The use of the unknown is a big part. There are often things that are not fully explained, like strange noises or apparitions. It makes the reader's imagination run wild. For instance, a story might have a character hear a scratching sound on the wall but never find out what was causing it. This lack of knowledge is what makes it so frightening.
One story could be about a woman who always heard strange whispers at midnight. Every night, when the clock struck twelve, she would feel a cold breeze on her neck and hear a faint voice saying her name. She tried to run away from her house but the voice followed her everywhere.
One such story could be about a girl who heard strange scratching noises at her window every night for 3 - 5 minutes. One night, she peeked out and saw a shadowy figure with long claws. She quickly closed the curtain and hid under her blanket. When she finally summoned the courage to look again, the figure was gone, but she could still hear the faint scratching.
One 5 - minute scary story could be about a girl who moves into an old house. Every night, she hears strange scratching noises coming from the attic. One night, she decides to go up there. As she climbs the rickety ladder, the air gets colder. When she reaches the attic, she sees a pair of glowing eyes in the corner. Before she can scream, a dark figure lunges at her.
The element of the unknown. In a short 2 - minute story, not having all the answers makes it scarier. For example, in a story about a strange noise in the basement, not knowing what's making the noise creates fear. Also, sudden and unexpected events like a door slamming shut on its own can startle the listener.
One scary 2 - minute story could be about a girl who wakes up in the middle of the night to find a strange shadow on her wall. It moves and takes the shape of a menacing figure. As she tries to scream, no sound comes out. Then she feels a cold breath on her neck, but when she turns around, there's nothing there. She runs out of her room only to find the entire house in complete darkness and strange noises all around her.
A one minute scary story. You wake up in the middle of the night and see a shadowy face at the window. You blink, thinking it's a dream. But when you open your eyes again, it's still there, staring at you with hollow eyes. You're too terrified to move.
The feeling of isolation is also a key scary element. Often, the stories are set in places where the main character is alone, such as an empty house or a deserted forest. This isolation makes the character more vulnerable to whatever horror is about to unfold. When you're all by yourself, there's no one to turn to for help, and that's really terrifying. For instance, if you're in an old mansion at night, and strange things start to happen, the fact that you're the only one there amplifies the fear. Also, the use of the unknown is a major factor. The stories might hint at something evil, but not fully reveal what it is. This leaves the reader's imagination to run wild, and our imaginations can come up with some truly horrifying things.
One '1 minute scary story' could be: You're home alone at night. As you pass by the mirror, you see a shadow behind you for a split second. But when you turn around, there's nothing there. You dismiss it as your imagination, but then you hear a faint scratching at the window. You slowly walk towards it, and a pale face suddenly appears outside, grinning at you.
A '2 minute scary story' might involve a family moving into a new old house. One night, the youngest child hears whispers coming from the attic. He tells his parents, but they don't believe him. When he goes up to the attic alone to investigate, he finds an old diary. As he starts reading it, the room gets cold and he feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns around but sees nothing. However, the whispers get louder and more menacing.