To begin a horror story, you can use a number of different approaches depending on your preferences and the tone you want to set. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  1. Start with a strong hook: Grab your reader's attention from the very beginning with a vivid and unsettling description, an intriguing question, or a shocking event that sets the stage for the horror to come.

  2. Create a sense of foreboding: Build suspense by using ominous language and foreshadowing to suggest that something terrible is about to happen.

  3. Introduce your protagonist: Give your readers a character to root for (or against) by introducing a main character who is immediately likable, sympathetic, or intriguing.

  4. Establish the setting: Use vivid descriptions to create a sense of place and atmosphere that will immerse your readers in the story.

  5. Use sensory details: Tap into your readers' senses by describing sights, sounds, smells, and other sensory details that will make the horror feel more immediate and visceral.

Here's an example of how you could combine some of these approaches to begin a horror story:

"It was a dark and stormy night, and the old house on the hill creaked and groaned in the wind. Emily had been warned not to go inside, but she couldn't resist the urge to explore. As she stepped through the door, she was hit by the musty smell of decay and the sound of rats scurrying across the floor. She shivered, her heart pounding, as she realized she was not alone. Something was in the house with her, watching and waiting. And it was hungry."