Empty house. Whispering. Fear.
Here are some: 'Alone in the dark.' It creates an immediate sense of isolation and the unknown that lurks in the darkness.
Abandoned house. Whisper. Sudden chill.
A child was home alone when the power went out. He lit a candle. In the flickering light, he saw a shadow on the wall that didn't match his own. It grew bigger and bigger. He ran to his room and hid under the bed. The shadow seemed to follow him. He closed his eyes and prayed until his parents came home.
Sure. There was a story about a doll. It sat in an old attic. Every night, its eyes seemed to follow the moonlight. One night, a girl heard it giggle. She ran, but the giggle got closer. In the end, she saw the doll at her bedside, smiling wickedly.
A firefighter once told a story about a derelict building fire. As they searched for survivors, they entered a dark room. The moment they shone their lights, they saw a bunch of rats scurrying around. The rats were so panicked by the fire that they started running towards the firefighters, which was really scary in that dangerous and smoky environment.
Sure. There's a story where a university's abandoned theater is haunted. People say that if you go there after dark, you can hear the faint sound of music and voices as if a performance is still going on. It was said that an actress died on stage many years ago and her presence still remains.
Sure. There was this one time when a barista was making a drink and the espresso machine started acting up on its own. It was making strange noises and spurting coffee everywhere in a way that didn't seem normal. Another story is about a customer who found a handwritten note in the bathroom that said some really creepy things. It made them feel really uncomfortable and they left the store right away.