What makes real scary monsters stories so frightening?

The unknown factor makes real scary monster stories frightening. We don't know if these monsters truly exist or not. For example, in the Loch Ness Monster stories, no one can be sure if there is actually a huge, prehistoric - like creature in the loch. This uncertainty plays on our fears.

Another aspect that makes real frightening stories scary is the way they can seem so real. Sometimes, these stories are based on real - life experiences or events that people claim to have happened. When we hear about a place that has a reputation for being haunted, and then we hear a detailed story about someone's encounter there, it makes it more believable. This believability makes the fear more palpable, like the story of an old cemetery where people have reported seeing apparitions. It makes us wonder if we were to visit that place, would we also have a similar encounter?

The unknown. In real scary stories, often there are elements that we can't explain. Like a strange noise in an empty house. We don't know what's causing it, and that scares us.

The unknown elements in 21 scary stories often make them frightening. When we don't know what's lurking in the dark or what will happen next, it creates fear.

Often, it's the combination of elements. It could be the setting, like a dark and isolated place in the stories. And the characters' vulnerability. If the main character in one of the 7 stories is all alone in a spooky old mansion with no way to escape, that's pretty frightening. Also, the use of suspense, like when the story builds up to a big scare moment but keeps you in suspense for a while.

The mystery around vampires makes them frightening. We don't really know if they exist or not. In the stories, they can be anywhere, lurking in the shadows. They often have superhuman strength and speed, which means they can catch you before you even realize it. Also, their thirst for blood is a disturbing aspect. The idea of someone or something draining you of your life essence is terrifying.

The unknown factor makes very scary real ghost stories so frightening. When we hear about a real - life encounter with a ghost, we don't really understand what it is or how it can exist. For example, if someone tells a story about seeing a figure that passes through walls, it goes against our normal understanding of the physical world. And this lack of knowledge and the sense of something being beyond our control is truly terrifying.

These stories are frightening because they often involve the violation of the boundary between human and beast. Werewolves are not just wild animals; they have a human side too. This blurring of the line is deeply unsettling. In many stories, werewolves target the people in their own communities. There's also the element of the full moon, which is often associated with mystery and the unknown. When the moon is full, the werewolf emerges, and there's no escaping it. This sense of inevitability and the power of the werewolf is what makes these stories truly scary.

The element of the unknown. For example, when there are strange noises in a story but no clear explanation of what's causing them. It makes the reader's imagination run wild, which is a big part of what makes it scary.

The way they play on our fears. A lot of the stories in '50 scary stories' involve common fears such as the fear of the dark, being alone, or something evil lurking just out of sight. They build up the tension slowly, making you feel more and more on edge until the big scare comes. For instance, there are stories where a character is home alone at night and starts to notice small, unexplainable things happening around them, like doors opening slightly by themselves. This gradually makes the reader or listener feel very uneasy. Another aspect is the use of vivid descriptions. When the author describes a spooky location, like a decrepit old cemetery with broken tombstones and mist swirling around, it really sets the mood and makes it scarier.