One scary shark encounter story is about a surfer. He was out in the ocean when suddenly a great white shark emerged from below. It bit his board and sent him tumbling into the water. Fortunately, he managed to swim to shore quickly. Another story is of a diver who was exploring a reef. A shark came out of the blue and circled him menacingly for a while before swimming off.
One scary stranger encounter story is when a girl was walking alone at night and a man in a long black coat started following her. She walked faster, but he kept up. She finally ducked into a 24 - hour store and the man just stood outside staring until she called the police. It was really frightening as she didn't know what his intentions were.
There are stories from surfers. For example, a surfer was waiting for a wave when suddenly a large shark came up from below. The shark bit his board, and the surfer thought he was going to be dragged under. Luckily, the shark let go and swam away. These close encounters are really scary because the ocean is the shark's territory and surfers are at a disadvantage.
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.
The most terrifying part is often the unexpected appearance of the ghost. For example, when you turn around and suddenly see a ghostly figure right behind you. It's that sudden shock that gets to you.
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.