There are many. For instance, 'I found a key in the attic. As I turned it in the locked door, a scream echoed from inside.' In these two - sentence horror stories, they often play on common fears like the unknown, being alone in a spooky place, or the unexpected appearance of something menacing. They quickly set a spooky mood and leave the reader with a sense of unease in just two short sentences.
One example could be 'I woke up to a cold hand on my shoulder. When I turned, no one was there.' Another might be 'The old doll's eyes followed me. Then it smiled.'
First, think of a common fear, like being in the dark or something supernatural. Then, make the first sentence set the scene, like 'I was alone in the cemetery at night.' The second sentence should quickly introduce the horror element, such as 'A figure emerged from the mausoleum and ran towards me.'
You need to start with a disturbing idea. Maybe something like a strange noise. So you could write 'A scratching sound came from the attic. When I looked up, red eyes stared back.' Also, use vivid but simple language. Don't overcomplicate it. Just get straight to the horror. Another way is to play with the unknown. For instance, 'I found a note with my name on it. The handwriting was mine but I didn't write it.'
Another really scary one could be 'My phone rang at 3 am. The caller ID said it was me.' It plays on the idea of the self being something other or unknown, and calls at that time are always spooky.
I think 'The clock stopped at midnight. Then I heard footsteps.' is quite scary. It gives this feeling of something ominous starting right at a spooky time.
One viral horror story is about the 'Slenderman'. It features a tall, thin figure in a black suit with no face. The story spread through the internet, especially among young people. There were also real - life incidents where some individuals were influenced by the Slenderman concept, which added to the horror and notoriety of the story.