Guest Post by Sarah Jones - Running in Horror Movies!

Why the Victims Always Run but Still Get Caught in Horror Stories

Do you love a good scare?  The horror genre has an avid following and as one of those followers you will get a kick out this discussion.  From the likes of Stephen King or many other well-known horror story writers, their tales will send shivers down your spine and make you jump at every sound. There are certain things that constitute the makings of an excellent horror story, and you may have noticed a few elements that almost every scary story has.

The Horror Genre

Horror stories are meant to cause anxiety, stress, fear, suspense, tension, and many other highly-charged emotions. Many horror tales can be quite morbid, with evil creatures, horrible deaths, demons, and other elements that are sure to keep you awake at night. Not only are the characters memorable, but there are often surprising and shocking plot twists that can catch the reader off guard. There are also a few elements that are common in horror stories, and the plot wouldn’t be the same without them.

What to Expect

Scary horror novels, stories and films tap into our human fears. It could be natural disasters, murderers, clowns, sharks, snakes, or anything that would normally send us shrieking. It also uses the use of tragedy. Many books and movies have a hero or heroine, who, throughout their entire ordeal are strengthened as they overcome all obstacles and tackle their destiny. 

Horror often has the main character failing, or in some cases, dying. People close to them perish as well, but that is what makes the books so wonderfully terrible. Tragedy can trigger fear and shock, especially in these types of books where the characters make huge mistakes or wrong decisions which can lead to their ultimate doom. 

It is terrifying because we can relate.  What if we hadn’t stepped back to the curb in time and the vehicle hadn’t missed hitting us? It opens the doors to terrible possibilities that make the perfect horror story.

Hope You Can Run

One of the classic horror elements is the art of the chase.  It wouldn’t be the same if there wasn’t some terrifying pursuit where screaming victims were trying to run for their lives.  Many times, in scary stories, the people get caught and are killed. The thrill and suspense of the chase while hoping the victims make it out alive are often dashed due to a well-placed trip or stumble by the author or just plain slowness.  Many of us wonder, could we outrun the evil? Why didn’t they run faster? They had to trip at the perfect moment?

The Perfect Catch

Our minds often go down the thought process of “what-if,” in horror stories.  What if the person had worn better running shoes? Read this for a break away from the horror story and some advice on which running shoes to wear when running from a horror villain. Getting back to it, what if they had actually tried to run faster? What if they hadn’t kept looking back at their attacker and just focused on running?

We tend to analyze the details, but keep in mind it’s the shock to the senses that keep us entertained and horrified. Of course, we may wonder if they hadn’t had flip flops on, would they have been able to outrun the pursuer and possibly live to tell the tale. But if that was the case, then it wouldn’t be a horror story, would it?

The horror genre can get our hearts pounding and increase our blood pressure. A good scare is fun, and many enjoy the thrill and the suspense of such stories. Some of greatest fears come to life in the horror genre. We can see where the characters went wrong, and make mental notes of what we would do in that sort of situation. Just be sure to wear some good running shoes, and don’t look back.

Bio: Sarah is the author of https://kickschoice.com/. Whether it’s a horror story in books or in real life, she will help you decide which running shoes to wear to run away from all the baddies.