Ruthie's scary stories are often very atmospheric. They create a sense of unease and dread right from the start. For example, she might describe a setting in great detail, like a dark alleyway with a single flickering streetlight, making you feel as if you are actually there.
Ruthie likes to play with the reader's or listener's mind. She might build up a situation where you think one thing is going to happen, but then she throws in a twist. For instance, you think the scary noise in the attic is just a rat, but it turns out to be something much more sinister and otherworldly. Her stories keep you on the edge of your seat, constantly guessing and fearing what will come next.
No, she didn't survive in Scary Stories.
Well, Ruthie does die. The whole atmosphere in the story builds up to this tragic event. There are a lot of strange and menacing things going on around her. And as the plot unfolds, these things start to close in on her until she succumbs to whatever dark force or situation is at play in the story. It's a very typical element in horror stories like this one, where characters often face a deadly fate.
One of Ruthie's scary stories might be about a haunted house. There was an old, dilapidated mansion on the outskirts of town. People said that at night, strange noises could be heard from it. The creaking of the floorboards as if someone was walking around, even though no one was supposed to be there. Windows would suddenly rattle for no reason. Those who dared to peek inside sometimes claimed to see a shadowy figure moving in the darkness.
They probably have a strong atmosphere. It could be a dark and gloomy setting, like an old cemetery or an abandoned asylum. These settings add to the overall spookiness and make the events seem more terrifying. For instance, in a story set in an abandoned asylum, the creaking floors and peeling walls create a very eerie backdrop for the scary events that unfold.
These stories usually set a spooky mood at the beginning. Maybe with a description of a dark and quiet place. However, the danger or the 'scary' part is not extreme. In the case of the old house on the hill, the shadowy figure seems scary but is quickly debunked as just a tree branch's shadow. This makes it just enough to give you a bit of a chill but not keep you up at night in fear.
One characteristic is the use of suspense. It keeps readers or listeners on edge, not knowing what will happen next. For example, in many horror stories, there are strange noises or events at the beginning that make you wonder what's causing them.
Stephen Gammel's illustrations in the Scary Stories are often very dark and spooky. They add a lot to the overall atmosphere of the stories.
Since I don't know much about August Hildebrandt's scary stories specifically, I can't say for sure. But generally, scary stories often have elements like a spooky setting, an unknown or menacing threat, and characters in peril.