History Main / NeverendingTerror

* ''Film/DemonKnight:'' TheLegionsOfHell are chasing after an [[TheAgeless ageless]] ChosenOne who carries a holy flask containing the blood of JesusChrist and previous Chosen Ones. The Chosen One must stay on the run from them, constantly moving and never slowing down too much for an instant, or else the demons will get the flask and unleash HellOnEarth. [[spoiler:Also, the Chosen One bears a mark on his/her arm counting down how much time is left until they must make their LastStand, at which point they must face an onslaught of DemonicInvaders and then pass on the flask to the LoneSurvivor, who is the next Chosen One.]]

SubTrope of ParanoiaFuel. See also TheProblemWithFightingDeath. Compare AndIMustScream

* The fourteenth has undergone this 35 years ago in ''DGrayman'' while trying to run away from the Noah who always knew where he is. Wisely prophecies this will happen to Allen too now that [[spoiler: New has started to awaken in him]]

A {{Curse}}, being a perpetual DoomMagnet and ClaimedByTheSupernatural will lead to this as might WitnessProtection. If the character does try to fight back, it's probably because they're TiredOfRunning.

** ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines:'' After the events of the second film and the death of his mother Sarah, John has been living off the grid for years, even though he hopes that their actions in the last movie have prevented Judgment Day and the machine uprising. Unfortunately for him, it didn't work and the machines send yet ''another'' Terminator to find him. Fortunately for him, because he's been living off the grid, it can't find him easily.

The fourteenth has undergone this 35 years ago while starting to run away from the Noah who always knew where he is. Wisely prophecies this will happen to Allen too now that [[spoiler: New has started to awaken in him]]

This trope should be limited to deadly threats specific to a single character or relatively small group of characters. While it technically applies for any instance of TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, any DeathWorld, or any person diagnosed with an incurable/terminal illness, this trope implies that there ''is'' a "normal life" just dangling out of reach for the character if the antagonizing entity would just ''go away''. If an entire world or major setting is like this, the trope you're looking for is HadToBeSharp. For deadly diseases or ailments, see YourDaysAreNumbered. Further, any "solutions" to the problem should be either impossible, improbable, or a huge risk that [[PyrrhicVictory isn't worth it.]]

* ''Film/DemonKnight:'' TheLegionsOfHell are chasing after an [[TheAgeless ageless]] ChosenOne who carries a holy flask containing the blood of JesusChrist and previous Chosen Ones. The Chosen One must stay on the run from them, constantly moving and never slowing down too much for an instant or else, they get the flask and unleash HellOnEarth. [[spoiler:Also, the Chosen One bears a mark on his/her arm counting down how much time is left until they must make their LastStand, at which point they must face an onslaught of DemonicInvaders and then pass on the flask to the LoneSurvivor, who is the next Chosen One.]]

* In Film/{{Unfaithful}}, the protagonist [[MurderTheHypotenuse kills a man his wife is having an affair with]]. After she learns about it, the wife feels guilty about her infidelity and helps her husband cover up the crime. The ending scene has the two of them both break down crying as they pass a police station, and it's usually interpreted to be because they know they'll be living in fear of being caught for the rest of their lives.

* Christine's part in ''Theatre/ThePhantomOfTheOpera''. Some of her lines referring to the title character in include: "My God who is this man/Who hunts to kill/I can't escape from him/I never will". Referring to the plan to stage ''Don Juan Triumphant'' (the Phantom's own opera) with her performance as bait for a trap, Christine is reluctant to perform and says:

* ''Literature/IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream'': This is the main source of NightmareFuel for the story. AM, a MasterComputer, has wiped out all of humanity except for five people, whom he immediately invokes CompleteImmortality upon so that he can spend every waking second tormenting their bodies and minds in increasingly cruel and horrific ways. This an exception to the AfterTheEnd rule: the five protagonists are still worse off than the billions of humans that died because [[FateWorseThanDeath death would actually be a RELIEF]] for them.

* ''Series/JessicaJones2015'': this is Jessica's nightmare as she is stalked by Kilgrave, an evil bastard who can MindControl anyone. Not only is she herself always in danger because all it would take is one word from Kilgrave to enslave her again (until she finds out she's immune), but she lives in New York City, meaning she lives among 20 million people he can control at any time. Hope, after being victimized by Kilgrave and being forced to kill her parents, chooses to cut her own throat rather than fall back under his control.

* ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'': A particularly twisted example with a serial rapist who takes sick pleasure in stalking and tracking his victims after their first assault and then ''re-attacking them'' at random points in their lives. One poor woman is so broken by the experience that her career, marriage, family and entire life go to pieces as she becomes afraid of ANY human interaction, or even leaving her house...forcing her to live in painful solitude. The criminal gets pleasure from knowing he's the only thing these women think about, every moment of their lives. [[spoiler:The team finally catches him, but not until after he kills the character described above.]]

* ''Series/JessicaJones2015'': this is Jessica's nightmare as she is stalked by Kilgrave. Not only is she herself always in danger because all it would take is one word from Kilgrave to enslave her again (until she finds out she's immune), but she lives in New York City, meaning she lives among 20 million people he could control at any time. Hope, after being victimized by Kilgrave and being forced to kill her parents, chooses to cut her own throat rather than fall back under his control.

