Your favorite SHORT STORY
 

Everyone's got one. What short story is a favorite of yours, and give a brief description of what the story was about (do not give the ending away).

The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
This is a story of being careful what you wish for. You may get it.

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
A strange custom that goes on year after year to ensure the prosperity of the town...

To Build A Fire by Jack London
The essential fight for survival story...and the futility of it all when you have something so close, and yet sooo far...

Easily my number one choice for its sheer impact. Many, many others I could consider, but they would all be for second place. -wink-

The Veldt by Ray Bradbury

The Long Walk To Forever - Kurt Vonnegut

A Soldier's Home - Ernest Hemingway

Mars is Heaven by Ray Bradbury

I'm not very big on short stories, but two that stand out in my mind are both from Stephen King:

Stand By Me & Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption

You mean The Body & Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. -wink-

My favorite is Flannery O'Connor's Revelation.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber and I second The Monkey's Paw.

Aren't these considered novellas?

When I read the title of this thread, Shirley Jackson's The Lottery was the first thing that came to my mind.

And I can see I wasn't alone....

I concur w/ the aforementioned To Build a Fire by London.

I also like The Man Higher Up by O'Henry

I'm a big fan of Jeffrey Archer, as well. My favorites of his include:
Just Good Friends, Christina Rosenthal, & Never Stop on the Motorway.

"<a href="http://www.tiger-town.com/whatnot/updike/">A&P</a>" by John Updike

"A Small, Good Thing" by Raymond Carver. I've always liked this, long before it became part of the movie Short Cuts.

"<a href="http://www.sba.muohio.edu/snavely/415/thunder.htm">A Sound of Thunder</a>" by Ray Bradbury

The Tell-tale Heart by Poe comes to mind.

^^^^^
I second the Tell Tale Heart. I also really liked the Monkey's Paw.

But the one I am really looking forward to, (I think it is a short story) is by Ray Bradbury. They have made a movie about it and the movies is coming out soon. The Movie is called "A sound of Thunder". Can't remeber the name of the story but I read it back in the "70s when I was in grade school and really liked it.

Nightfall, hands down

Pillar of Salt, Shirley Jackson
Terminal Beach, J.G. Ballard

Just off the top of my head is The Fog, by Stephan Kingin Skelton Crew.

You mean "The Mist," which is a novella, not a short story, strictly speaking.

My favorite is anything by Ambrose Bierce, but especially "An Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge."

"The Dead", by James Joyce.

I can't believe I forgot to mention Teddy by J.D. Salinger.

I will second that one.

Too many good ones to limit the choice to one.
Couple of other favorites of mine:
"Bartleby the Scrivener" by Melville
"Big, Two-Hearted River" by Hemingway

"The Lottery" of course. I used to live next door to Shirley Jackson's cousin when I was in junior high school.

My favorite Poe is "The Cask of Amontillado."

I loved Vonnegut's Welcome to the Monkey House but I'd have to flip through it again to see which story from that volume is my favorite.

Since so many have brought up Stephen King, I'd say my favorite of his is "Mrs. Todd's Shortcut."

My favorite short stories change over time and with my mood, but currently I'm very fond of:

"Beverly Home" by Denis Johnson
"Bullet in the Brain" by Tobias Wolff
"Cathedral" by Raymond Carver

i thought i posted this in here the other day but my vote would be stephen kings lawn mower man. i saw the movie before reading the story, a whopping 6 pages i think, and it blew my mind. i get the chills just thinking about it.