Consider 'dreadful', 'nightmarish' and 'spine - chilling'. 'Dreadful' implies something that is extremely bad or unpleasant in a way that causes fear. A 'dreadful' curse in a horror story can be a central plot device. 'Nightmarish' gives the feeling of being in a nightmare, with all the chaos and fear that comes with it. A 'nightmarish' landscape can be a great backdrop for a horror story. 'Spine - chilling' is used when something makes you feel a cold shiver down your spine, like a 'spine - chilling' encounter with a supernatural being.
Sure. 'Grim', which gives a sense of something very serious and often unpleasant. For example, a 'grim' discovery in a horror story can heighten the tension. 'Ominous' is another great word. It means giving the impression that something bad is going to happen. A dark cloud on the horizon in a horror story can be described as 'ominous'. Also, 'ghastly' which means causing great horror or fear. A 'ghastly' apparition would be a terrifying sight in a horror story.
Another set of words could be 'cursed', 'abysmal' and 'bleak'. 'Cursed' implies that there is some sort of dark magic or bad luck associated with a person or thing. 'Abysmal' gives the feeling of great depth and despair, like an abyss. 'Bleak' makes the setting seem cold and uninviting.
Another set of words could be 'horrific stories', 'blood - curdling stories' and 'petrifying stories'. 'Horrific stories' are extremely horrible and often involve graphic and disturbing content. 'Blood - curdling stories' are so scary that they make your blood seem to freeze in your veins, like a story of a vampire attack. 'Petrifying stories' can literally make you feel as if you are turning to stone from fear, such as a story about being trapped in a cave with a horde of deadly spiders.
Sure. 'Malevolent' is a good one. It means having or showing a wish to do evil to others. 'Abysmal' can also be used to describe a very deep and dark place or situation in a horror story. And 'phantom' is great for creating a sense of something that is not really there but is very scary.
Curses. A family or a community being haunted by an ancient curse that brings misfortune and death. For instance, every generation might face a strange and deadly phenomenon because of a long - forgotten curse. This creates a sense of inevitability and doom.
A foreboding dream. 'He had the same dream every night for a week. In it, he was in a dark, endless corridor with doors on either side. Each door had a strange symbol, and a cold wind blew from behind him, urging him forward, but he knew that whatever lay beyond those doors was something terrifying.'
A long, lonely road in the middle of nowhere. The headlights of the car are the only source of light as the driver hears a strange thumping on the roof of the vehicle.
Sure. 'Abysmal' can be used to describe a deep, dark, and seemingly bottomless place, like an abysmal pit that swallows everything. 'Bleak' is also good. It gives a feeling of coldness and hopelessness, as if there's no way out. For example, a bleak, desolate landscape in a horror story.
Another one could be 'The clock struck midnight and all the lights in the house suddenly went out.' Midnight is a very ominous time in horror stories, and the sudden loss of lights in the house creates a sense of panic and vulnerability, leaving the reader to wonder what will happen next in the darkness.
Sure. 'The Darkened Cellar', 'The Cursed Doll', 'The Shrieking Forest'.
Sure. 'As I walked into the abandoned asylum, a chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.'