The scariest part is often the prediction itself. Just like in the story where a person is told they'll die soon, that kind of certainty about a bad outcome is terrifying.
The fact that the fortune teller often seems to have some otherworldly knowledge. In many stories, they show visions or know things that they shouldn't be able to know. For example, a fortune teller might describe a person's past traumas accurately and then predict a horrible future based on that. It makes the whole situation seem very real and menacing. And it plays on our fears of the unknown and our lack of control over our own fates.
The most terrifying element is often the prediction of death or doom. Just like in many stories where the fortune teller foretells someone's untimely death, it creates a sense of impending dread that is really scary.
In the first story, the scariest part is when the boy saw the red eyes staring at him from the attic window. It was a sudden and menacing encounter. In the second story, the cold hand grabbing the girl's ankle was terrifying as it was unexpected and she was all alone. For the third story, the dark figure lunging at the family when they opened the hidden door was the scariest moment as it was a direct threat.
One fortune teller horror story is about a woman who visited a seer. The fortune teller told her she would die within a month. Terrified, she became paranoid. Every little thing seemed like a sign of her impending doom. In the end, she died in an accident that was likely due to her being so distracted by the prediction.
The appearance of unexplained figures. In the camping story, when Anna saw the glowing eyes and the shadowy figure circling her tent, it creates a lot of fear. These figures are often associated with the unknown and can be really terrifying as we don't know their intentions.
The feeling of being trapped is one of the scariest. When you're deep in a cave and can't find a way out, it's terrifying. For example, in many stories, cavers are blocked by cave - ins.
The power of their jaws. Crocodiles have incredibly strong jaws that can crush bones easily. In a horror story, when they clamp down on a victim, it's a terrifying sight. It's like the story of the tourist dragged into the swamp. Once caught, there's little chance of escape due to that crushing force.
For me, it's when something seems to be not right with the kids. For example, if a normally calm kid suddenly becomes very agitated for no obvious reason. Or if a kid starts acting in a very strange and out - of - character way. In one story, a kid just stared blankly at the wall for hours without blinking while the babysitter was there. It was really creepy. Another aspect is when there are unexplained events like objects moving on their own. In a babysitting situation, you are responsible for the safety of the kids, and these strange happenings make you feel like you're not in control.
The unexpected movement of the dominoes is really scary. Like when they move on their own without any physical cause, it gives a feeling of the supernatural at work.
The sudden aggression of moose is really scary. They can seem calm one moment and then charge without warning. For example, if you are just walking in the forest, minding your own business, and a moose decides you are a threat and runs at you full speed.
The idea of their bites. Centipedes can bite, and in horror stories, the thought of their venomous bites is really frightening. You might hear about someone being bitten and having a horrible reaction, like swelling up and intense pain that lasts for days.