Horror — Story

The reflection’s eyes were wide with a terror Elias had never felt. It raised a trembling hand, pointing toward the dark corner of the real hallway, right behind Elias's left shoulder.

Keep your monster or threat partially hidden. Letting the reader's imagination fill in the blanks is often more terrifying than a full description.

Elias didn’t want to turn around. He kept his eyes locked on the mirror. Then, a pale, spindly hand—long fingers ending in jagged, black nails—reached out from the darkness of the real hallway and rested gently on Elias’s shoulder. Horror Story

A moment later, Elias opened his eyes. He was standing in a narrow hallway. He looked out through a silver haze and saw a tall, spindly shadow standing in his apartment. The shadow adjusted Elias’s tie, smoothed its stolen hair, and walked toward the front door.

The best horror often targets a character's specific fears or threatens something they love. The reflection’s eyes were wide with a terror

Wednesday was worse. As he walked past the mirror to the kitchen, his reflection didn't move. He took three steps past the frame before he realized his double was still standing there, staring into the empty hallway. Elias froze. Slowly, he backed up. His reflection remained still for a heartbeat longer than it should have, then snapped into place, mimicking his fearful expression with a delay that made his skin crawl.

Start with small, "wrong" details and gradually increase the tension until the final reveal or twist. Letting the reader's imagination fill in the blanks

In the mirror, the reflection screamed, but no sound came out. In the real world, Elias felt a cold, wet breath against his ear. "Found you," a voice rasped, sounding exactly like his own.