good introduction for a scary story

For a good introduction to a scary story, it can be effective to start with a sudden and unexpected event. Say, 'The phone rang in the empty house, and when she picked it up, all she heard was a deep, raspy breathing on the other end.' You can also set the mood with the weather. 'The storm outside was raging, thunder and lightning crashing as she found herself all alone in the big, dark mansion. It was the perfect start to a terrifying night.'

The element of psychological horror can make a scary story truly terrifying. It's not just about jump scares or monsters. It's about getting into the minds of the characters and feeling their fear, paranoia, and despair. For instance, a story where a character slowly loses their sanity can be very disturbing as it makes the audience question their own mental state and what they would do in such a situation.

In a small village, there was a legend of a witch. A good scary story could be based on this. The witch was said to steal children who wandered too close to the old, abandoned well. One day, a little boy got curious and went near the well. He heard a cackle and saw a shadowy figure rising from the well. The boy ran home, but he felt like the witch was following him. For days, he had nightmares, and the village was filled with an air of fear.

One good scary story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. In this story, the narrator is haunted by an old man's 'vulture - like' eye. He becomes so obsessed that he decides to kill the old man. After hiding the body under the floorboards, he starts to hear the old man's heart still beating, which drives him to insanity. It's a classic that plays on the themes of guilt and paranoia.

Sure. 'In a small, forgotten town, there was an old, dilapidated mansion on the outskirts. It stood alone, surrounded by overgrown weeds and gnarled trees. The townspeople whispered that at midnight, strange lights could be seen flickering in the attic windows. No one dared to go near it, but a young, curious journalist was about to change that.'

Well, first, you need to set the scene in a way that makes the reader feel a bit uncomfortable. This could be a dark alleyway filled with shadows. Second, introduce an element of the unknown. It could be a strange object or an unexplained phenomenon. For instance, a door that always creaks open in an empty house by itself. Third, present a character who is either naive or brave enough to step into this potentially scary situation. For example, a new homeowner who ignores the rumors about the haunted house and moves in. By including these elements, you can draw the reader in and make them eager to find out what will happen next in the scary story.

How about a story set in a dark forest? A hiker gets lost in the forest at night. As he tries to find his way out, he hears strange howls. He comes across a clearing where there are strange symbols carved into the trees. Suddenly, he feels like he's being watched from all directions. Every step he takes seems to lead him deeper into the unknown and the sense of dread just keeps growing.

The Haunting of Blackwood Manor.

A great title would be 'Eyes in the Mist'. This title creates an image of something sinister watching from within a thick fog. It makes the reader wonder what those eyes could belong to and what their intentions are. It sets a spooky atmosphere right from the start.

How about a story based on a cursed object? For example, a beautiful antique mirror. Everyone who looks into it sees a distorted version of themselves, and soon they start having nightmares. Then, they notice that their appearance in real life is slowly changing to match the distorted reflection. The mirror has a dark past and was used in some sort of evil ritual.