A dilapidated old mansion on a hilltop. The windows are broken, and the once - grand front door is hanging off its hinges. Inside, there are dusty portraits on the walls whose eyes seem to follow you as you move through the rooms.
A haunted mansion with creaking floorboards and portraits on the walls whose eyes seem to follow you. The attic is filled with old, dusty boxes and there's a sense of being watched all the time.
Sure. 'Malevolent' is a good one. It means having or showing a wish to do evil to others. 'Abysmal' can also be used to describe a very deep and dark place or situation in a horror story. And 'phantom' is great for creating a sense of something that is not really there but is very scary.
Sure. 'Grim', which gives a sense of something very serious and often unpleasant. For example, a 'grim' discovery in a horror story can heighten the tension. 'Ominous' is another great word. It means giving the impression that something bad is going to happen. A dark cloud on the horizon in a horror story can be described as 'ominous'. Also, 'ghastly' which means causing great horror or fear. A 'ghastly' apparition would be a terrifying sight in a horror story.
Curses. A family or a community being haunted by an ancient curse that brings misfortune and death. For instance, every generation might face a strange and deadly phenomenon because of a long - forgotten curse. This creates a sense of inevitability and doom.
A foreboding dream. 'He had the same dream every night for a week. In it, he was in a dark, endless corridor with doors on either side. Each door had a strange symbol, and a cold wind blew from behind him, urging him forward, but he knew that whatever lay beyond those doors was something terrifying.'
A long, lonely road in the middle of nowhere. The headlights of the car are the only source of light as the driver hears a strange thumping on the roof of the vehicle.
Sure. 'Haunting story' is one. It gives the idea that the story will stay with you, like a haunting. 'Nightmare story' is also a synonym as horror stories can be like nightmares.
A sudden and unexplained disappearance can start a horror story well. 'When I woke up, my sister was gone. Her bed was empty, and there was no sign of her in the house. Only her favorite doll, with its eyes that seemed to follow me, was left.'
A sudden power outage in a big, isolated building. Everyone inside is plunged into darkness. There are strange scratching noises on the walls, and people start to disappear one by one. The remaining characters huddle together, but they don't know what's out there in the dark waiting for them.
One word is 'bleak'. A bleak setting in a horror story can be a desolate landscape or a rundown building, giving a feeling of hopelessness. 'Grim' is also good. It gives the idea of something harsh and unforgiving, like a grim reaper - like figure. 'Ominous' is a classic. It makes the reader anticipate something bad. For example, an ominous cloud or an ominous silence.