True scary stories are often placed in the horror category. This is because they aim to evoke fear and unease in the reader or listener by presenting terrifying and often unexplained events.
Short stories typically fall under the category of literary works. They are often cited as such in academic and literary research.
Well, it's not that uncommon. The mind can get used to the fear factor in scary stories. Once you start feeling drowsy, the repetitive nature of listening to a story, even a scary one, can lull you to sleep. Also, the distraction of the story might keep other thoughts at bay that could otherwise keep you awake.
There are several possible reasons. Your brain might process the fear in a way that leads to relaxation. When you hear a scary story, your body may have an initial 'fight - or - flight' response, but if you're in a safe environment, like your bedroom, that response quickly fades. Then, as the story continues, the rhythm of the words and the flow of the narrative can be calming. Additionally, the fact that you're lying down and relaxed while listening can contribute to you falling asleep even though the story is scary.
Well, in true alien abduction stories, a common thread is the psychological impact on the person. They often experience intense fear and confusion. The stories also tend to involve some sort of examination or probing by the aliens. This could be a reflection of our own fears about being violated or experimented on. Additionally, many of these accounts mention seeing strange lights in the sky before the abduction, which could be related to the idea of a spacecraft arriving. And the abductees usually feel a sense of helplessness throughout the entire experience.
Cults often start by isolating their members. For example, in the case of the Branch Davidians, they lived in a compound away from society. This isolation makes it easier for the cult leader to control the flow of information. The leader then uses fear and false promises. In many cults, they tell members that they will be saved from some impending doom only if they follow the leader blindly.
Often, true scary stories involve real people in normal situations suddenly being thrust into terrifying circumstances. In the Amityville Horror, a family was just looking for a new home but ended up in a place full of unexplained phenomena. The fear of the unknown and the violation of the safety of what should be a secure home space is what makes it so frightening. Also, the psychological impact on the people involved, like their fear and confusion, adds to the scariness when we hear about it.
One interesting story is of a hotel room. Guests in that room often complained of a cold presence. Some saw the figure of a woman in an old - fashioned dress standing at the foot of the bed. It made the guests so scared that they checked out early.
It depends on the themes, plot, and genre elements in your novel. Maybe it's fantasy, romance, mystery, or something else.
The element of truth in these stories makes them scary. When we know that something really happened, it becomes more terrifying. For example, if a story is about a real murder case with some unexplained aspects, like the killer was never found or there were strange circumstances around the crime. It makes us feel that such danger could be lurking around us too.
The realism might make them scary. If they are true, it means these events could potentially happen to anyone.