ideas to write a short horror story

One idea could be a story about an old, abandoned house. A young couple decides to explore it. As they enter, the doors slam shut behind them. Strange noises start coming from the attic, like something is dragging heavy chains. They try to find a way out but every door they open leads to a darker and scarier room filled with cobwebs and the feeling of being watched.

You could write about a forest that has an evil presence. Maybe a group of hikers go into the forest and get lost. As they wander, they start to feel like they're being watched. The trees seem to close in on them, and they hear howls that don't sound like any normal animal. The forest seems to play tricks on their minds, making them see things that aren't there, like apparitions of long - dead hunters.

One idea could be a haunted house. Picture an old, dilapidated mansion on the outskirts of town. Strange noises come from within at night, like creaking floorboards and whispering voices. The protagonist could be a curious journalist who decides to spend a night there to write a story. As the night progresses, they start to see shadowy figures moving in the corners of their vision.

One idea is to start with an ordinary setting like a small, idyllic town. But then introduce a strange occurrence, such as all the animals in the town suddenly going silent. Another idea could be a character who inherits an old, creepy mansion and starts experiencing unexplained noises and apparitions at night. You can also write about a group of friends who go camping in the woods and encounter a menacing force that seems to be stalking them.

Imagine a forest that is known to be cursed. People who enter it often get lost, even those who are experienced hikers. The protagonist is a journalist who wants to investigate the mystery of the forest. Once inside, he discovers that the trees seem to move and form mazes. He also hears voices that seem to be leading him deeper into the forest. As he tries to find his way out, he realizes that there are strange creatures watching him from the shadows.

One idea could be a haunted mirror. A young woman buys an antique mirror at a flea market. Every time she looks into it, she sees a figure in the background that gets closer each time. At first, she thinks it's just her imagination, but then strange things start to happen around her. Objects move on their own, and she hears whispers coming from the mirror.

In the old, creaking house at the end of the lane, there lived a dark presence. One night, a young girl, curious and naive, entered the house. As she walked through the dusty halls, the doors slammed shut behind her. A cold wind blew out her candle. In the pitch black, she heard a low growl. Then, a pair of red eyes emerged from the darkness. She tried to run but found herself frozen in fear as the creature crept closer, its jagged teeth glistening in the faint moonlight seeping through the boarded - up windows.

A young boy found an old doll in the attic. Its eyes seemed to follow him. At night, he heard soft lullabies coming from the attic. When he went to check, the doll was sitting on a rocking chair, rocking back and forth on its own. He tried to run, but the attic door slammed shut. The doll's lips moved as if it was whispering his name, and he felt a cold presence behind him. He knew he was trapped with this terrifying doll.

There was once a cemetery keeper named Tom. One foggy night, as he was doing his rounds, he heard a faint sobbing. Following the sound, he came across a freshly dug grave. The sobbing grew louder. He peered into the grave and saw a pale figure trying to claw its way out. Tom tried to run, but his feet were frozen in place. The figure emerged, its eyes empty and its body dripping with mud. It reached out towards Tom, whispering his name in a raspy voice. Before he could react, the figure was upon him, and everything went black.

One idea could be a person moving into a new house. Every night, they hear strange scratching noises coming from inside the walls. As they investigate, they find old, faded photos of a family that looks just like them but with sinister expressions. The scratches start to form words like 'leave' on the walls.