What makes very horrible ghost stories so terrifying?

Horrible ghost stories are terrifying because they often play on our deepest fears. For example, the fear of the dark, of being alone, and of things that can't be explained by logic. A ghost can appear anywhere, at any time, and there's no way to predict or control it. It gives a sense of powerlessness that is truly frightening. In addition, the settings in ghost stories, like old abandoned houses or cemeteries, are already associated with a sense of unease in our minds. When a ghost is added to such a setting, it intensifies the fear.

The unknown factor. In very very scary ghost stories, we don't know what the ghost will do. It could appear suddenly, touch you, or just give you a feeling of being watched. This lack of control and knowledge is what scares us.

The sense of being watched. When a character in a ghost story feels like there are eyes on them, but they can't see anything, it creates a lot of tension. Also, the idea of something being out of place, like a cold spot in a warm room. It gives the feeling that there is an otherworldly presence. Ghost stories often play on our basic fears of the dark and the afterlife, making them very terrifying.

The unknown elements in horrible true ghost stories are what make them so scary. We don't fully understand the nature of ghosts or the afterlife. So when we hear a story about a ghostly encounter, our minds race with all the possibilities. And because these are true stories, there's no easy explanation like there would be in a fictional horror story. This lack of explanation and the mystery surrounding the events send shivers down our spines.

The sense of helplessness is a big factor. In these stories, like in a haunted house scenario, the characters are usually trapped in some way. They can't easily escape the presence of the ghost. Also, the atmosphere created, like dim lighting, cold drafts, and eerie silence broken by sudden noises, all contribute to making the story terrifying. And the idea that the ghost might have some malevolent intent towards the living, that's really scary.

The unknown. In a very scary ghost story, it's often the things that we don't understand or can't see clearly that are the scariest. For example, a strange noise in the middle of the night, or a shadow that moves when there's no one there.

The sense of realism. Many of these stories are set in ordinary places like our own homes or the woods near our neighborhoods. When we can easily picture the setting in our minds, it becomes more terrifying. For instance, the idea of 'Bloody Mary' appearing in our own bathroom is a very chilling thought. Also, the characters in these stories often have disturbing features. Jeff the Killer's disfigured face and his maniacal grin are really scary, and it makes us imagine how horrible it would be to encounter such a being in real life.

The unknown factor. In the terrible it ghost stories, not knowing what 'it' really is can be extremely frightening. It could be anything lurking in the shadows.

The unknown factor. In the craziest ghost stories, we don't know what the ghost really is or what it wants. For example, in the story of the Bell Witch, no one knew exactly why it was haunting the Bell family. This mystery creates fear.

The unknown factor makes scariest ghost stories so terrifying. Ghosts represent the unseen, something that defies our normal understanding of the world. We don't know what they are capable of or when they might appear. For example, in the story of the haunted mirror, you never know when a face might show up in it.