Well, often in these stories, the little girl's death was tragic, like being murdered or dying in a horrible accident. So, the idea of her spirit being trapped in this world, full of pain and confusion, is really scary. Also, the image of a small, vulnerable figure that can appear and disappear at will adds to the fear. For example, if you see a grown - up ghost, it might be less creepy in a way compared to a little girl's ghost because we expect adults to be more capable. But a little girl's ghost seems more helpless yet also has this otherworldly power, which is a terrifying combination.
Extremely scary ghost stories are frightening because they play on our deepest fears. Fear of the dark, fear of death, and fear of the supernatural. They often involve elements that are out of the ordinary, such as a ghostly figure that appears suddenly. The stories also create a sense of dread by building up suspense. You know something bad is going to happen, but you don't know when or how. This keeps the reader or listener on edge, making the story truly scary.
The sense of helplessness is another key. In these stories, the victims often can't do much to stop the hauntings. In the Amityville Horror, the Lutz family tried various things but still couldn't get rid of the evil presence. This lack of control over the situation is terrifying. Also, the idea that the supernatural can invade our normal, safe spaces, like our homes, as seen in many of these stories, is really scary.
The unknown factor. In personal ghost stories, we don't know what the entity really is. It could be a spirit from the past or something we can't explain. That mystery creates fear.
One reason real scary ghost stories are so scary is that they often seem to break the laws of nature. Ghosts can pass through walls, appear and disappear suddenly, and interact with the physical world in ways that are impossible for living beings. Take a story where a family's furniture moves on its own. There's no logical explanation for it in our normal understanding of the world. This violation of what we consider normal and possible makes these stories truly terrifying. Also, the psychological aspect of it, how it makes us question our own beliefs and safety, adds to the fear.
It's often about the violation of the natural order. Ghosts are supposed to be dead, but they are still around in these stories. Their presence challenges our understanding of life and death. They might be associated with some unfinished business or a tragic past, which makes them both mysterious and terrifying.
The innocence of children is a big factor. When we think of children, we think of purity and vulnerability. So, when a child becomes a ghost, it's a disturbing contrast. It goes against our normal perception of children being safe and alive.
The atmosphere in these stories is usually very gloomy and desolate. Take the story of the lost boys in the cemetery. The setting of a cemetery at midnight is already a very spooky place. And then adding the figures of the ghostly children makes it even more terrifying. The combination of the eerie setting, the tragic backstories of the children (usually involving death and suffering), and the fact that they are in a state between life and death makes these stories extremely frightening.
The unknown factor makes seriously scary ghost stories so frightening. We don't know what ghosts really are or what they're capable of. In these stories, they often defy the laws of nature, like passing through walls or appearing out of thin air.
True scary ghost stories are frightening because they tap into our fear of the unknown. We don't fully understand what ghosts are or if they truly exist, so the idea that there could be an otherworldly entity lurking around is scary. For example, in stories where people hear strange noises at night and can't explain them, it plays on our natural fear of the dark and the unseen.
Scary true ghost stories are frightening because they often involve the unknown. We don't fully understand the afterlife or the existence of spirits. When we hear about things like objects moving on their own, voices being heard, or apparitions being seen in a place where there should be no such phenomena, it scares us. It challenges our understanding of the world around us. Also, these stories sometimes involve elements of danger, like in the Bell Witch story where the entity was harming people in the family.