I opened the cellar door. Red eyes glowed in the darkness. I quickly shut it.
Midnight. A knock on the window. I peeked through the curtain. A pale face with a sinister grin was pressed against the glass.
Walking in the forest, I heard a whisper behind me. I turned, but saw only trees. Then the whisper came again, closer.
Walking in the forest, I felt watched. I looked up, and a pair of red eyes stared from the trees. It was no animal. There was an intelligence in those eyes that sent a shiver down my spine. I tried to run, but my feet felt like they were stuck in the mud. As I struggled, I could hear the thing getting closer, branches snapping under its weight. I knew that whatever it was, it was coming for me, and there was little I could do to escape.
One example could be 'I heard a knock at the door. When I opened it, no one was there but I felt a cold hand on my shoulder.'
One could be 'The old house stood alone. Strange noises came from within.'
A girl heard a whisper in the attic. She went up. Silence.
I heard a knock at the door. I opened it, but no one was there, yet the knocking continued.
The old house creaked. I turned around. A shadow with no face stared back.
A man woke up in a cold room. The door was locked. A handprint slowly appeared on the window.
Walking in the forest, I felt a cold breath on my neck. I turned around, but only saw the dark trees.
Often, there's a sense of vulnerability. In 'The child was home alone. A knock on the door startled her.' A young and alone character is more vulnerable. Supernatural elements are popular too. 'She saw a ghostly figure float by. Her heart stopped.' These elements add an otherworldly fear. And the element of time, like 'Midnight struck. Strange things began to happen.' Midnight is often associated with the spooky, adding to the scare factor.