The Teke - Teke story is also very frightening. Teke - Teke is a female spirit who lost her lower body in a train accident. She moves around by using her hands and makes a 'teke - teke' sound as she drags herself. If she catches up with someone, she will kill them. The idea of being chased by such a grotesque and vengeful spirit is truly terrifying, especially in the context of the often - dark and lonely settings of yurei ghost stories.
One famous yurei ghost story is about Oiwa. She was a wronged woman. In the story, she was horribly betrayed and died a tragic death. Her vengeful spirit then haunts those who wronged her. Her appearance is often depicted as very scary, with long black hair covering her face.
There's a story from a small Alaskan village where a family was haunted by a vengeful spirit. The family had unknowingly built their house on an ancient burial ground. Strange things started to happen - objects would move on their own, and they would hear terrifying screams at night. The family eventually had to abandon the house. The idea of disturbing an ancient burial site and facing the wrath of the spirits is truly frightening, especially in the isolated and often superstitious world of Alaskan villages.
The scariest might be the one about the abandoned asylum in Ogden. Supposedly, patients who died there under cruel conditions still haunt the halls. People have reported seeing shadowy figures and hearing blood - curdling screams.
One of the scariest ghost stories is about the Bloody Mary. Legend has it that if you stand in a dark bathroom, light some candles, and say 'Bloody Mary' three times into the mirror, a terrifying apparition will appear. Another is the story of the vanishing hitchhiker. A driver picks up a hitchhiker on a lonely road, but when they reach the destination, the hitchhiker has disappeared, leaving only a cold spot in the car. There's also the story of the haunted doll. Some dolls are said to be possessed by spirits, like Annabelle. People who come near it experience strange and often frightening events.
There's a story where a group of friends decide to have a Christmas party in an old, supposedly haunted house. As the night falls on Christmas, strange things start to happen. The lights flicker, and they see the apparition of a woman in a white dress. She moves silently through the rooms, leaving a cold trail. It turns out she was a jilted bride who died on Christmas Day many years ago. Her ghost is angry and starts to target the people in the house, making it a very scary Ghost Christmas Story.
The ghosts associated with Mictlantecuhtli can be quite terrifying. Since he was the god of the dead, the idea that the dead could escape his underworld and appear as ghosts is spooky. The Aztecs had a deep respect and fear for the afterlife, and any disruption from it in the form of these ghostly apparitions was seen as a very serious matter. These ghosts might bring with them the coldness and darkness of the underworld.
The Banshee story can be really terrifying. The idea that there's a spirit out there that can predict death just by wailing is spooky. It's like a harbinger of doom.
The story of the Octavius is truly terrifying. Supposedly, this ship was lost in the Arctic ice for years. When it finally emerged, it sailed into an English port. But when the authorities boarded it, they found the entire crew frozen in various positions. Some were at the dinner table, as if time had stopped. It was like a snapshot of a moment of horror. The ship was then said to be cursed, and no one wanted to have anything to do with it. It just sat in the port, a reminder of the unknown terrors that can happen at sea.
One main aspect is the aesthetic influence. Japanese art, like in ukiyo - e prints, often depicts yurei in a very stylized way. Their long, flowing white robes and disheveled hair have become iconic in the global perception of yurei. Another aspect is cultural values. In Japanese society, respect for the dead and the idea of lingering spirits due to unfinished business are deeply ingrained. This has led to the development of complex yurei stories that often involve themes of revenge or unrequited love. Also, Japanese horror movies have popularized yurei stories worldwide, influencing how other cultures perceive and adapt these ghostly tales.
The story of Teke - Teke is also very frightening. A girl cut in half by a train, dragging herself around making that eerie 'teke - teke' noise. It gives you the chills especially when you think about being near railway tracks at night and suddenly hearing that sound. It plays on the fear of unexpected and grotesque apparitions.