In this situation, a character realizes that the safe, worry-free life they once enjoyed is over. Whether they stumbled across TheMasquerade, are being stalked by an ImplacableMan or SuperPersistentPredator, are on the run from MurderInc, or afflicted with DemonicPossession, they know that no matter what they do, one careless MomentOfWeakness, one lapse of attention or concentration, one instant that they stop looking over their shoulder, and it's all over. From now on, whatever problem they've acquired had better be their new life, or they won't live ''at ALL''.

* ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''A particularly twisted example with a serial rapist who takes sick pleasure in stalking and tracking his victims after their first assault and then raping them again and again at random points in their lives. One woman is so broken by the experience that her career, marriage, family and entire life got to pieces as she becomes afraid of ANY human interaction, or even leaving her house...forcing her to live in painful solitude. The criminal gets pleasure from knowing he's the only thing these women think about, every moment of their lives. [[spoiler:The team finally catches him, but not until after he kills the character described above.]]

* ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'': Since Freddy kills his victims in their dreams, part of the terror is knowing that you ''have'' to go to sleep sometime. Also, killing Freddy will at ''best'' only give a temporary period of safety...that you have no have no way of knowing has ended until people (possibly you) start dying again.

* In ''Series/JessicaJones'', this is Jessica's nightmare as she is stalked by Kilgrave, a villain with a CompellingVoice. Not only is she herself always in danger because all it would take is one word from Kilgrave to enslave her again, but every single person in the city is a potential ManchurianAgent. One former victim of Kilgrave flat out tells her the only way out is to kill herself.

* ''Film/CatsEye'' has a segment featuring an anti-smoking group run by TheMafia from which, once you become a member of, can ''never'' leave. They will watch you '''forever''', you will need to follow their instructions on clean living to the letter, and if you ever so much as ''think'' of disobeying an order, they will torture your family, [[ForcedToWatch force you to watch]], and they will charge you for the torture's implements (like [[ElectricTorture electricity]] on their monthly membership bill. Or start dismembering them bit-by-bit, starting with the fingers.

** This is a favorite tactic of Gaunter O'Dimm, aka "Master Mirror", the closest [[SatanicArchetype analogue the series has to the Devil]]. Gaunter thrives on misery, so his [[DealWithTheDevil deals]] are carefully constructed [[JerkassGenie so that they cause as much torment]] for the person who made it as possible, until they're desperately searching for a way to end or reverse their deal, only to learn that there's no way they can. The best they can do is make the stipulations for [[YourSoulIsMine collecting their soul]] so convoluted that it draws out how much time they have for as long as possible. But don't worry, O'Dimm is very patient and will still tauntingly remind you that he'll get you someday.
*** In another instance, a woman was cursed by O'Dimm so that she not only slowly turned into a hideous monster, but so that she would remain hungry no matter how much food she eats. Once she realized how badly she was cursed, she spent years desperately searching for a cure to the predicament, and losing any family or allies who could help her. By the time you find her in-game, she's a monstrous wight who's been cursed for over a century and you can ''still'' fail to free her.

* ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'': Had a particularly twisted example with a serial rapist that got sick pleasure by stalking and tracking his victims after their first assault and then raping them again and again at random points in their lives. One woman was so broken by the experience that her career, marriage, family and entire life went to pieces as she became afraid of ANY human interaction, or even leaving her house...forcing her to live in painful solitude. The criminal got pleasure from knowing he was the only thing these women thought about, every moment of their lives.

In this situation, a character realizes that the safe, worry-free life they once enjoyed is over. Whether they stumbled across TheMasquerade, are being stalked by a SuperPersistentPredator, are on the run from MurderInc, or afflicted with DemonicPossession, they know that no matter what they do, one careless MomentOfWeakness, one lapse of attention or concentration, one instant that they stop looking over their shoulder, and it's all over. From now on, whatever problem they've acquired had better be their new life, or they won't live ''at ALL''.

[[folder:Web Video]]
* Played for laughs with ''WebVideo/TheHorriblySlowMurdererWithTheExtremelyInefficientWeapon'', where the Ginosaji attacks his victims with a blunt spoon. They typically die of terror and/or boredom when they realize that he just. Won't. ''Stop.''

* Played for laughs with ''WebVideo/TheHorriblySlowMurdererWithTheExtremelyInefficientWeapon'', where the Ginosaji attacks his victims with a blunt spoon. They typically die of terror and/or boredom when they realize that he just. Wont. ''Stop.''

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' involves a [[LoserProtagonist poor run-down schlubb named Charlie]] driving home from work and shouting at another driver who cut him off... only the other driver turns out to be ComicBook/TheJoker. The clown prince of crime chases him down and demands a future favor from Charlie as compensation for his rudeness. Charlie quits his job, changes his name and goes into hiding with his family for years, living in fear that the Joker will catch up to him one day... and he does.

* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' involves a poor schlubb named Charlie driving home from work and shouting at another driver who cut him off... only the other driver turns out to be ComicBook/TheJoker. The clown prince of crime chases him down and demands a future favor from Charlie as compensation for his rudeness. Charlie quits his job, changes his name and goes into hiding with his family for years, living in fear that the Joker will catch up to him one day... and he does.