For me, it's the unexplained elements. Like when things move on their own with no logical reason. For example, a book flying off a shelf when there's no wind or anyone nearby.
One freaky true scary story is about the Bell Witch in Tennessee. It was said to haunt the Bell family. There were strange noises, objects moving on their own, and the witch would even physically attack family members. People in the area reported seeing a strange apparition. It was so terrifying that it became a well - known local legend.
The unknown is the scariest. In true freaky stories, things that can't be easily explained, like strange noises or apparitions, are terrifying. For example, in the story of the haunted house, the unexplained humming sound made the situation freaky.
There is a story of a forest where people often got lost. A group of hikers went in and got separated. One of them saw a strange light that seemed to be leading him deeper into the forest. He followed it out of curiosity. After a while, he found himself in a small clearing with a very old tree in the middle. There were markings on the tree that he couldn't understand. It was a freaky experience for him as he had no idea where he was or how to get back.
There's also the story of the Borley Rectory in England. It was said to be the most haunted house in England. People reported seeing phantom nuns, strange lights, and hearing unexplained voices. The rectory was finally destroyed by fire, but the tales of its hauntings still send shivers down people's spines.
One story is about an old, abandoned mansion. People passing by at night often claim to see a figure in white floating near the attic window. It was said that a young girl died in that house many years ago under mysterious circumstances, and ever since, her spirit seems to be trapped there.
Well, for the first freaky story, the pizza delivery person might have gone to a house where the customer demanded that they come inside to put the pizza on a specific table. Once inside, the delivery person noticed a lot of strange symbols on the walls and a really bad smell. It was so creepy that they ran out as soon as they could. In the second story, the delivery was to a house where all the lights were off except for one flickering light in the attic. As the driver walked up to the door, they heard a loud scream from inside. They quickly dropped the pizza and left. And for the third, it could be that the pizza was ordered to a place that was supposed to be a normal apartment but turned out to be a haunted - looking old building with a door that creaked open by itself when the delivery person got there.
Many of the stories in 'freaky but true ghost stories' seem to be rooted in real experiences. The people who tell these stories usually sound very sincere. For example, a person might describe how they were in an old house and heard strange noises that couldn't be explained by normal means. They might also talk about how they felt a sudden coldness or a sense of dread. These details give the impression that they are based on something that actually happened, although of course, there's always a bit of mystery and room for skepticism.
Since I don't have the details of the '4 freaky true camping horror stories', I can only speculate on what might be in them. In camping horror stories, there could be situations where campers are stalked by an unseen entity. They might notice things like footprints around their tent that are not their own in the morning. There could also be a sense of being watched all the time, and every little sound in the forest makes them jump. Some stories might involve campers finding strange symbols carved on trees near their campsite, which adds to the overall sense of dread and mystery.
The element of truth makes them captivating. Knowing that these events actually happened or are believed to have happened gives a sense of authenticity. It makes our hair stand on end because we can't just dismiss it as pure fiction.