One common theme is temptation. The devil often tempts characters with things like power, wealth, or love, but there's always a dark price to pay. Another is the loss of one's soul. Characters usually end up sacrificing their souls for the devil's offers. Fear is also a big theme, as the devil is a symbol of all that is terrifying.
Darkness is a common element. Devils often lurk in the dark, like in an old, unlit cellar or a forest at night. Another is the sense of isolation. When a character is alone, it makes the appearance of the devil more terrifying. For example, a person alone in an old house.
There was a girl who found a strange old book in her attic. When she opened it, she smelled sulfur. As she read the pages, she felt as if something was watching her. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a devil - like face grinning at her. She quickly shut the book and threw it away, but strange things started to happen in her house, like objects moving on their own.
One scary devil short story could be about a devil that haunts an old, abandoned mansion. People who enter at night hear strange growls and see shadowy figures. Another could involve a devil that makes a deal with a desperate artist, taking his soul in exchange for sudden fame, but then slowly driving him mad. There's also the story of a devil that lurks in a small town's cemetery, causing nightmares for those who pass by at midnight.
One common element is the use of darkness. Devils are often associated with the dark, and stories will set the scene at night or in gloomy, unlit places like caves or old mansions.
In scary stories, the Jersey Devil has a very distinct look. It has a goat - like head with horns. Its body is sort of like a kangaroo's, which gives it an odd, hunched appearance. It has large, bat - like wings that it uses to fly silently through the night. And its tail is forked, like what you'd expect from a devil. It also has sharp claws and teeth, which it uses to attack its victims. Its eyes are often described as glowing red, adding to its menacing look.
Well, the element of temptation is very common. The devil is often shown as a tempter, luring people into doing bad things or making bad decisions. Fear of the unknown is also there. The devil's true nature and powers are usually not fully known to the characters in the story, which adds to the scariness. And many devil scary stories have a sense of doom. Once the devil is involved, there is an impending sense of something bad, like the loss of a soul or a horrible fate, that is going to happen.
In a dark alleyway, there was a legend of a devilish presence. A drunk man once walked through there late at night. He heard whispers that seemed to be coming from the walls. Then, he saw a figure with long claws and a tail slithering towards him. The devil in this story was known to prey on those who were lost in their vices, and the drunk man was sure he was about to be its next victim.
There was a story of a man who claimed to have been lured into a devil worship group. He said they met in a secluded forest. They wore black robes and had symbols carved into the trees. They would light candles around a pentagram drawn on the ground. He said he felt an evil presence during their rituals. But later, it was discovered that he had mental health issues and his story was mostly a delusion.
Well, in these stories, there's often a character who is either overly confident or desperate. For example, someone who wants success too much or is too curious. Then there's the devil figure which is always menacing. The dance itself is a symbol of the character getting closer to doom. And the surrounding environment is usually dark and isolated, like a haunted forest or an abandoned building, which adds to the scariness.