What could be a really scary element in a family photo for a horror story?

The appearance of an unknown figure. For example, if in a family photo there is someone or something that no one in the family recognizes. It creates an immediate sense of unease as it challenges the idea of what was really present when the photo was taken.

The desecration of the puja items could be a really scary element. For example, if the offerings to Durga are found scattered and spoiled in a strange way, it can send shivers down the spine. It gives the feeling that something evil has disrupted the sacred ceremony.

Curses are also a great scary element in a Halloween story. A curse that affects a person or a family, causing misfortune, illness, or death in strange and unexplainable ways. It gives a sense of doom and helplessness, as the victims of the curse are often unable to break free no matter what they do.

The cupcake could be cursed. For example, anyone who eats it starts to see terrifying hallucinations. They might see demons or ghosts all around them, and no matter how hard they try to escape the visions, they keep getting worse as the 'cursed' cupcake digests in their stomach. This would create a lot of fear and panic.

The sound they make. The screeching of birds, especially at night, can be really terrifying. It can send chills down your spine and make you feel like something bad is about to happen.

The way the tandoori chicken is prepared can be really scary. Imagine a chef who uses strange, black magic - like ingredients in the marinade. And when the chicken is cooked in the tandoor, it makes these unearthly noises. The people around start to feel a sense of dread as if something evil is being cooked along with the chicken.

The corruption of the jolly Santa Claus image can be terrifying. Imagine Santa not as a bringer of gifts but as a menacing figure, like a Santa with a bloody axe or a deranged look in his eyes. It subverts the warm and friendly perception we have of him.

A strange figure that suddenly appears in the photo when no one saw it at the time of taking. For example, a blurry, dark - clothed person in the background that seems out of place.

Imagine a woman who got Sisterlocks. One day, while looking in the mirror, she saw a face in the reflection that wasn't hers but seemed to be emerging from her locks. It was a distorted, pale face with hollow eyes. Every time she tried to touch her locks, she felt a cold shiver run down her spine. She was so terrified that she stopped going out and became a recluse, fearing that the entity in her locks might harm her or those around her.

In a terrifying Pacman horror story, the game world becomes a real - life horror. Pacman finds himself in a huge, decaying factory that is shaped like the maze. The pellets are now radioactive substances that are slowly killing him. The ghosts are actual undead creatures with rotting flesh and glowing eyes. They chase him through the dark corridors, and the only way to survive is to keep moving. But as he does, he realizes that he's being led into a trap set by the master of these undead, and there seems to be no way out.