sentences to start a scary story

On a sunny day at the beach, she was building a sandcastle when he walked by and couldn't help but stop to admire her creation. 'That's an amazing sandcastle,' he said with a smile.

One day, in a bustling coffee shop, their eyes met across the crowded room. It was as if time stood still for a moment.

Beginning with a mysterious character can be effective too. 'There was a man in a long, black coat who always seemed to be lurking in the shadows. No one knew his name or where he came from. His eyes were cold and empty, and whenever he passed by, an icy chill filled the air.'

A good hook for a scary story might be 'She opened the attic door, not knowing that the moment she stepped inside, she would be plunged into a nightmare world. The air was thick with a musty smell and an unidentifiable sense of foreboding. As her foot touched the dusty floorboards, she heard a soft whisper that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.'

You could begin with a character's internal thought such as, 'I never thought my life would change so drastically on this ordinary day.' This gives a peek into the character's mindset.

Then, I heard a strange scratching at the door. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew I was alone in the house, and no one should be outside. With trembling hands, I reached for the flashlight on the bedside table. As I switched it on, the scratching stopped for a moment, only to be followed by a deep, guttural growl that seemed to come from right outside my door.

Start with a strange sound or noise. For example, 'A low, guttural moan echoed through the empty hallway. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried to figure out where it was coming from. This was how my nightmare began.' This immediately grabs the reader's attention and makes them wonder what's causing the noise.

A good way to begin is with a sense of impending doom. 'I felt it in my bones, that something was horribly wrong. There was a heaviness in the air, a stillness that was not peaceful but rather filled with a lurking danger. I didn't know what it was yet, but I knew it was coming for me.' This type of start makes the reader feel the unease that the character is experiencing.

One great way to start a scary story is with an unexpected sound. For example, 'In the dead of night, a shrill scream pierced through the silence, making my blood run cold.' This immediately grabs the reader's attention and sets a spooky mood.

Set the scene in a creepy place. Maybe an abandoned house or a dark forest. That gets the mood going right away.