One story could be 'I always sleep with a nightlight. Last night, I woke up to find it off and a cold hand on my wrist.' Another might be 'The old doll in the attic blinked. Now it sits at the foot of my bed.'
The story of the Donner Party is also extremely terrifying. A group of settlers got stranded in the mountains during winter. Due to lack of food, they resorted to cannibalism to survive. It shows the extreme desperation and horror that humans can face in dire situations.
The use of psychological elements. For example, in 'Black Swan', the main character's descent into madness is both fascinating and terrifying. The stories play on our deepest fears, whether it's the fear of being alone, the fear of the dark, or the fear of something malevolent that we can't see. They also often use elements of the supernatural, like ghosts or demons, which are inherently scary to most people. The combination of these factors in the stories of '13 most terrifying horror stories' makes them truly terrifying.
Well, in some of the stories, the sudden appearance of a ghostly figure can be really terrifying. For example, a character might turn around and see a pale, translucent figure just standing there, with eyes that seem to pierce through their soul.
Well, in '20 most terrifying horror stories', there could be a story of a small town haunted by an ancient evil. The townspeople start experiencing unexplainable phenomena like animals acting strangely and people disappearing. There might also be a horror story about a group of friends who go camping in a forest that has a dark history. They encounter something that hunts them down one by one. Additionally, a story about a possessed doll that seems to have a life of its own and causes chaos in a family's home is also a possibility.
Sure. One could be 'The Haunting of Hill House' - it has a very eerie atmosphere with the old, creaky house and strange noises that keep the readers on edge. Another might be 'The Exorcist', a classic where the possession of a young girl by a demon is truly horrifying.
One story was about a hiker who got lost in the woods. As night fell, he saw strange glowing eyes all around him. He could hear growls and felt like he was being watched. It was a nightmare come true. This shows how the unknown in nature can be truly scary.
One terrifying ghost story is 'The Bell Witch'. It's about a malevolent spirit that haunted the Bell family in Tennessee. There were strange noises, objects moving on their own, and the spirit would physically harm the family members. Another is 'The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall'. Supposedly, her ghost has been seen gliding down the stairs in the hall. The apparition is said to be that of Lady Dorothy Walpole, who was locked away in the hall after her affair was discovered.
The story of the Mothman is also terrifying. In Point Pleasant, West Virginia in the 1960s, people reported seeing a large, winged humanoid creature. Strange events followed, including a bridge collapse that killed many. The mystery surrounding the Mothman and its possible connection to the disasters makes it a truly spooky true story.