A really good scary story often has an element of the unknown. For example, a mystery that the characters are trying to figure out. If it's a haunted house story, not knowing what exactly is haunting it creates fear.
As I don't have any knowledge about the 'annie96 scary story', it's impossible to determine its scariness. Some stories are scary because of the psychological aspect they play on, like messing with your mind and making you feel uneasy. Others might be more about the physical horror, like gory details. Without knowing the story, we can't judge how scary it is.
The use of atmosphere can make a short story really scary. If you set the scene in a dark, abandoned place like an old cemetery or a deserted house, it immediately gives off an eerie feeling. Additionally, having relatable characters who are in danger makes the reader more invested in the story. When bad things start to happen to them, the reader can imagine themselves in that situation, which is terrifying. For instance, a story about a person alone in a haunted forest at night, lost and hearing strange howls. The combination of the setting, the vulnerability of the character, and the mystery of the howls all contribute to the scariness.
The unknown. When there are things that are not fully explained or shown, it scares people. For example, in a haunted house story, if you just hear strange noises but don't see the source clearly, it creates a sense of fear. You start imagining all sorts of terrifying things.
How about a story set in a dark forest? A group of hikers get lost in the forest. As night falls, they notice pairs of glowing eyes all around them. They try to find their way out but keep coming back to the same spot. There's a sense of being watched constantly. Then they start to hear growls and screams in the distance. Eventually, they realize they are being hunted by a pack of inhuman creatures that live deep in the forest.
Well, you need to think of something unexpected. Such as 'I looked at my reflection in the mirror. But it wasn't me staring back.' It's about catching the reader off - guard.
Sure. There was a camper who set up his tent in a remote forest area. In the middle of the night, he woke up to a strange rustling sound outside. He unzipped his tent a little to peek out. Just then, a huge, snarling wolf - like creature jumped right in front of his tent. He was so scared that he froze for a moment before scrambling to get his things and run.