In another tale, the ice cream man's truck always showed up at abandoned places. His face was always in the shadows. He would drive really slowly, and his music was distorted. People who saw him up close noticed that his eyes were completely white. He seemed to target lonely kids who were lost, and there were rumors that he took them to a mysterious place and they were never seen again.
The Ice Cream Man in the story is terrifying because he breaks the normal, friendly image we have of ice cream vendors. He doesn't act like a normal person. Instead of being warm and inviting, he gives off a cold and menacing aura. His truck might be painted in dark, fading colors, and the ice creams he offers might not look as appetizing as they should. He might also have some sort of dark secret or past that is hinted at but not fully revealed, leaving the children and the readers/viewers with a sense of unease and mystery.
The most terrifying part is often the unexpectedness. Like when the ice cream truck that seems so normal at first does something really strange. For example, in some stories, the driver acts in a really creepy way.
The true story of the Black Dahlia murder is extremely creepy. Elizabeth Short was brutally murdered and her body was found in a very disturbing state. The case has remained unsolved for decades, and the mystery surrounding it adds to the horror. There's also the story of the Winchester Mystery House. Sarah Winchester kept building and adding onto her house in a strange and haphazard way, believing it would keep the spirits at bay. People who visit the house today often report strange feelings and experiences.
One unexplained scary story is the vanishing hitchhiker. A driver picks up a hitchhiker on a lonely road, and the hitchhiker gives an address. But when they reach the destination, the hitchhiker has disappeared. Another is the Bell Witch. It's a story of a poltergeist in Tennessee that tormented a family, making strange noises, moving objects, and even attacking family members. There's also the story of the cursed dolls. These dolls seem to have a life of their own, changing positions and causing unease in those around them.
There are stories like the one where a family moved into a new house. The bathroom always had a strange smell and the lights would flicker. One night, their young son went to the bathroom and came out screaming. He said he saw a pair of glowing eyes in the bathtub. After some investigation, they found out that there used to be a cat that died in the house long ago near the bathroom area, and people believe it was the cat's spirit causing the scares.
One really terrifying story from Ranker Scary Stories could be about the haunted house tale. In it, a family moves into an old, dilapidated house. Strange noises start at night, like footsteps on the stairs when no one is there. Doors creak open on their own. The scariest part is when the kids start seeing shadowy figures in their rooms. It plays on the fear of the unknown and the vulnerability of being in a new, potentially haunted place.
One scary 911 call story is about a woman who heard strange noises in her attic at night. She called 911, and while on the phone, she heard heavy footsteps coming closer. The operator tried to keep her calm until the police arrived. Another one is a man who was being chased by an unknown assailant. His panicked voice on the 911 call was really frightening.
They're popular because they play on the idea of something that's usually associated with joy (ice cream) and turn it into something scary. It's a contrast that catches people's attention.
One scary story is about an old asylum where patients were subjected to cruel experiments. At night, the sound of their screams could still be heard echoing through the empty halls. It was said that a doctor there went mad himself and started to torture patients in the name of 'treatment'.
One scary vacation story is when a family was camping in the woods. At night, they heard strange growling noises. They thought it was a bear at first. But then they saw a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness that seemed to move closer. They quickly got into their car and drove away, not even bothering to pack up all their camping gear.