In a horror story, you could use phrases such as 'The moon cast an ominous glow'. This gives a sense of foreboding as the moon is often associated with strange and spooky happenings. Another one is 'His heart pounded in his chest like a caged animal'. It shows the character's fear in a very visceral way. Also, 'The darkness seemed to reach out and grab him' is effective. It personifies the darkness, making it an active and menacing force that the character has to face.
Some good phrases are 'a bone - chilling silence', 'the shadowy figure lurked', 'an eerie stillness filled the air'. These phrases can quickly set a spooky mood in a horror story.
To use good phrases effectively in a horror story, you need to be aware of the pacing. Slow - paced parts can benefit from phrases like 'a creeping sense of unease spread'. In fast - paced, action - filled parts, something like 'the terrifying apparition lunged' works well. You should also make sure the phrases fit the overall tone. If your story has a more psychological horror feel, 'the silent whispers in my mind' is a good choice.
Some good phrases are 'Once upon a time' which is a classic for starting a story. 'In the blink of an eye' can be used to show that something happened very quickly. And 'All of a sudden' is also great for indicating a sudden event.
Good phrases for horror stories include 'a deathly silence', which implies that something bad is about to happen. Another one is 'the howling wind', as the sound of wind can be very eerie. Also, 'a face in the mist' can be quite terrifying. It gives the impression of something or someone emerging from the unknown. These phrases can be used to set the mood, build tension, and make the reader feel scared.
Useful phrases include 'A sinister laugh cut through the stillness'. It creates a creepy atmosphere right away. Also, 'Her blood ran cold' which is a common but effective way to show sudden fear.
Use them sparingly. For example, if you keep saying 'A terrifying figure lurked everywhere', it loses its impact. Instead, place it at key moments like when the protagonist is about to open a mysterious door. So you can write 'As she reached for the doorknob, a terrifying figure lurked in the shadows just beyond her vision'.
You could use names such as Mortimer, which gives the impression of something death - related. Another one is Isabella, which can be made spooky when the character has a tragic or haunted past. And then there's Vlad, which immediately makes people think of the infamous Dracula.
One could be 'The shadows in the corner seemed to writhe and twist, as if alive.' Another is 'A cold, clammy hand brushed against her neck, sending shivers down her spine.' And 'The silence was broken only by the slow, methodical drip of something unknown in the darkness.'
Zombies can be used effectively. They represent mindless, relentless hordes that are driven by a basic instinct to consume. The idea of being surrounded by a slow - moving but unstoppable mass of the undead is terrifying. You can have them overrunning a small town or chasing the protagonist through an abandoned city.
You can use 'The old, creaking floorboards groaned under his feet, as if warning him to turn back, but he pressed on, oblivious to the doom that awaited him.' This sentence is effective in a horror story. The description of the floorboards as old and creaking gives a spooky setting. The idea that they seem to be 'warning' the character adds an element of the supernatural. And the fact that the character ignores this warning and is headed towards doom ramps up the tension for the reader.