I would say that as the character got closer to the old abandoned asylum, they heard a blood - curdling scream from inside. They hesitated for a moment but then curiosity got the better of them and they entered.
As they approached the asylum, the air seemed to grow colder. The character noticed that some of the windows were boarded up, but there were strange, flickering lights coming from the ones that were not. Once inside, they found old patient records scattered on the floor. The names on the records were all crossed out in what looked like blood. They then heard the sound of shuffling feet coming closer.
This might be a story: 'The old abandoned house was said to be haunted. Everyone in the town avoided it. But I was new in town and didn't believe in such stories. I went inside. There were broken furniture and old portraits on the walls. The eyes in the portraits seemed to follow me. As I walked further, I felt a cold breeze on my neck. I turned around, but there was nothing there. Then, I noticed a locked door. I found a key on the floor and unlocked it. Behind the door was a dark room filled with strange noises.'
One classic sentence starter could be 'In the dead of night, a strange noise echoed through the empty house.' It immediately sets a spooky mood as the 'dead of night' implies a time when most people are asleep and vulnerable, and a strange noise in an empty house is often associated with something sinister.
A strange figure could emerge from the shadows. Maybe it's a ghostly apparition with glowing eyes, slowly approaching the protagonist.
One good sentence starter could be 'In the dead of night, as the wind howled outside, I heard a strange scratching at my window.'
One possible story could be: 'It was a dark and stormy night. I was all alone in my old, creaky house. The wind howled outside, rattling the windows. Suddenly, I heard a strange scratching sound at the door. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew I was the only one there, or so I thought. I slowly made my way to the door, my steps echoing in the silent hall. When I peered through the peephole, there was nothing but darkness. But the scratching continued, getting louder and more insistent.'
There was an abandoned asylum that had a long, dark hallway. Legend has it that a doctor there went mad and started performing cruel experiments on patients. Now, those who venture into the asylum claim to see his shadow still lurking in that hallway, as if he's still looking for new victims for his unholy experiments. The feeling of dread and the cold air that hits you as you walk down that hall are bone - chilling.
As the fog rolled in over the moors, I knew I was in for a night of terrors. Fog can be very effective in creating a sense of mystery and isolation. The moors are also often associated with desolation and danger in literature, so this sentence starter is perfect for a spooky nature - based scary story.
Use them to set the mood. For example, 'The moon was blood - red, casting an eerie glow over the forest.' This creates a spooky atmosphere right from the start.
Asylum of Lost Souls. It clearly indicates that the story is set in an asylum and the idea of 'lost souls' gives a spooky and haunted feeling.
There was a scary asylum where patients were once treated very harshly. Legend had it that a patient named Mary was locked in a small, cold cell and tortured by the cruel staff. Years later, a new nurse started working there. One night, while she was doing her rounds, she heard sobbing coming from the old cell where Mary was held. When she opened the door, she saw a figure that looked like Mary, all bruised and bloody. The nurse fainted, and when she woke up, the figure was gone, but she could still feel a cold presence in the cell.