What are some of the most frightening ghost stories?

One of the most frightening ghost stories I've read is 'The Turn of the Screw'. The ambiguity of whether the ghosts are real or just the governess's hallucinations is truly terrifying. Another is 'The Shining'. The idea of a haunted hotel and the slow descent into madness of the main character is spine - chilling.

The idea of a ghost being tied to a Christmas tradition in a negative way can be very frightening. Like a Christmas caroler who turns out to be a ghost, singing sad songs that bring a chill to the air. It takes something that's usually happy and turns it into something spooky. Also, the fact that these ghosts are often lonely or vengeful spirits adds to the fear factor. They are not friendly ghosts but ones that carry some sort of negative emotion from their past lives.

A really frightening one was when a guy was camping alone in the woods. In the middle of the night, he heard a howling that sounded like it was right next to his tent. Then, he saw two glowing eyes outside. He was terrified and didn't dare to move. After what felt like hours, the eyes disappeared. He packed up his stuff and left right away.

The most deadly ghost stories are frightening because they often involve elements of the unknown and the supernatural. For example, in stories like the Bell Witch, the fact that the entity can cause harm without a physical form is terrifying. It defies our understanding of how the world works. Another aspect is the sense of helplessness. When faced with a deadly ghost, like in the La Llorona story, there's usually no way to fight back or escape its wrath.

Edgar Allan Poe also told some very frightening stories with elements of the supernatural. His use of language and his exploration of the darker aspects of the human psyche in stories like 'The Fall of the House of Usher' make them both disturbing and engaging. The decaying mansion and the sense of impending doom add to the overall fright factor.

Some people consider 'Carmilla' to be a great frightening ghost story. It's an early vampire story where the female vampire Carmilla has a very eerie and alluring presence. 'The Haunting of Hill House' is also quite famous. The house itself seems to be haunted and the events that unfold within its walls are enough to send chills down your spine.

Some really frightening horror stories include 'Pet Sematary' by Stephen King. It plays on our fear of death and the unknown. The concept of bringing the dead back to life in a cursed place is deeply disturbing. 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' is also a well - known terrifying story. Freddy Krueger, who can enter people's dreams and kill them, creates a sense of helplessness as you can't escape even in your sleep. And then there's 'Rosemary's Baby'. The slow realization by Rosemary that something is horribly wrong with her pregnancy and that she's surrounded by a satanic cult is very chilling.

In Alie's story about the haunted house, the scariest part was when she described the sounds of scratching on the walls at night. It made me imagine something trying to break through to get to us.

A popular one is the Kraken - like creatures. Sailors in old times used to tell tales of huge tentacled beasts that could pull entire ships under the water. Although there's no scientific proof of a Kraken as described in the myths, the idea of a massive sea monster lurking in the deep is really scary.

A common scary story is when a truck driver feels like they're being followed by an unseen vehicle. They can't see it in their mirrors, but they have this sense of something there. It's really unnerving because they're alone on the road and don't know what's causing that feeling.