When a story is labeled a ghost story, it is making a promise to the readers that it will include certain conventional elements. Many ghost stories contain mystery, suspense, dramatic irony, and provoke emotional, physical, psychological responses of fear from both the story's characters and readers.
Fear is a thing that all humans share; it has ensured our survival when confronting the dread of the unknown and the possible threat that they may imply.
Eventually our fight or flight response takes hold in the face of the haunting.#4983•
External "What if's?" are tangible things or events that happen to our world and characters, like a car breaking down, or a character winning the lottery. Internal "What if's?" are emotional feelings, beliefs, or world-views held by a character.#4984•