good horror ideas for story

A good idea to start a horror story could be with an unexplained noise in the middle of the night. For example, the main character wakes up to a strange scratching sound coming from the attic. They're all alone in the house, and the sound is rhythmic and menacing. This immediately creates a sense of unease and mystery, drawing the reader in as they wonder what could be making that noise.

A great start could be a character moving into a new apartment. On the first night, they see a face in the window of the apartment across the street. But when they look again, it's gone. Later, they find out that the apartment has a dark history of disappearances. This discovery, along with the initial sighting, can be the start of a terrifying horror story.

One idea could be a person moving into a new house. Every night, they hear strange scratching noises coming from inside the walls. As they investigate, they find old, faded photos of a family that looks just like them but with sinister expressions. The scratches start to form words like 'leave' on the walls.

One idea could be a haunted house where the spirits have a specific agenda. Maybe they're trying to reveal a hidden truth about the property's past.

Begin with a strange discovery. Say, a young girl is exploring an abandoned attic. Among the dusty boxes and cobwebs, she finds a locked diary. The moment she touches it, she feels a strange coldness seep into her fingers. As she tries to open it, she hears a faint whisper in her ear, as if someone is warning her not to. This discovery can set the stage for a horror story filled with mystery and the unknown.

The Shadow Man. A simple yet effective title. It makes you think of a figure made of shadow that haunts people. It could be that the shadow man can enter people's dreams or appear out of nowhere when they are alone in the dark.

The Cursed Forest. Forests are often associated with mystery and the unknown in horror. A cursed forest could have trees that come alive, strange creatures lurking in the shadows, and an eerie fog that never lifts, trapping those who enter.

One idea could be a person who wakes up every day to find that their memories are slowly being erased. They start to see strange symbols around their house that seem to be related to the memory loss. As they try to figure out what's going on, they realize that there's a shadowy figure in the corner of their vision that disappears whenever they turn to look directly at it.

A haunted doll would be a great idea. The doll could be found in an attic by a child. At first, it seems like a normal doll, but then it starts to move around at night. It might leave little footprints in the dust or be found in different places in the house each morning. The child begins to have nightmares of the doll coming to life and trying to harm them.

There is a forest that has always been avoided by the locals. It is said that within the forest, there are trees that can move and voices that whisper disturbing things. A group of hikers decides to explore the forest. As they enter, they are gradually separated. Each hiker then experiences a series of terrifying illusions related to their past traumas. The forest seems to feed on their fear and pain.