Shirley Jacksons' "The Lottery"

As I have mentioned previously, I enjoy reading dark stories. However, I did not really like this one. It was too sad to me, and made my stomach turn at the very end when Tessie was pleading to the townspeople. :( At the beginning of the story, the stones were mentioned, but it never really came to me until towards the very end of the story that the stones were going to be used in a stoning. I would have been terrified if I took place in the lottery drawing. It is strange to me why stoning is a tradition in this town.