Some classic elements are the use of foreshadowing. This gives the reader or listener a hint of the horror to come, like a character seeing a strange symbol that later turns out to be related to the evil in the story. Another is the use of sound effects in a story. In a written story, it could be described as a low moaning or scratching noise. In real - life storytelling, it's the actual making of those sounds. Then there are the doomed characters. You know from the start that something bad is going to happen to them, but you keep reading or listening to find out exactly how.
One classic element is a spooky setting, like an old, abandoned house. The creaking floors and peeling wallpaper can create an instant sense of unease.
Another is 'The Tell - Tale Heart'. In this short story, the narrator is driven mad by the old man's 'evil eye'. He kills the old man and hides his body under the floorboards. But he is haunted by the sound of the old man's still - beating heart, which drives him to confess. It's a great exploration of guilt and madness.
A classic element in scary stories is the idea of the unknown. Leave some things unexplained. Don't give too much detail about the monster or the source of the evil. This makes the audience's imagination run wild. Also, a sense of being trapped is common. The characters are stuck in a place where they can't easily escape, like a locked room in a haunted house or a sinking ship in the middle of the ocean.
One classic scary story for kids is 'The Three Little Pigs'. The big bad wolf is a menacing figure. Another is 'Hansel and Gretel' with the evil witch in the forest. And 'Little Red Riding Hood' also has some scary elements, like the wolf disguising as the grandmother.
There's also the story of 'Bloody Mary'. If you go into a dark bathroom, say 'Bloody Mary' three times in front of a mirror, a spooky woman might appear. It's often told at sleepovers. The origin of this story is a bit murky, but it has been passed down for generations, scaring kids and adults alike.
One classic is 'The Wolf Man'. It tells the story of a man who is cursed to become a werewolf. The idea of a man transforming into a half - man, half - wolf creature during the full moon is really terrifying.
One classic scary riddle is: 'I have no feet to dance, I have no eyes to see, I have no life to live or die, but yet I do all three. What am I?' The answer is a fire. A fire can seem to 'dance', it doesn't have eyes but can 'look' menacing, and it's not alive but can start and end, causing destruction like a living thing might.
There's also 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. This tale features the infamous vampire Dracula who travels from Transylvania to England to spread his curse of vampirism. The story is full of spooky encounters, from the vampire's brides in his castle to his attempts to prey on the innocent, like Lucy Westenra.
One classic is the story of Medusa. She was a Gorgon with snakes for hair and anyone who looked directly at her turned to stone. Another is the Kraken, a huge sea monster said to lurk in the deep ocean and could destroy ships with its massive tentacles.
One classic scary cowboy story is about the Headless Horseman of the prairie. Legend has it that a cowboy was cursed after a misdeed. At night, he rides through the plains without his head, chasing any living soul he comes across. His horse makes a strange, otherworldly sound as they gallop.