Ideas for horror short stories

A family moves into a new house. At first, everything seems normal, but then they start to notice that the toys in their children's room move on their own at night. The children also start having nightmares about a shadowy figure that stands at the end of their beds.

Here's an idea for a short horror story. A young woman moves into a new apartment. She discovers a locked room that no one in the building seems to know about. One night, she hears strange scratching noises coming from behind the locked door. When she finally manages to open it, she finds a diary that reveals the previous tenant was driven insane by a malevolent presence in that very room.

You could write a story about a haunted locket. The locket has a picture of a long - dead person in it. Whenever someone wears the locket, they start to have vivid nightmares of that person's tragic death. As time passes, they begin to see the ghost of the person in the locket during their waking hours, too.

Imagine a forest that is known to be cursed. People who enter it often get lost, even those who are experienced hikers. The protagonist is a journalist who wants to investigate the mystery of the forest. Once inside, he discovers that the trees seem to move and form mazes. He also hears voices that seem to be leading him deeper into the forest. As he tries to find his way out, he realizes that there are strange creatures watching him from the shadows.

One idea could be a haunted mirror. A young woman buys an antique mirror at a flea market. Every time she looks into it, she sees a figure in the background that gets closer each time. At first, she thinks it's just her imagination, but then strange things start to happen around her. Objects move on their own, and she hears whispers coming from the mirror.

One idea could be a person moving into a new house. Every night, they hear strange scratching noises coming from inside the walls. As they investigate, they find old, faded photos of a family that looks just like them but with sinister expressions. The scratches start to form words like 'leave' on the walls.

A story about a cursed forest. The forest has a reputation for being a place where people go missing. A group of hikers decides to explore it despite the warnings. As they go deeper, they notice that the trees seem to be alive, with branches reaching out like arms. There are strange symbols carved into the trunks. At night, they are surrounded by a thick fog, and in the fog, they see shadowy figures that seem to be luring them further into the forest. The hiker's attempts to escape only lead them deeper into the nightmare.

You could write about a forest that has an evil presence. Maybe a group of hikers go into the forest and get lost. As they wander, they start to feel like they're being watched. The trees seem to close in on them, and they hear howls that don't sound like any normal animal. The forest seems to play tricks on their minds, making them see things that aren't there, like apparitions of long - dead hunters.

One idea could be a haunted house. Picture an old, dilapidated mansion on the outskirts of town. Strange noises come from within at night, like creaking floorboards and whispering voices. The protagonist could be a curious journalist who decides to spend a night there to write a story. As the night progresses, they start to see shadowy figures moving in the corners of their vision.

You can start by thinking about your own fears. For example, if you're afraid of the dark, you could create a story where a character is trapped in a pitch - black place with something unknown lurking. Another way is to look at real - life events and give them a spooky twist. Say there was a news story about a missing person. In your horror story, the missing person could be the victim of a supernatural force that hides in the woods. Also, folklore and urban legends are great sources. You can take elements from them, like the idea of a werewolf or a vampire, and put your own unique spin on it.