Using foreshadowing in the last sentence can be effective too. 'She saw the strange symbol on the wall and felt a shiver down her spine. Little did she know, that symbol was the sign of her impending doom, and it was already too late to run.'
Mystery is key. Like 'The door creaked open, and a cold draft rushed in. What stepped through that door would remain a mystery forever...' It leaves the reader's imagination running wild.
You could also end with a sudden, unexpected twist. Such as 'He thought he had escaped the haunted house, but as he looked down, he saw the mark on his hand. It was the same mark the old witch had shown him before he entered. Now he knew it was too late.' This throws the reader off and gives a sense of unease.
You can also end with a cliffhanger that makes the reader wonder what will happen next. Such as 'She opened the forbidden box, and then...' This leaves the reader's imagination to fill in the horror that might follow.
The last thing I saw was the glint of its teeth in the darkness, and I knew that I had become just another victim in its never - ending hunt.
One classic sentence starter could be 'In the dead of night, a strange noise echoed through the empty house.' It immediately sets a spooky mood as the 'dead of night' implies a time when most people are asleep and vulnerable, and a strange noise in an empty house is often associated with something sinister.
The mirror showed my reflection, but then it started to change. My face melted away, and a stranger's face took its place.
I was alone in the elevator. It stopped between floors and a face pressed against the glass.
One good sentence starter could be 'In the dead of night, as the wind howled outside, I heard a strange scratching at my window.'
The use of the senses can be effective. In a story like 'I smelled a strange odor. Then I saw a shadow moving towards me.' The smell and the visual of the shadow create a scary atmosphere. Also, a sense of isolation helps. 'I was alone on the island. I heard a howl that didn't sound human.' The fact that the character is alone makes it scarier.
One good last name could be 'Blackwood'. It has an air of mystery and darkness, like a spooky forest at night. Just the sound of it makes you think of something sinister lurking in the shadows.
One good last name could be 'Blackwood'. It has a dark and mysterious feel to it, which is perfect for a spooky story. It makes you think of an old, haunted forest or a creepy family mansion hidden within the woods.