Dark and eerie settings play a big part. Think of an old, abandoned house in the middle of a forest at night. The creaking floors, the howling wind outside, and the dim light create a perfect backdrop for a very very very scary story.
One very scary ghost story is about an old, abandoned asylum. People say that at night, you can hear the screams of the patients who once suffered there. A group of teenagers once decided to explore it. As they walked through the dark corridors, cold hands seemed to touch their necks, and they saw shadowy figures moving around. They ran out in terror and never went back.
Use vivid descriptions. For instance, describe the monster in detail - its rotting flesh, its blood - red eyes, and its sharp claws. This will make the reader's imagination run wild.
A really scary ghost story involves an old cemetery. There's a particular grave there that is always cold, even on the hottest summer days. A groundskeeper once claimed that he saw a pair of glowing eyes emerging from the ground near that grave at night. He also heard a deep growling sound, as if something was trying to claw its way out from the underworld.
One very scary horror story is about a haunted house. People who enter it start to see apparitions of a family that was brutally murdered there long ago. They hear the screams of the victims and feel cold hands touching them in the dark.
One night, I heard a strange scratching at my window. I peeked out, but saw nothing. Then I heard it again, closer. Suddenly, a pale face stared back at me.
One example could be the story of 'The Bloody Mary'. It's about a girl who died in a tragic way. Legend has it that if you say her name three times in front of a mirror at midnight, she will appear and bring doom. Another is the story of the 'Headless Horseman'. He rides through the night looking for his lost head, and if he spots you, he might chase you down. And there's also the tale of the haunted asylum, where patients were tortured and their spirits still linger, causing strange noises and apparitions.
The sense of being watched. When a character in a ghost story feels like there are eyes on them, but they can't see anything, it creates a lot of tension. Also, the idea of something being out of place, like a cold spot in a warm room. It gives the feeling that there is an otherworldly presence. Ghost stories often play on our basic fears of the dark and the afterlife, making them very terrifying.
One very scary ghost story is about a haunted house. There was an old mansion on the outskirts of town. People said that at midnight, you could see a figure in white floating through the hallways. A young couple once decided to explore it. As they entered, the temperature dropped suddenly. They heard strange whispers and creaking sounds. When they reached the attic, they saw a pair of glowing eyes in the dark. Terrified, they ran out and never went back again.
A group of hikers got lost in a forest. As night fell, they noticed strange markings on the trees. They then heard howls that didn't sound like any normal animal. They started to feel like they were being hunted. One by one, they disappeared until only one hiker was left, running for his life, not knowing what was chasing them.