One that stands out is 'The footsteps followed me up the stairs. When I reached the top, I heard them right behind me.' This story builds tension as the footsteps keep getting closer. It gives the feeling of being hunted, and the reader can easily put themselves in the shoes of the person in the story, imagining the panic of being chased up the stairs with no escape in sight. The simplicity of the two sentences makes it even more effective in creating fear.
They often play on common fears. Like being alone in a strange place or the idea of something unseen. Consider 'I was alone in the forest. I heard footsteps but saw no one'. This taps into the fear of the unknown in a natural and isolated setting, which is very effective in scaring the reader.
One effective one is 'I was home alone. Then I heard a voice whispering my name from the empty basement.' It gives an immediate sense of dread as being alone at home is a common situation and an unexplained voice is very creepy.
The unknown. In most scary stories, there are elements that are not fully explained. For example, in a haunted house story, you don't really know what the ghost is or why it's there. It's this lack of understanding that scares us.
The loss of personal information is very frightening. For example, in cases where hackers steal credit card details. People can then become victims of identity theft.
Well, some people think that the elf could be possessed. It would seem normal during the day, but at night, it would start to do really strange and scary things like whispering in people's ears while they sleep, but they can't move to stop it. It's a very simple yet terrifying idea.
The unknown. In many scary computer stories, the source of the problem is often unknown at first. For example, when a computer starts doing strange things like shutting down randomly or files disappearing without a trace. You don't know if it's a virus, a hacker, or some other technical glitch, and that uncertainty is scary.
The unpredictability of their behavior. Spiders can move quickly and quietly. In some scary stories, a spider might be lurking in a corner and then suddenly jump or crawl onto someone without any warning. Also, the idea that some spiders are venomous adds to the fear. People are afraid of being bitten and suffering from the effects of the venom, like in stories where a character gets bitten by a mysterious spider and then falls ill or has strange symptoms.
The danger to the SWAT team members is one of the most frightening aspects. They put their lives on the line every time they go into a situation. For example, in a hostage situation, they could be shot at any moment.
Well, the story of the cursed well in Dallas is quite spooky. Supposedly, anyone who gets too close to it during a full moon experiences a sense of dread and unease. Some say they've seen a dark figure rising from the well. Another story is about the old theater that burned down years ago. People claim to see the apparitions of actors and actresses still performing on the charred stage when they pass by at night.
Another scary element is the strange noises. Like in some stories, there are unexplained growls or whispers during the Skype call which make the situation very spooky. It makes you feel like there's something evil lurking. Well, it could also be some sort of technical issue that creates these sounds, but in the context of a scary story, it adds to the horror. For instance, a person was having a quiet call and then suddenly there was a loud screeching noise that seemed to come from nowhere. It really startled them.