There was a soldier who went to war. He was in a unit that got ambushed. His best friend was killed right beside him. The look of fear and pain on his friend's face haunted him. He was then captured by the enemy and tortured. The loneliness, the fear of not knowing if he would ever get back home, and the grief of losing his friend made it a truly scary and sad story.
One key element is the sense of helplessness. For example, if a person is trapped in a sinking ship and there's no way to escape. They watch as the water rises, knowing their end is near. This helpless feeling makes the story intense, scary, and sad. Uncertainty also plays a role. Not knowing what will happen next, like in a story where a child is missing and the parents don't know if they'll ever find them alive or dead. And then there's betrayal. If a friend betrays another in a life - or - death situation, it can be both scary and heartbreaking.
One scary intense story is about a haunted house. A family moved into an old mansion. Every night, they would hear strange scratching noises coming from the attic. One day, the youngest son went up there and saw a shadowy figure. He ran down in terror, and from that night on, the family could feel a cold presence following them around the house.
One intense scary story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who is driven mad by the old man's 'vulture - like' eye and ultimately murders him. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' where a family gets a cursed monkey paw that grants wishes but with horrible consequences. Also, 'The Yellow Wallpaper' is quite intense. It shows a woman's descent into madness while being confined.
The suspense. In intense scary stories, like 'The Shining', we don't know what's going to happen next. Will the main character go completely mad? It keeps us on the edge of our seats. Also, they play on our fears. Everyone is afraid of something, and these stories tap into those universal fears, such as the fear of the unknown or death.
Sure. There was this old hotel that was known for its strange occurrences. A journalist checked in to write an article about it. At night, he heard voices in the hallway. When he opened the door, there was no one there, but he could smell a strange, old - fashioned perfume. Then, he saw the doorknob turn on its own. He quickly barricaded the door and didn't sleep the whole night.
There was a search for a lost spelunker in a vast cave system. The rescuers were running out of supplies and time. When they finally located the spelunker deep in the cave, injured and disoriented, it was a huge moment. They had to figure out how to carry him out through narrow passages and avoid getting lost themselves in the process. This involved a lot of careful planning and nerve - wracking decision - making.
The element of the unknown is a big factor. When you don't know what's making that strange noise or what's lurking in the dark, it heightens the fear. For example, in a spooky old house, not knowing if there are ghosts or other entities creates a sense of dread.
Violet. The flower violet is often seen as delicate. In sad stories, Violet could represent a girl who is fading away, perhaps due to illness. In scary stories, she could be the victim of some malevolent force that preys on the weak and delicate. Violet gives a sense of fragility that works well in both types of stories.
Luna. It has a sort of melancholy and mysterious air, suitable for both sad and scary tales. In sad stories, it can represent a lost love or a broken dream. In scary ones, it could be the name of a ghostly figure in the moonlight.