One factor is the violation of the normal. In a scary story, things that we expect to be normal are turned upside down. For example, if a person wakes up to find that all the people in their town have disappeared overnight, it goes against our normal understanding of how the world works. This disruption of the ordinary creates a sense of unease and fear. Another aspect is the psychological aspect. A scary story might play on our deepest fears, like the fear of the dark or the fear of being alone.
The use of vivid and disturbing descriptions. When a writer describes a gory scene or a terrifying monster in great detail, it gets into the reader's head. For example, a description of a zombie with rotting flesh and vacant eyes can be really frightening. Also, the sense of helplessness in the face of the horror. If the characters in the story can't escape or fight back easily, it adds to the scariness.
The unknown. In a scary story, not knowing what's going to happen next or what the strange thing really is makes it scary. For instance, if there's a noise in the attic, but you don't know if it's a ghost or just a rat, the mystery creates fear.
The mystery behind what's on the other side of the keyhole can be very frightening. You can't see the whole picture, just a limited view, which makes your imagination run wild.
The unknown. In a personal scary story, often it's the things we can't see or understand that are the scariest. Like in my attic story, not knowing what was making that noise.
The unknown aspect of his life. We don't know his past, why he behaves the way he does. Maybe he has a dark secret or has been through some traumatic event that has made him this way. And not knowing this makes our imagination run wild, creating all kinds of terrifying scenarios in our minds about him.
Perhaps it's the enforcer's unwavering determination. In the story, if the enforcer is set on a goal and will do anything to achieve it, no matter how cruel, that can be really scary. For example, if the enforcer is after a character and won't stop until they are caught, it builds up a lot of tension. And also, if the enforcer has some inhumane or superhuman abilities, like being able to track someone anywhere or having the strength to overpower anyone easily, that would make the story very frightening.
A bess scary story can be frightening because it plays on our primal fears. If Bess is depicted as a threat to our safety or well - being, like a malevolent spirit that can harm people, it scares us. Also, the setting in which Bess exists, such as a dark and isolated place, adds to the fear factor. The use of spooky details like strange noises or eerie apparitions associated with Bess also heightens the scariness.
Well, in a 'Scary Wheelchair Story', it could be the association with death or injury. Wheelchairs are often related to people who are ill or disabled. If there's something supernatural about a wheelchair, like it being haunted by a spirit of someone who passed away in it, that's really spooky. Also, the slow, creaking movement of a wheelchair in a dark and quiet place can be very unnerving as it creates a sense of impending doom.
The Okikuno scary story might be frightening because it plays on our deepest fears. It could be about the loss of control, for example, if the characters in the story are being hunted by an unseen force. Or perhaps it has elements of the supernatural that violate our understanding of the natural world. The way it builds tension, with slow reveals and a growing sense of doom, can also be very effective in scaring the reader or listener.
The appearance of the clown can be very frightening. The bright and often distorted makeup, the big shoes, and the colorful yet tattered costumes can all create an eerie look. Also, the idea of a clown being out of its normal circus setting and in a spooky place like an abandoned building or a dark forest makes it scarier. Their big smiles that can seem menacing rather than friendly in a scary story context are also a factor.
The uncanny appearance of the dummy can be very frightening. Dummies often have a somewhat human - like shape but lack the warmth and life of a real person. Their still, unblinking eyes and frozen expressions give an eerie feeling, like they might come to life at any moment.
The idea of a grandfather being scary can be terrifying because they are family. We usually associate family with safety and love. But in a scary story, when the grandfather is the source of fear, it shakes that foundation. It could be something as simple as his appearance changing in a menacing way, or him having a connection to the supernatural. Maybe he has a past that is full of dark deeds that are slowly being revealed, which makes the reader or listener constantly on edge.