They often have a sudden and unexpected twist. For example, in a story where a person thinks they are safe at home but then discovers something strange in the attic. It gives that 'gotcha' moment.
Sure. Here's one. There was a little girl who lived in an old house. Every night, she heard strange scratching sounds from under her bed. One night, she peeked over the edge and saw a pair of glowing eyes staring back at her. She quickly hid under the covers and never looked again.
One cool scary story is about a haunted house. There was an old mansion on the outskirts of town. People said that at midnight, you could see a shadowy figure in the attic window. A group of teenagers once decided to explore it. As they entered, the air grew cold. They heard strange creaking noises and footsteps. When they reached the attic, they saw a rocking chair moving on its own. Terrified, they ran out of the house and never went back.
There are quite a few cool names for scary stories. For instance, 'The Abandoned Asylum' immediately makes you think of a desolate and spooky place full of potential horrors. 'The Whispering Woods' is also good; the idea of the woods whispering is both mysterious and a bit frightening. 'The Darkened Doorway' can be a great name too. It gives the impression of something lurking just beyond that doorway in the darkness, waiting to be discovered.
The Haunting of Blackwood Manor. This title gives a sense of mystery and fear as 'haunting' implies something spooky going on in the manor. The name 'Blackwood' also has an eerie feel to it.
One cool idea could be a haunted house where the walls ooze blood and the rooms shift randomly. Every time someone tries to escape, they find themselves back in the scariest room.
Perhaps a story of a man who bought an old antique mirror. Every time he looked into it, he saw a figure that wasn't his reflection. The figure seemed to be getting closer and closer each time. One day, he woke up to find the figure standing at the foot of his bed.
There's a story of a cursed forest. Legend has it that anyone who enters it at dusk will hear strange whispers. A group of hikers once went in and got lost. As they tried to find their way out, they saw shadowy figures following them among the trees. It was a terrifying experience, and they barely made it out alive.
The element of mystery. In cool scary stories, there are often things that are left unexplained. For example, in a story about a haunted ship, you might not know exactly why the ship is haunted. This makes the reader or listener keep guessing and it's really engaging.
The element of the unknown. For example, in many of the stories, there are unexplained noises or figures. We don't know what they are or what they want, and that scares us.