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.
Once, while camping in the woods, a friend of mine heard strange howling at night. It was like no animal he knew. As he peeked out of his tent, he saw a shadowy figure moving among the trees. He was so scared that he didn't dare to move or make a sound until morning. When he told us in the morning, we thought it might be his imagination, but the fear in his eyes was real.
One element is its appearance. For example, if a dog has matted fur, bloodshot eyes, and bared teeth, it immediately looks menacing. Another is its behavior. If it growls constantly, stalks people, or chases them without any obvious reason, that's scary. Also, the context matters. If the dog is in a spooky place like an old, abandoned building or a dark forest, it adds to the scariness.
One idea could be a haunted house. A family moves into an old, dilapidated mansion. Strange noises start at night, like creaking floorboards and whispering voices. They soon discover a dark secret about the previous owners, who were involved in a satanic ritual in the basement. Shadows start to move on their own, and things disappear only to reappear in a more menacing way.
The protagonist discovers that the whole world he thought was real is actually a dream created by an evil entity, and now he's trapped in eternal slumber.
Haunting is a good one. It means that the story stays in your mind long after you've read or heard it, like a ghost that won't go away. Macabre, which is related to death and the gruesome. And terrifying, it's a strong word that describes a story that really scares you, like a story about a serial killer on the loose.
There are quite a few. 'The Demon's Den' is a very scary name. It makes one imagine a place where demons lurk. 'The Witch's Cauldron' is also spooky as it brings to mind a witch brewing dark potions. And 'The Abandoned Asylum' is a classic. It gives the feeling of a place full of tortured souls and unexplained phenomena, a perfect setting for a scary story.
One scary idea could be a haunted house. A family moves into an old, dilapidated mansion that has a dark past. Strange noises start at night, like creaking floors and whispering voices. Shadows move on their own, and the family members start to feel like they're being watched all the time. Doors slam shut unexpectedly, and cold spots appear throughout the house. As they try to uncover the mystery, they find that the previous owners were involved in some sort of dark magic ritual that went wrong, and now the spirits are angry and want to drive the new family out.
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.