Postcards # 10-- 5 Things Characters Seem to Miss in Rural Horror

We've all seen movies where we've wanted to shout, "What are you doing?!" when a character ignores what is obvious to the viewer: There were signs of danger. Were they obvious? Are we jaded and we just know what's going to happen next? Maybe. Maybe.

In rural horror, 5 indicators something awful is on the way that main characters often seem to miss might be:

1. Overly friendly strangers.

2. Signs that are extremely inviting, or the opposite: down, turned a wrong direction or particularly old and worn.

3. People dressed oddly for the time period.

4. Sudden invitations to special events or festivals.

5. Actual warnings.

These are common across horror genres, but blend nicely with rural horror. There are a number of movies and books that combine the two. Rural gothic will also throw in more themes of isolation, poverty, overt family dysfunction, or social duress (land being seized, flooded, etc.). I bet you could come up with a list of what you've read or seen that would fit these situations.

Back to the story,

Lyndsey

Photo: Jacques Barbery, Unsplash