One element could be an isolated setting. If Harper is in a remote, desolate place like an old, crumbling mansion on a hilltop, it immediately creates a sense of unease. Another element could be the presence of a menacing figure that is after Harper, constantly lurking in the shadows.
I'm not sure specifically which 'Harper' story you mean. There could be many fictional or real - life accounts related to someone named Harper that could be scary. Maybe it's a story about a haunted place where a Harper used to live, with strange noises and apparitions at night.
Well, in general, the 'Harper and Row Scary Stories' are designed to be scary, so they may not be a good fit for very young or sensitive children. However, if a child has a high tolerance for spooky things and is old enough to distinguish between fantasy and reality, then some of the stories could be okay for them. But it really varies from child to child.
Unexpected twists can make a story very scary. For instance, when you think the main character has found safety, but then suddenly something even more terrifying happens. Also, the presence of malevolent entities like ghosts, demons, or monsters, especially when they have the ability to harm the characters, can make a story extremely scary.
Once upon a time, in an old, abandoned mansion on the outskirts of a small town, there was a creaking sound that could be heard every midnight. A young girl, curious about the place, decided to explore it one night. As she entered, the door slammed shut behind her. She heard whispers in the dark. Suddenly, a cold hand touched her shoulder. She turned around but saw nothing. The air grew colder and colder as she made her way through the dark corridors. Every step she took, the floorboards groaned as if they were alive. Then she saw a figure in the distance, a pale figure with glowing eyes. Terrified, she ran towards the front door, but it was locked. She was trapped with the unknown horror in that mansion.
Often in such stories, there might be unexpected plot twists. For example, a character who seems friendly turns out to be the source of all the fear. In the case of Even Stevens, it could be that something ordinary in the Stevens' family life takes a terrifying turn. Maybe a new neighbor who is not what they seem, or a strange event that starts to unfold in their seemingly normal neighborhood. This contrast between the normal and the suddenly very scary can be really effective in making it a very scary story.
Perhaps Dr Harper has a story about a cursed object. For example, a mirror that shows a different, terrifying world when looked at during a full moon. Anyone who stares into it for too long gets trapped in that other world, filled with dark creatures and a sense of hopelessness.
The 'Harper and Row Scary Stories' likely has many popular ones. Maybe the ones with spooky ghosts or haunted houses are quite popular. For example, a story about a haunted mansion where strange noises come from every corner at night could be a top pick.
The sense of helplessness is a big factor. In these stories, like in a haunted house scenario, the characters are usually trapped in some way. They can't easily escape the presence of the ghost. Also, the atmosphere created, like dim lighting, cold drafts, and eerie silence broken by sudden noises, all contribute to making the story terrifying. And the idea that the ghost might have some malevolent intent towards the living, that's really scary.
The unknown. In a very scary ghost story, it's often the things that we don't understand or can't see clearly that are the scariest. For example, a strange noise in the middle of the night, or a shadow that moves when there's no one there.