  Horror/Scary
This week: Running from the Fiend Edited by: blue jellybaby  
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Whether I'm watching a horror film or reading a book, the point in the plot where the victim has to run from the fiend chasing him or her, is always terrifying to me. It's full of action, suspense and fear and I find myself running along with that victim, hoping, praying and wishing that they make it to relative safety (or a hiding place) before the fiend finds them. Help your reader get so involved in the story that they run from the fiend along with your victim!
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To me, there's nothing scarier in horror than the moment when the victim becomes the pursued and has to dash halfway across the world in an attempt to get away from their attacker. It could be anywhere and still, that chase never ceases to terrify me. The suspense it brings finds me on the edge of my seat. Those physical reactions of the victim have me panting right along with them. And worst of all, the thoughts they have keep me terrified out of my mind. It's just what I want from a good horror. These are just a couple of places a victim might find themselves running...
The City
When it's in the city the chase features (usually) some sort of darkened night and lots of buildings, alleyways and dark places which the victim has to maneuver to escape the deranged killer chasing them. It's often a terrifying experience and one in which I find myself there with the victim, experiencing it as they do. Usually there's nobody around or if there are, they are people of questionable character and the victim wouldn't stop or risk trusting them. One advantage the victim has in the city is the use of cover. There are always going to be places to hide from empty stairwells to the dumpsters situated in dark alleys. Maybe even in somewhere that could be open, a 24/7 shop for instance. But even that might still be quiet...
And even hiding can be terrifying. Can you remember playing hide and seek with your friends when you were younger. I still remember that feeling as I was crouching behind something at the corner of a room. My heart pounded in my ears and my palms were sweaty. I found that my feet were tingling with anticipation and I was on the verge of either laughing hysterically or jumping out of my hiding spot because I couldn't handle the pressure! (Anyone else get that or just me?!)
Have the reader be there with the victim. Have them experience the terror your victim does as they sprint, duck and dodge, weaving in and out of buildings and streets trying to lose the pursuer. Let them feel both the physical and mental responses the victim is having. And don't forget, if the city is a place the victim doesn't know very well, it might be all the more terrifying...
Rural
I think a rural setting for a chase can be just as terrifying as a city scape. While the city provides places to hide and lose the enemy, a rural setting can often mean (as well as darkness) lots of rolling fields and hills, lots of greenery, perhaps some stone walls or abandoned huts long since derelict but other than that it's usually a very open space. And just to add to that, rural areas are often very isolated. Whether the victim is in a cottage there or has been chased into a rural area where not another soul can be seen, it's a very lonely place. I think that can play on emotions and fears. I also think that all consuming darkness that comes with being in a rural area can be terrifying and disorientating. Perhaps the victim's torch runs out of batteries or they trip and stumble over something only to injure a leg that hinders their progress...
Whether your victim is running through a city scape or a rural out land, the feelings, emotions and thoughts are always going to be the same. There are many other places a victim could be running (to or from) such as as abandoned warehouse, a creepy cellar, a quiet ship, an apartment block or even the middle of a busy nightlife street in town.
Have your reader feel the fear along with your victim. Have them hide with them, run with them and fear with them. Use physical reactions to bring the story into action giving it fast paced momentum and then, hit them with a dose of out right fear from the victim's mind. It'll always work.
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Here you'll find a selection of pieces about running...
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This newsletter has been about running from the fiend and the emotions it invokes. Is there a particular part of a horror story that always gets you hiding behind your hands or slamming the book down?  |
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Horror/Scary: February 05, 2014 Issue [#6135]
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