What is the darkest story you've read here that was written intelligently and held your attention? Not necessarily gore sex or unimaginably perverse, just a story that left you a little colder and unsettled after you finished it. Call me a sadist I guess, but I do enjoy reading a story that doesn't always give you the warm and fuzzies when it's done.
The start of Dark Days - 'Darkest Before the Dawn' by Reluctant_Sir is pretty grim.
I vaguely remember a story in which someone was a superhero at night, but it turned out they were in a terminal coma and only dreaming. I though aubie56 was the author but I can't find it.
AJ
Linda's Family by Thornfoote -- the conclusion was rather dark. Not sure if the author was trying to make a moral point or just pissed at his readers, but I don't want to reread that series.
Some of Howard Faxon's stories are very bleak.
I actually have an anthology series of stories that are all rather dark. Hence the name "Dark Tales".
https://storiesonline.net/universe/1168/dark-tales
I have similar, all with dark endings, hence why I called them 'Dark Tails' rather than tales, because tails go on the en... you get the gist.
Escape!, I don't want to spoil it for you, but it has a kick in the gut ending. I think it's one of my better stories, but it doesn't score so well. Oh well.