two line scary stories

Well, one possible 'scary two - line story' could be 'I heard a knock on the door at midnight. When I opened it, no one was there but I felt a cold hand on my shoulder.' Another could be 'The old house was empty. As I walked in, I saw a shadow that moved on its own.' And a third one might be 'She walked through the graveyard. Suddenly, a whisper called her name from an unmarked grave.'

One example could be 'I heard a knock at the door. When I opened it, no one was there but I felt a cold hand on my shoulder.'

They are effective by creating immediate tension. For example, 'The phone rang at midnight. A raspy voice said 'I'm coming'.", "Answer2":": 'Scary two line stories' work well because they rely on the reader's imagination. In a story like 'The moon was full. A howl that wasn't from a dog echoed.', the reader has to fill in the blanks about what might be making that howl. It's this sense of mystery that makes them effective.

One could be 'The old house stood alone. Strange noises came from within.'

I woke up in the middle of the night. There was a figure at the foot of my bed, staring at me with empty eyes.

I looked in the mirror, but my reflection had a sinister smile that wasn't mine.

I opened the basement door. A hand reached out from the darkness and grabbed my ankle.

Using vivid and spooky words. For example, instead of 'a figure', say 'a shadowy, hunched figure'.

Sure. One of the stories could be 'I was reading in the attic. All of a sudden, a cold draft blew out my lamp and I heard a moan.' It quickly sets a spooky scene. Another might be 'I took a shortcut through the alley. A cat hissed at me and then ran, as if fleeing from something.' And 'I entered the old barn. A rustling noise came from the hayloft, but there was no wind.'

These stories are scary as they create a contrast. For example, 'I lay down to be tucked in. A cold hand reached from under the covers.' The normal act of getting tucked in is juxtaposed with a very abnormal and frightening event. Our minds are not expecting something bad in that situation, so it catches us off - guard and scares us more easily.