In the abandoned house, I found a diary. The last entry said 'They're here'. Then I heard scratching at the door.
I opened the closet. Red eyes stared back. I slammed it shut. But the eyes are now under my bed, waiting for the dark.
Walking through the forest, a mist surrounded me. Voices whispered my name. I ran, but the voices were inside my head.
Think of a simple, creepy situation like 'Lights out. Something moves. Shadows.'
Use simple but spooky words. For example, 'Footsteps, but no one'. The words 'footsteps' immediately create a sense of someone or something being there. But when you add 'but no one', it becomes a horror story in just five words. It makes the reader wonder what is making those footsteps if there's no one there.
Just think of a sudden, dark twist. For example, 'He walked. The shadow had no feet.'
Just focus on fear. For example, think about things that scare you like a haunted house, and then sum it up in five words like 'Haunted house, no escape.'
Evoke strong images. Consider 'Bloody handprint.' This three - word phrase immediately brings to mind a violent or spooky scene. It's a visual that is both simple and very effective in creating horror.
Use strong imagery. For example, 'Blood on white sheet'. Pick words that evoke fear like 'dark', 'death', 'lost'.
The moonlit night, a secret meeting.
Two kids, Jack and Jill. Met at school. Shared lunches. Helped in studies. A bully came. They stood together. Forever friends now.