He sat alone in the old house, surrounded by memories of his family. Now they were all gone, and the silence was deafening, crushing his spirit bit by bit.
Well, they're spooky because they're concise and hit you right away. For example, 'I opened the closet, and a pair of red eyes stared back.' It gives you just enough information to let your imagination run wild. You start picturing the scene, the dark closet, and those menacing eyes. There's no time to build up a long backstory, so it's a sudden jolt of fear.
One common theme is loss. For example, 'The old man lost his wife of 50 years and now the days are just a long, lonely wait.' It shows how the absence of someone important can create great sadness.
He moved into a new apartment. Strange noises came from the attic at night. He went to check. A face peeked out from the darkness. He never went up there again. This is a simple yet spooky 5 - sentence ghost story. It plays on the common fear of the unknown in an attic, which is often a dark and seldom - visited place in a home. The face peeking out adds a sudden shock factor.
She entered the abandoned asylum. The hallways were dimly lit. A door creaked open by itself. A shadow darted across the wall. She ran out, feeling something chasing her.