Can you give more good hooks for scary stories?

A prophetic statement at the beginning can be a hook. Such as 'In three days, the world will end, but only one person can stop it.' It creates a sense of urgency and mystery.

Sure. 'I was born into a world of chaos, but it was that chaos that shaped my life into something extraordinary.' This hook sets up an interesting contrast between a chaotic start and an extraordinary outcome. It makes the reader eager to find out how the chaos influenced your life for the better.

A character with a mysterious past is a great hook. For instance, a new neighbor moves in and has a tattoo on his wrist that seems to be a code or a symbol related to a long - forgotten crime. The other characters, and the readers, are then intrigued to find out who this person really is and what their past holds.

A sudden scream in the dead of night can be a great hook. It creates an immediate sense of unease and mystery. The reader will be eager to find out who screamed and why.

You can start with a unique sound. 'The screech of the brakes echoed through the silent night, and then there was only darkness.' This sound hooks the reader's attention and makes them wonder what happened. Another hook could be a strange object. 'The small, golden key with strange symbols engraved on it was the only clue.' It creates intrigue about the key and where it might lead. Also, a curious situation like 'All the animals in the zoo were acting strangely today, as if they knew something the humans didn't.' This makes the reader want to know what the animals know and why they're acting that way.

One could be a character looking into a mirror and seeing something behind them that is not visible when they turn around. At the end of the story, they are about to look back again, leaving the reader on edge, wondering what it is that's lurking there.

A hook could also be a character's internal conflict right from the start. 'He knew he had to tell the truth, but every fiber of his being resisted.' This gives the reader an insight into the character's struggle and makes them interested in seeing how the character will resolve this conflict within the short story.

A mysterious figure that appears briefly and then vanishes can be a great hook. Such as, 'Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadowy figure, tall and gaunt. But when she turned to look fully, it was gone, leaving only a chill in the air.'

One great hook could be starting with a strange sound in the dead of night, like 'In the pitch - black night, a shrill scream pierced through the silence, making every hair on my body stand on end.' It immediately grabs the reader's attention.

The silence in the forest was like the calm before a storm of horror. It creates a sense of anticipation, much like when the air is still right before a really bad storm hits. In a scary story, this silence can be a sign that something truly terrifying is about to break out, like the storm of horror that is about to descend upon the characters.