Eerie, spine - chilling, and macabre are good words to describe a scary story. 'Eerie' gives a sense of unease and strangeness, like something is not quite right. 'Spine - chilling' emphasizes the physical reaction of fear, making one's spine tingle. 'Macabre' is often associated with death and the grotesque, which are common elements in scary stories.
Take the words 'eerie', 'mysterious', 'cursed'. Well, in a small village, there was a mysterious well. It was known to be cursed. The villagers were always afraid to go near it. One day, a curious boy decided to explore it. As he peered into the well, an eerie feeling came over him. The water seemed to be black and bottomless. He heard a whisper, as if something was calling his name from the depths. His body froze with fear, realizing he might have made a big mistake by coming so close to the cursed well.
Words like 'haunted', 'gloomy', 'eerie' are great for a scary story. 'Haunted' gives the idea of a place or object being inhabited by spirits. 'Gloomy' sets a dark and depressing mood, making the reader feel uneasy. 'Eerie' often implies something strange and a bit frightening that can't be easily explained.
Haunted, cursed, and malevolent are great scary words for a story. 'Haunted' immediately brings to mind a spooky place filled with ghosts. 'Cursed' implies that there is some kind of evil spell or bad luck attached to something or someone. 'Malevolent' describes a being with ill will, which can be very frightening in a story.
Well, some words that are great for a scary story could be 'Grim', which gives a sense of something very serious and often related to death or unpleasantness. 'Eerie' is another one. It creates an atmosphere that is strange and a bit spooky. And 'Shadowy' can make people think of things lurking in the dark, which is very fitting for a scary story. Also, 'Mysterious' because it makes the reader or listener curious but also a bit scared as they don't know what's behind the mystery.
Think of a simple but spooky situation. For example, 'Silent phone, caller ID unknown'. You can start with a common object or situation like a phone. The unknown caller ID adds mystery and a bit of fear. It's about capturing a moment of fear in just six words.
Another one could be 'Dark room, breathing follows me.' This short story creates a spooky atmosphere. You're in a dark room, probably already a bit scared because of the lack of light, and then you hear breathing that seems to be following your every move. It makes you wonder what unseen entity is there with you in the darkness.
Well, first, you need to understand the meaning of each word deeply. For instance, the word 'malevolent'. If you want to use it, you could write 'A malevolent force seemed to seep from the ancient tomb'. You can also combine these words. Say you use 'sinister' and 'shadowy' together like 'The sinister, shadowy figure emerged from the alley'. This way, you build a more complex and scarier scene. You can also use these words to set the mood from the very beginning. Start with a word like 'gloomy' to make the reader feel the unease right away.
Use them sparingly. If you overuse scary words, they lose their impact. For example, instead of saying 'the very creepy, very eerie house', say 'the eerie house'. Also, place them at key moments. When you want to build tension, drop in a word like 'ominous'.