Mary had been traveling for days through the forest on
horseback, hoping to find another human being who could
help her injured brother. She was soaked from the rain, and
darkness was closing in. Suddenly, the clouds parted, and
looming ahead was an ominous castle. It looked
abandoned, save for the flicker of candlelight in an upstairs
chamber. Nervously, Mary approached. It was her only
hope.
Which aspect of this story most clearly makes it a work of Gothic literature?