Rather than have a killer swing or a bed that drives people crazy for some stupid reason, take a more commonly scared person and go from there. Using a zombie isn't always a bad idea, as long as it doesn't look like all the other zombie books, the trick is to use it and the characters as realistically as possible, while also having a true story. Making the characters go crazy but also thinking about what to do next will make the story better. But if the writers were to create a zombie that can only walk by spinning or something, then the story becomes ridiculous. Instead, fast zombies are your best bet. The slow ones are easy enough to avoid, but the fast ones can be a force to be reckoned with. So, if the scary elements of the story are realistic, the more terrifying it will be for the reader, because the more likely it will seem to happen. Scary stories are always appreciated in the world. And a good one is usually on the best seller list. The common factors are: attention to detail and way of working properly for the benefit of writers; have trustworthy characters who can make the reader believe that they would behave in the same way; and a realistic event so that readers think the story could potentially happen at any day or time. The more life-like the story is, the more successful the writer will be in making people afraid to achieve what they want.