Lots of people have had terrifying experiences. Like someone who got lost in the mountains and faced extreme weather but was eventually found. Another could be a person who had a serious medical emergency but survived against the odds.
There was a man who had a heart attack while driving on a busy highway. His car swerved out of control and narrowly missed hitting other vehicles. He passed out at the wheel but somehow managed to come to just in time to pull over to the side of the road. An ambulance arrived soon after and he was rushed to the hospital. It was a very close call and he was extremely lucky to be alive.
Maybe a scientist who, in the pursuit of a dangerous experiment, has a brush with death and then has to deal with the consequences. This character could be very intelligent but also a bit reckless.
One reason could be the adrenaline rush. When people listen to or read scary stories, their body releases adrenaline which gives them a kind of 'high' feeling. It's like a natural excitement that some people enjoy.
One scary story is about the mysterious disappearances in Death Valley. People have vanished without a trace while hiking or exploring there. Some say it could be due to the harsh and unforgiving environment that plays tricks on the mind.
One scary death penalty story is that of Stanley Tookie Williams. He was on death row for multiple murders. Despite his later claims of redemption and efforts to prevent gang violence from prison, he was still executed. His case sparked a lot of debate about whether a person can truly change and if the death penalty is always just.
One 'angel of death' scary story is about a nurse in a hospital who was suspected of harming patients. She would enter patients' rooms at night when they were most vulnerable. People claimed to see a shadowy figure near the beds before patients took a turn for the worse. It was as if this 'angel of death' had a sinister plan to end lives instead of saving them.
There's the story of the Vanishing Hitchhiker. People have reported picking up a hitchhiker on a lonely road, only for the hitchhiker to disappear from the car suddenly. It's really spooky. And then there's the story of the Woman in White. She is often seen wandering near the place where she died, usually dressed in a white flowing gown, and her appearance is always accompanied by a feeling of dread.
There was a man who worked the night shift at an abandoned factory. One night, he heard a woman crying from an empty room. When he went to check, there was no one there. But the crying continued. He felt a cold breeze pass through him as if something was right beside him. He quit that job soon after.
One idea could be exploring the backstory of the main character in the fanfiction. Maybe they had a near - death experience in their childhood that shaped who they are now.
The book was called Afterlife, and it was published in 1951 by an American, J.D. Salinger. This book is about the author's reflection and interviews on the nature of death and people's different views on death. The book described the author's conversations and experiences with some of the dead, including some real suitors and non-suitors, their views and experiences on death. This book is regarded as a challenge and reflection on death, exploring the relationship between death and life, soul and spirit. It was widely regarded as an enlightening and thoughtful literary work that influenced many later works.