horror that surrounds it has a great cliffhanger. You're left speculating about the future of the baby and Rosemary.

Well, consider a chat story where a couple is messaging. They start arguing about something mysterious. Just as the argument is about to reach a crucial point, the chat cuts off. That's a cliffhanger chat story. There are also stories where a job applicant is chatting with a potential employer, and the employer hints at something unexpected right before the chat ends.