The unknown is a very disturbing element. For example, in a story where you hear strange noises but can't see what's making them. It plays on our fear of the unexpected and makes our imagination run wild.
Isolation is often disturbing. When the character in a short story is all alone in a spooky place, like an old mansion or a deserted island. They have no one to turn to for help, which heightens the sense of fear. In a story, a man trapped in an old well all by himself, with only the sounds of dripping water and his own panicked breathing, creates a very disturbing atmosphere. And also, the presence of something inhuman or supernatural, like ghosts or demons, can be extremely disturbing as it defies our understanding of the normal world.
The unknown is a very disturbing element. For example, in stories where there are anonymous entities like the unknown user in the chatroom story. You don't know who or what they are, but they have this power over the characters, which is really creepy.
One scary short story is about a woman who wakes up in the middle of the night and sees a shadowy figure at the foot of her bed. It doesn't move but just stands there, staring at her. She tries to scream but no sound comes out. As she closes her eyes in fear and opens them again, the figure is gone, but she can still feel its presence in the room.
For the first story, the sense of the unknown makes it scary. Like the shadowy figure in the abandoned house, we don't know what it is or what it wants. In the second story, the unexpected and the grotesque are key. The pale face rising from the well when you expect just a splash is terrifying. For the third story, being trapped and surrounded by the dark figures in the cabin creates a feeling of helplessness. All three stories also use elements of isolation. Whether it's the boy alone at the abandoned house, the girl by the well, or the hiker in the forest cabin, being alone in a spooky situation amps up the fear.
The mystery surrounding the identity of the killer can be very disturbing. In many cases like Jack the Ripper, the killer remains unidentified for a long time, leaving people feeling unsafe as they don't know who could be the perpetrator. Also, the lack of a clear motive can be disturbing. When we can't understand why someone would commit such a heinous act, it makes the story even scarier.
The most disturbing element is often the sense of the unknown. In these stories, things happen that can't be easily explained. It's like there are forces at work that are beyond our understanding, and that's really unsettling.
One common element is the unknown. For example, in many short disturbing stories, there are strange noises or movements that can't be easily explained. Another is the presence of something that seems out of place, like a doll with a creepy look or a strange symbol. Also, a feeling of being watched is often included, which makes the reader or listener feel uneasy.
Surprise and the unknown often make a short story scary and disturbing. For example, in 'The Landlady' by Roald Dahl, the young man doesn't expect the true nature of the seemingly kind landlady. The unexpected twists and turns, like finding out she stuffs her dead guests, are what create the horror.
The complete disregard for human life is the most disturbing. Serial killers like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer saw their victims as objects, not people. They could end a life without any remorse.
The feeling of helplessness. For example, if someone is being haunted by a spirit in their own home, they can't just run away easily. They have to live with this terrifying situation, and often there seems to be no way to stop it. It makes you feel really vulnerable.