| Step | Technique | Goal |
| 1 | Establish Stakes | Make the reader care (marriage in trouble). |
| 2 | Create Isolation | Move the character to a strange place (the garage). |
| 3 | Build Suspense | Use “ghost-like” behavior. |
| 4 | The Turning Point | The moment of confrontation (turning on the light). |
| 5 | The Cliffhanger | Stop right before the noun. |