Consider 'dreadful', 'nightmarish' and 'spine - chilling'. 'Dreadful' implies something that is extremely bad or unpleasant in a way that causes fear. A 'dreadful' curse in a horror story can be a central plot device. 'Nightmarish' gives the feeling of being in a nightmare, with all the chaos and fear that comes with it. A 'nightmarish' landscape can be a great backdrop for a horror story. 'Spine - chilling' is used when something makes you feel a cold shiver down your spine, like a 'spine - chilling' encounter with a supernatural being.
Sure. 'Grim', which gives a sense of something very serious and often unpleasant. For example, a 'grim' discovery in a horror story can heighten the tension. 'Ominous' is another great word. It means giving the impression that something bad is going to happen. A dark cloud on the horizon in a horror story can be described as 'ominous'. Also, 'ghastly' which means causing great horror or fear. A 'ghastly' apparition would be a terrifying sight in a horror story.
Another set of words could be 'cursed', 'abysmal' and 'bleak'. 'Cursed' implies that there is some sort of dark magic or bad luck associated with a person or thing. 'Abysmal' gives the feeling of great depth and despair, like an abyss. 'Bleak' makes the setting seem cold and uninviting.
Sure. 'Malevolent' is a good one. It means having or showing a wish to do evil to others. 'Abysmal' can also be used to describe a very deep and dark place or situation in a horror story. And 'phantom' is great for creating a sense of something that is not really there but is very scary.
Another set of words could be 'horrific stories', 'blood - curdling stories' and 'petrifying stories'. 'Horrific stories' are extremely horrible and often involve graphic and disturbing content. 'Blood - curdling stories' are so scary that they make your blood seem to freeze in your veins, like a story of a vampire attack. 'Petrifying stories' can literally make you feel as if you are turning to stone from fear, such as a story about being trapped in a cave with a horde of deadly spiders.
Curses. A family or a community being haunted by an ancient curse that brings misfortune and death. For instance, every generation might face a strange and deadly phenomenon because of a long - forgotten curse. This creates a sense of inevitability and doom.
A foreboding dream. 'He had the same dream every night for a week. In it, he was in a dark, endless corridor with doors on either side. Each door had a strange symbol, and a cold wind blew from behind him, urging him forward, but he knew that whatever lay beyond those doors was something terrifying.'
A long, lonely road in the middle of nowhere. The headlights of the car are the only source of light as the driver hears a strange thumping on the roof of the vehicle.
Sure. 'Abysmal' can be used to describe a deep, dark, and seemingly bottomless place, like an abysmal pit that swallows everything. 'Bleak' is also good. It gives a feeling of coldness and hopelessness, as if there's no way out. For example, a bleak, desolate landscape in a horror story.
Another one could be 'The clock struck midnight and all the lights in the house suddenly went out.' Midnight is a very ominous time in horror stories, and the sudden loss of lights in the house creates a sense of panic and vulnerability, leaving the reader to wonder what will happen next in the darkness.
Sure. 'The Darkened Cellar', 'The Cursed Doll', 'The Shrieking Forest'.
Sure. 'As I walked into the abandoned asylum, a chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.'