Fear of the Dark

Karina Kantas

I have always been afraid of the dark. I don’t know where the fear stems from.

You’re in a room, alone, and yet you feel a presence.

Is it behind the door, under the bed, in the closet, behind the sofa?

Because of the darkness, you know the monster is either walking freely around the room, or standing still, watching you. You can only see shadows, and yet you know there is something there.

You listen intently to every sound, hoping for evidence that you are not going insane. But apart from the slight creaking of the house, and the odd tap on the window, from the branches of the tree outside, there is silence. Yet every sound, every shadow, makes your heart skip a beat.

You want to hide your head under the duvet, but you know that if you do, the monster will be standing over you, and that by showing yourself, you are keeping the monster at bay.

One night, the monster will make itself known. It’s not knowing when, that frightens you.

And what do you think your monster looks like? Is it a deformed green man with a jellied body? Does it have claws, sharp teeth and red eyes?

The shadow monster is the worst. He can generate from any dark corner of the room. He silently moves around, gliding from one black place to another.

Once darkness forms, it’s his turn to reign.

Yes, I sleep with the light on. I use a 100-watt bulb. I am used to the brightness of the house. I embrace the light.

Although the electric bills are high, and the cost of replacing bulbs is a downside, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I have a stock of light bulbs beside every light in the house; ready for when the bulb goes out.
I do not go out after dark. My house is my sanctuary. I live alone.

I understand how hard it would be to live with someone like me. I’ve never gotten past the first date (daytime, of course.) I want to be honest with a woman from the start. Maybe that’s where I’m going wrong.

This is why I have joined this website, in the hope of finding a friend, or even love. It’s nice to know I’m not alone, and that there are others like me. Someone out there must understand.
Please contact me through this website.

Yours sincerely.
The Bogeyman.

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