Ghosts in public spaces: The sociology of space in horror narratives

Illustration - Ghosts have appeared in public spaces in the city, sparked by the imagination of those reading horror books. Photo: Anonymous/AI reproduction.

That Sunday morning wasn't perfect, and the night still held a faint, dim glow. Mia, a sweet girl, sat on the edge of the city park, waiting for her friend Desi. Mia looked restless on the long, metal chair. Her sharp gaze began to wander through the dense tree branches that hung gracefully over the park. She glanced regretfully into several quiet corners, as if searching for something.

Mia's thoughts were apparently disturbed by the horror story she'd read the night before. She imagined encountering a ghost. Not long after, a woman she could call auntie, dressed in full tracksuit, also sat waiting for someone. Two children were also seen walking along the path carrying a plastic ball. She didn't greet them, just let them pass by until they disappeared around the corner. Only the faint sound of each other calling out to her could be heard.

Bored with waiting, and her friend's phone also inactive, Mia entertained herself with her phone. To her surprise, she glanced toward the chair in the corner and saw the woman no longer there. Her fear immediately rose.

"Could that be the woman from earlier?" she thought to herself. She tried to confirm the mother's whereabouts. Unfortunately, her search was in vain, and the mother had truly disappeared. The hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end. Her heartbeat quickened. Mia was now in a state of extreme anxiety. A state of intense fear.

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