The unknown is a really chilling element. For example, in many sleepover stories, there are strange noises. You don't know what's making them, whether it's a ghost or some kind of monster. It makes your imagination run wild.
Unexpected appearances are also very chilling. Imagine you are just about to fall asleep at a sleepover, and then suddenly you see a pale hand reaching out from under the bed. There was no warning, and it completely catches you off guard, making your heart race and filling you with fear.
One scary doll short story is about a doll that moves on its own at night. A little girl named Emily had a vintage doll. Every night, she would hear the doll's porcelain feet clicking on the floorboards. One night, she woke up to see the doll sitting at the end of her bed, its glassy eyes staring at her. It was really terrifying.
One of the scariest 'ohgeesy scary stories' could be about a haunted house. There might be strange noises at night, like creaking floors and whispers. Another could be a story about a cursed object that brings misfortune to whoever possesses it.
One of the scariest is 'Harold'. It's about a scarecrow that comes to life. The description of Harold moving in the night, with his straw body and blank face, is truly terrifying.
The unknown is a really terrifying element. For example, in a sleepover story, when you hear strange noises but don't know what's making them. It could be anything from a ghost to a wild animal. It plays on our fear of the unexpected.
One story is about a girl at a sleepover. She heard strange scratching noises from under the bed. When she peeked, she saw a pair of glowing eyes. She was too scared to move or scream. Then, suddenly, the eyes disappeared. But she couldn't sleep all night, constantly worried that whatever it was might come back.
There's a story of a ship that was found adrift at sea. When the rescuers boarded, they found the crew missing, but there were signs of a struggle. The ship's log was filled with strange entries about a 'dark presence' on board. No one knows what really happened to the crew, and it's a mystery that sends shivers down your spine.
A streamer once shared a story about a haunted headset. He got this new headset for streaming and when he put it on, he could hear strange whispers. At first, he thought it was some kind of interference or a bug in the audio. But as he kept using it, the whispers got louder and started to say his name. He threw the headset away and never used it again.
One of the scariest Ted Bundy stories is how he would often use his charm to gain the trust of his victims. He would approach women, pretending to be injured or in need of help, and then suddenly turn on them. For example, he would put his arm in a fake sling and ask for assistance carrying something to his car. Once the victim got close to the car, he would overpower them and abduct them. It's terrifying how easily he could deceive people.
The unknown is a big factor. When strange things happen during a sleepover like unexplained noises or objects moving on their own, it's terrifying because you don't know what's causing it.
The stories about cursed objects in Nerdist Scary Stories are quite terrifying. There could be a tale of a doll that seems to move on its own. Every time someone touches it, they start having nightmares and feeling a cold presence around them. It plays on the fear of the unknown and the idea that an inanimate object can have a malevolent force.