One of the scariest things could be that the books themselves come alive. The words on the pages start to crawl off and form strange, menacing shapes. For example, the letters could form snakes or spiders that chase the people in the store.
There could be a portal in the Pea Picker Bookstore that leads to a dark and terrifying dimension. When someone accidentally steps into it, they are transported to a world full of grotesque creatures. The person has to fight their way back through the portal while being chased by these otherworldly beings. It's a battle for survival.
Maybe there is a ghost of a former owner who haunts the Pea Picker Bookstore. This ghost is not friendly and tries to scare away customers. It moves books around, makes strange noises, and causes the lights to flicker. Customers often feel an unexplained sense of dread when they are in the store.
Perhaps there was a book in the Pea Picker Bookstore that was cursed. A young girl opened it out of curiosity. After that, she started having nightmares every night. In the nightmares, she was trapped in the bookstore with no way out, and the bookshelves were closing in on her.
Perhaps they are in a small town for Thanksgiving and stumble upon a cult's ritual. The cult members could capture them and use them as part of their twisted Thanksgiving sacrifice. They would be tied up, surrounded by strange symbols and chanting, and have to find a way to escape before it's too late.
The sudden appearance of a ghostly figure is quite terrifying. For example, while you're focused on your book, you look up and there's a pale, translucent figure standing right in front of you, just staring with empty eyes.
Getting lost and encountering strange, unexplained noises and apparitions like in the story of the lost hiker. It's terrifying to be alone in the vast wilderness with no idea what's making those noises.
The presence of strange, unexplained phenomena. Maybe seeing lights that seem to float in the air at night or hearing voices that have no source. These kinds of things can really freak people out, especially in a remote wilderness area like Wingate Wilderness Camp. People are used to having logical explanations for things, and when they can't find one, it creates a sense of dread. For example, some campers might have reported seeing a figure that disappears when they look directly at it. This can send shivers down anyone's spine.
Well, one spooky thing could be the sudden appearance of cold spots. Since it's a ghost story about the ball room, the cold spots might be where the ghost lingers. Another could be strange noises like the sound of a dress rustling as if someone was dancing, but no one was there. And also, objects might move on their own, like the chairs around the edge of the ball room.
Well, finding unexpected things in rooms can be terrifying. For example, once I found a dead mouse under the bed while cleaning. It was really gross.
The environment as a whole could be the most terrifying. An Upside Down Disneyland would have a completely different atmosphere. The sky might be a strange color, like a sickly purple or green. The buildings could be crumbling and overgrown with strange plants. The once - cheerful music would be replaced with eerie silence or strange, disturbing sounds. It would feel like you're trapped in a nightmarish version of a place that was supposed to be full of fun and magic.
Ghostly apparitions could be seen in the corridors. For example, a white figure floating by, making the air suddenly cold.
Ghostly apparitions in the hallways. You might see a figure that looks like a former student or teacher who passed away on the school grounds, just drifting along and then disappearing when you get closer.