The sudden appearance of unknown entities. For example, a figure suddenly showing up in a supposedly empty room.
The sudden and unexpected events. For example, a character thinking they are alone and then suddenly seeing a shadowy figure right behind them.
The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock on the door.
The old house creaked at night. I woke to find a cold hand on my shoulder.
They create immediate suspense. For example, like 'The phone rang in the dead of night. It was my number calling.' It makes you wonder right away what's going on.
I like 'The mirror fogged up. A face that wasn't mine grinned back, then asked me if I liked its new haircut.' This combines the common horror trope of the mirror with a really strange and funny situation. The face asking about its haircut is unexpected and lightens the horror a bit.
I was home alone. Suddenly, the TV turned on by itself and showed a face I didn't recognize.
The doll on the shelf blinked. Its lips moved as if to speak. A chill ran down my spine. I knew it was alive. (This simple story plays on the common fear of inanimate objects coming to life. The idea of a doll, which is often seen as a symbol of innocence, suddenly showing signs of life is quite terrifying.)
The cat meowed strangely. I followed it into the basement. There were eyes in the darkness.
One great 'imdb two sentence horror stories' could be 'I woke up in the middle of the night. There was a figure standing at the foot of my bed with no face.' Another might be 'She heard a scratching at the window. When she looked out, a hand with long claws reached in.'