The idea that they could have some sort of malevolent intent is terrifying. Like in stories where they seem to be plotting or causing harm to the people around them. It gives the feeling that they're not just toys but something more sinister. For example, if they start to gather around a sleeping person's bed as if they're about to do something bad. Another aspect is the uncanny valley effect. Their somewhat realistic but still toy - like appearance can be really creepy when they start acting strangely. It's that in - between state of not quite real but not quite just a toy that makes them so spooky.
The sudden movement of the LPS toys when they're not supposed to be able to move is really scary. It goes against what we know about them as inanimate objects.
The idea that they seem to have a malicious intent in some stories. Like they are out to scare or harm the owner. In one story, the LPS toys would arrange themselves in menacing formations when the owner was asleep. They would form shapes that resembled scary creatures, and this made the owner feel constantly on edge, as if they were being targeted by these small toys.
One LPS horror story could be about a little girl's LPS toys coming to life at night. The toys would move around her room, making strange noises. She woke up one night to see them all gathered around her bed, their tiny eyes glowing in the dark. It was really terrifying for her.
The unknown is the scariest. In 'as is horror stories', things are often left in their natural state, so you don't really know what's lurking in the shadows or what's causing those strange noises. It's that sense of not having all the answers that makes it terrifying.
Isolation is also a key element. When characters are alone in a spooky place, like an abandoned asylum in one of the stories. They have no one to turn to, and that makes the situation even more terrifying as the horror unfolds around them.
The unknown is one of the scariest elements. When things are not clearly defined, like a strange figure in the fog in some stories from '1001 horror stories', it makes our imagination run wild. We start to create the most terrifying scenarios in our minds.
The scariest element could be the sense of the unknown. For example, in many stories, there are strange noises or happenings that the characters can't explain. It's that not - knowing what is causing the fear that really gets to you.
The isolation in many of the stories is really scary. Like when a character is alone in an old, abandoned building, cut off from the outside world, and they start to feel like they're being watched by something malevolent. There's also the fear of the supernatural, such as ghosts or demons that defy the laws of nature. This makes the characters, and the readers, feel powerless against them.
One horror story could be counterfeit LPs. You unknowingly buy a collection of LPs to sell, thinking they are genuine, but later find out they are fakes. When you list them on eBay, you get into trouble with the platform for selling counterfeit items, and it can lead to account suspension.
The unknown and the supernatural. Take the Black Shuck for instance. A huge, black spectral dog just appearing out of nowhere is terrifying. There's no rational explanation for such a thing, and that's what makes it so spooky in UK horror stories.
The loss of control. When someone is hypnotized, they are in a vulnerable state. In horror stories, this often means they can be made to do things against their will, like harming themselves or others, which is really scary.