His stealth. He can come when you least expect it, right as you're about to fall asleep. You're in a vulnerable state, and he takes advantage of that.
Well, several things make him so scary. First, his association with sleep, which is supposed to be a time of rest and relaxation. Instead, he turns it into a time of fear. Second, he's often described as having an otherworldly presence. He doesn't seem to be fully of this world, and that unknown quality is terrifying. And finally, the fact that he has the power to manipulate our dreams means he can expose us to our deepest fears without us having any real control over it.
Maybe it's Mr. Sullivan's appearance. If he has a menacing look, like sunken eyes and a gaunt face, that can be scary.
In Mr. Mays' scary story, perhaps it's the sense of isolation. If he is alone in a situation, like being in a big, empty mansion all by himself, that can heighten the fear. He has no one to turn to, and every little noise or movement could be a potential threat. Also, if there are elements of the supernatural, like ghosts or demons, that's always a classic way to make a story frightening as it goes against our understanding of the natural world.
His use of atmosphere. Mr. Nightmare is great at building a spooky atmosphere from the very start. He sets the mood with details like a howling wind outside a lonely house or a dimly lit corridor. Then he adds in the scary elements like strange sounds or apparitions, and by that time, you're already on edge.
The element of the unknown. In these stories, often things happen without explanation. For example, a shadow moving on its own. We don't know what it is or what it wants, and that scares us.
The use of suspense. The stories build up tension until you're on the edge of your seat waiting for something bad to happen. For instance, a story might start with a normal day in someone's life and then slowly introduce strange events like objects moving on their own. This gradual build - up is what makes it so scary.
The unknown. In a scary story, not knowing what's going to happen next or what the strange thing really is makes it scary. For instance, if there's a noise in the attic, but you don't know if it's a ghost or just a rat, the mystery creates fear.
The Sandman can be terrifying because of its dark and often unpredictable nature. The idea of a figure like the Sandman who may visit people while they sleep and have some sort of power over them is spooky. It plays on our vulnerability when we are asleep and the unknown of what could happen in that state.
The unknown nature of what is doing the licking. It could be a monster, a ghost, or some otherworldly creature. Just the thought of something licking in the dark is creepy.
The unexpected transformation of Squidward. Usually, he's just a grumpy but normal character. But in a scary story, when he becomes something menacing like a monster with glowing eyes or long, sharp claws, it's very frightening. It's the contrast from what we know.
The idea that it's a large, powerful, and potentially dangerous creature lurking in the wilderness. In a scary Bigfoot story, it often surprises people in the middle of the night or in isolated areas, like when you're alone in the forest. And the descriptions of it being big and hairy, with a strange appearance, add to the scariness.