hooks to start a scary story

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.'

How about starting with 'The moon was blood - red, casting an eerie glow over the desolate forest. A sudden silence fell, broken only by the faint sound of something large and unseen moving through the underbrush.' This immediately sets a spooky mood.

A surprising statement can be a great hook. For example, 'The day the sun didn't rise was the day everything changed.' It immediately grabs the reader's attention and makes them wonder what could possibly cause such a strange event. Another good hook is starting with a question like 'Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world without colors?' This engages the reader's curiosity as they start to think about their own answer and are eager to see how the story will address it. Also, beginning with an interesting action like 'She ran through the dark forest, branches scratching at her face, not daring to look back.' This creates suspense and makes the reader want to know who she is, what she's running from, and why.

One great hook could be starting with a strange sound in the dead of night, like 'In the pitch - black night, a shrill scream pierced through the silence, making every hair on my body stand on end.' It immediately grabs the reader's attention.

A mysterious figure that appears briefly and then vanishes can be a great hook. Such as, 'Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadowy figure, tall and gaunt. But when she turned to look fully, it was gone, leaving only a chill in the air.'

You can start with a unique sound. 'The screech of the brakes echoed through the silent night, and then there was only darkness.' This sound hooks the reader's attention and makes them wonder what happened. Another hook could be a strange object. 'The small, golden key with strange symbols engraved on it was the only clue.' It creates intrigue about the key and where it might lead. Also, a curious situation like 'All the animals in the zoo were acting strangely today, as if they knew something the humans didn't.' This makes the reader want to know what the animals know and why they're acting that way.

You can use a sense of the unknown. For instance, 'There was a place in the forest where no one dared to go. The trees grew so thick that light couldn't penetrate, and strange whispers seemed to come from within.' This makes the reader wonder what's in that place.

An old photograph that seems to change on its own can be a very spooky hook. 'He found an old photo in the attic. It was a picture of his family from decades ago. But every time he looked at it, a new figure seemed to appear in the background, a figure with a menacing look in its eyes.'

A great hook could be a mysterious statement like 'The door creaked open, but no one was there.' It immediately grabs the reader's attention and makes them wonder what's going on. Another could be starting with a surprising action, such as 'She threw the precious diamond into the river without hesitation.' It creates intrigue. Also, a thought - provoking question like 'What if you could live forever, but at a terrible cost?' can be an effective hook as it makes the reader start thinking and eager to read more.

A cliffhanger at the beginning can be a great hook. For example, starting a story with a character in a life - threatening situation like 'She dangled from the edge of the cliff, her fingers slipping, and no one was around to help.' Another good hook is a mystery. You could start with 'The old, creaky house held a secret that no one in the town dared to uncover.'