For all the horror writers out there, I need help. So I'm writing a psychological horror story called "Alter". So the premise is about a bullied mute boy who starts to experience "The Kuru Phenomenon", a phenomenon where all of your darkest thoughts begin to alter reality (For example, if the main character wants someone to die, this phenomenon alters reality to make sure that person dies). I need help writing what the MC needs to do to stop this phenomenon from continuing to alter reality. Any tips? From, Temar Davis
There are several ways it could go. 1) He has to die. It's horror, right? but he's probably the protagonist and you don't want him to die. 2) He could solve his inner psychological issues and end the darkness inside his own mind. There are many ways he could work to achieve this. 3) Some kind of drugs to dull his mind down and it weakens the force, or it changes the way it operates and maybe that gives them some way to fight against it better. 4) He gets put into a coma so his mind is completely inactive. 5) Something happens that changes his situation so he's not so unconsciously angry anymore, like he falls in love (very standard idea, almost a cliche but could be done well) or something. 6) If he hurts himself drastically the pain makes the inner force retreat or stop functioning for a while. This would be a nice temporary measure he can do a few times, but he has to really mess himself up—maybe cut some parts off himself or something (no idea what kind of horror it is). But it buys them time to figure out a more permanent solution. Possibly one of the above.
This seems like a pretty important plot point, you sure you wouldn't want to develop it yourself? The only way I can think of would be to have the character try and stay in isolation as much as possible, maybe even trying to keep his mind preoccupied with abstract puzzles. And try not to think of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
7) He can think really nice thoughts about the person who's under threat, and it weakens or stops the threat. But he needs to honestly find things he really likes about them, turn his negative thoughts about them into actual positive ones. It can be done, but requires a very serious effort.
A few questions to clarify things. Does this apply to more positive or even neutral thoughts as well? And how much control does he have? Do all his unconscious desires come true, or does it only work if he consciously imagines them? For instance, if he's attracted to someone, do they immediately become attracted to him, too, or only if he fantasizes about being with them? Or would nothing happen if it's not a "dark" desire (however you define that for your story)?
How long does it take to take effect? E.g if he imagines someone being hit by a car but then immediately after imagines the car swerving and missing does it save them? Can he use it for mind control, like imagining someone robbing a bank then dumping the money in an alley where he can go and pick it up? I think you should think about how trying hard not think about something often makes you think about it more - like 'don't think of a pink elephant'. So he might be trying so hard not to think of people dying he thinks of it more. I reckon he might try a few conspiracy theory type things, like a tin foil hat. Maybe he has to find out the root of why it is happening - was it an experiment? Aliens? God? Genetic? He probably needs to know that to stop it (or die, as the others pointed out).
Another similar movie I can think of is Forbidden Planet, similar only in that Dr. Morbius has discovered an alien machine that greatly boosts intelligence and has used it on himself. But it also unfortunately allowed his Id to take physical form and roam the planet, wreaking destruction seemingly randomly. This is based on Freud's idea of the Id—the primitive, childish and unrestrained part of the psyche that just wants what it wants and knows no morality whatsoever, morality is taken care of by the Superego. So his Id takes the form of a giant invisible monster, and it obeys his most secretive and jealous wishes without his knowing what it is or why it's doing what it's doing. It eventually killed everyone on the planet except for his family, and really just him and his daughter Altaira. When the patrol ship lands to check on the expedition the beast arises again after a long dormant period (because there was nobody left to arouse jealousy or fear or hatred in him anymore), and it goes on the rampage again. In the end he confronted it, accepted what it was, and denied its existence, sort of like what Nancy did to Freddy at the end of Nightmare on Elm Street. It disappeared, but had already fatally wounded him. So he had to die in order for his inner destructive wishes to stop manifesting themselves.
What if he gets a taste of his own medicine at the end? He feels guilt - he begins to think that he deserves to be punished and now he's being plagued and trying to outrun his own self destructive thoughts.
