A great start for a scary story could be: 'She opened the door to the attic, and a gust of stale air rushed out. The attic was filled with old trunks and dusty boxes, but there was something else there too. A feeling of being watched, as if unseen eyes were peering from the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal themselves. The creaking floorboards beneath her feet only added to the sense of unease as she took her first hesitant step inside.'
Another example might be: 'As the clock struck midnight, a howl pierced the silence of the empty mansion. The portraits on the walls seemed to watch with cold, dead eyes as the sound reverberated through the halls. It was a sound that sent shivers down the spines of anyone who heard it, a sound that signaled the start of something truly terrifying.'
An introduction could also start like this: 'A lone traveler was making his way through the dark forest. The trees, tall and gnarled, seemed to reach out with their branches like skeletal hands. Strange noises echoed all around him, and the air was thick with an unidentifiable smell, a smell that made his heart race with fear.'
One example could be 'In the dead of night, a cold wind howled through the empty streets, and a lone figure emerged from the thick fog, its face hidden in shadow.'
An old, run - down carnival at night. The once - colorful rides are now rusted and still. The empty stalls and the broken - down merry - go - round seem haunted. There's an eerie silence, except for the occasional creaking of the rides in the wind.
Words like 'haunted', 'gloomy', 'eerie' are great for a scary story. 'Haunted' gives the idea of a place or object being inhabited by spirits. 'Gloomy' sets a dark and depressing mood, making the reader feel uneasy. 'Eerie' often implies something strange and a bit frightening that can't be easily explained.
An underwater cave system. The water is cold and murky, and the caves are full of sharp rocks and tight passages. There could be strange, bioluminescent creatures lurking in the depths, and the pressure of the water above adds to the sense of danger. If you get lost in there, there's a real fear of never finding your way out.
The mirror showed my reflection with a different face for a split second.
For instance, 'In the dead of night, the phone rang. Its shrill sound cut through the silence like a knife. But when she picked it up, there was only a deep, raspy breathing on the other end.' The late - night call and the strange breathing create a sense of mystery and fear.
Some great examples are 'cackle' which can be used for an evil laugh. 'Maleficent' for a character with bad intentions. 'Shriek' is a good word for a sudden, scary sound. Also, 'dread' can be used to describe the feeling of the characters or the mood of the story.
How about 'The old cemetery on a foggy night'? Picture a lone figure walking through the cemetery. The fog is so thick that they can barely see the tombstones. All of a sudden, they hear a soft moan coming from one of the graves. They freeze in fear, but their curiosity gets the better of them. As they approach the source of the sound, they notice a strange glow. Then, a hand reaches out from the ground. This is just the beginning of a terrifying encounter with the undead.
Start with a character waking up from a nightmare. Something like, 'Jane jolted awake, her heart pounding, the remnants of a terrifying dream still lingering in her mind.' It hooks the reader's interest.