To write an effective two-paragraph ghost story start by establishing a powerful sense of place and atmosphere in the first paragraph. Pick an ordinary, everyday location—an empty hallway—but then introduce small signs of something off that suggest an unseen presence. Describe the silence as too thick to be natural, the icy patch that refuses to warm, or the faint sound of footsteps that halt when you do. Let the reader feel the unease before anything supernatural occurs. Anchor the scene in tangible, physical details so the supernatural intrusion feels more terrifying when it arrives. Maintain lean, economical writing and never clarify the mystery. Turn the mundane into a vessel of dread.

In the second paragraph, deliver the haunting moment with precision and restraint. Let the spirit appear without fanfare but through a quiet, intimate detail only the protagonist would notice: a shadow that moves when you don’t. A finger trail on the pane, cold and clear. A familiar tone calling them, dead for witch blog decades. Reveal the haunting by what it does to the person. A frozen breath. The realization that they are not alone. End the story on a chilling note of implication, not explanation. Make them obsess over the aftermath. Never explain the source. The power of a two-paragraph ghost story lies in what is left unsaid.