Here's another. 'The old doll in the attic started to laugh. Then it called my name.' This gives a very eerie feeling as dolls are often associated with the uncanny, and the thought of it coming to life and knowing your name is terrifying.
One story could be 'I heard a scratching at my window. When I opened my eyes, a pale face stared back at me.'
Story 1: I woke up to a cold hand on my face. When I turned on the light, no one was there.
The brevity. With just two sentences, they leave a lot to the imagination. For example, 'The basement door creaked open. Red eyes glared from the darkness.' It doesn't explain what the red eyes are, so your mind fills in the blanks with all kinds of terrifying things.
Here's another: 'The old doll in the attic blinked. I ran out and never went back.' This creates a sense of unease with the simple and unexpected actions. The blinking of the doll, which is an inanimate object, is very creepy.
One story could be: 'I woke up to a strange noise in the attic. When I went to check, a pair of glowing eyes stared back at me.'
One from the list could be 'I woke up to find a handprint on my window. I live on the 13th floor.' Another might be 'The old doll in the attic blinked. It was facing the wall before.'
A third one could be 'I heard scratching at my window. As I peeked through the curtain, I saw a shadow with no form.' The scratching sound is a classic horror element that immediately sets an ominous mood. The shadow with no form is mysterious and menacing, leaving the reader to wonder what kind of entity it could be.
One story could be: 'I woke up to find a handprint on my window. It was on the inside.'
Here's another. 'The old doll in the attic blinked. I ran out and never went back.' This is a simple yet chilling story. The idea of an inanimate object like a doll showing signs of life is very spooky. It plays on our fear of the unknown and the uncanny. Dolls are often associated with innocence, but when they start to do something abnormal, it becomes a source of horror.
Another great one is 'I always thought my cat had a staring problem. She does.' This plays on the uneasiness of being stared at by your pet in a way that makes it seem more than just normal feline behavior. It gives the sense that there might be something more sinister about the cat's stare.
One story could be: 'I woke up to a noise in the kitchen. When I went to check, all the knives were floating in mid - air.'