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New year’s eve.

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Cheerful melodies played softly through his car’s radio ‘’It’s the most wonderful time of the year, with kids jingle belling, and everyone telling you to be of a good cheer. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. ’’

The sweet voice of a singer he didn’t recognize made his skin prickle with goosebumps raising at the base of his neck. He instinctively ignored them. The luminating moonlight made his drive through the wood a bit easier, less scary in fact. He was trying to convince his subconscious that he’ll get back home safely after being held back late because of a stupid night shift on new year’s eve since we all know how crowded malls can be at this time of the year.

The humming of the car’s engine swallowed the melodies along the way. Getting strangely thicker and abnormally paranoiac, he ignored it for a while, telling himself that all of that is in his head is just the outcome of a tiring consuming week. And as was as graciously predicted the car came to a halt in the middle of nowhere. Well that’s the understatement of the year. It stopped in the middle of possibly the most deserted area of the town, where reportedly numerous people went missing, never to be found, evaporated, vanished. ‘Great’ he said to himself in a sarcastic tone pathetically attempting to calm his panic and just blame it on bad luck. His mouth got drier, slightly , but dry enough to make him lock himself in his car and not even dare to check what went wrong with it. He checked his phone but there was no service, shocking.

He felt the urge to just stay locked in his car to God knows when, but that’s not gonna do him any good. No cars pass by here, and much less to say the panic is starting to rise again in his chest. Debating whether to just stay that way or risk having a heart attack because of an owl or a howling wolf, he quitely opened his door and stepped out of the vehicle grabbing his phone over his head desperately trying to catch a signal. His heartbeat progressivly quickening, he slowly paced around the car not daring to get far from it, but there was no use. Maybe he needed to get to a higher point. Maybe that was the only logical way to get him out this petrifying place.

Taking cautious steps as if he was afraid of waking something up, he got further away from his car praying and suppressing his fears. He heard the crack of a dry branch but he thought that that was just his imagination messing around with him. He ignored it nevertheless. With every step he took his fears resurface trying to consume him. This time he heard the same voice, but louder, and he was sure that it was for real; he was not on his own like he thought. He tried to be as silent as possible without much of a choice but wait for the stupid signal to come up.

His eyes darted from side to side with no good view. The sky was practically blacked out. Even though the moon was full, the scene was pitch black. He was lucky he didn’t run into a tree.
In the middle of all his jumbled thoughts, a tiny happy giggle was heard. His eyes widened and his heart beat was so fast to the point of near explosion. He could barely catch his breath and his thick shirt was drenched in sweat. Another happy louder giggle escaped again. The sound was much closer. He was hoping silently for it to turn out to be some sort of mind games his tiredness and exhaustion caused.

But hazy shadows crept between the trees’ old branches. ‘’Hello ! Is anybody there ?’’ he scream-whispered hoping that it be someone who lived nearby and came to help him when his broke-down car was seen, but that was highly unlikely. The screeching sound of nails and the dry branches of trees being broken confirmed the fact that he has to be ready for what’s coming next. He wasn’t sure what was he supposed to be afraid of.

The wind howled and blew a bitter chill past the dying trees. It danced with the leaves and dragged them away unwillingly from the winter ground. The forest seemed endless; tall silhouettes shadowing the damp and stangnant floor with the decomposing wood, ravens circling overhead and screams filled with agony mixed with happy laughter echoing through the wind. Beady eyes scanned the area. A paranormal presence lurked in the essence of the devil’s grasp, shadowing each living or decaying organism with dire precision.

The poor widow couldn’t mourn her husband’s death, or better to say her husband’s soul disappearance.
He was found three days later, by a hicker. It was reported that his body held no wounds, no bruises nor cuts. It was barely touched. He had the same clothes he wore the day he vanished and his right hand was holding his phone tight. He didn’t even have any decomposing sign, a neat corpse with no signs of struggle nor fight.

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À vos plumes

The Dual Nature of Fear: Protector and Parasite

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Fear: Friend or Foe?

What if fear isn’t your enemy but your greatest ally? Explore how this powerful emotion secretly shapes your life and might be the key to unlocking your true self.

 

The Quest for Self-Discovery

As individuals and members of the human race, we should devote our greatest effort to discovering who we truly are. We often arrogantly proclaim to know ourselves better than anyone else, but do we? When we hear the word “fear,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? It likely conjures images of trauma and negative experiences. This amalgamation of letters has gripped many of us, playing a significant role in our existence.

 

Fear’s Significance and History

“Fear.” This small word may seem insignificant, yet it is full of meaning and history. Most people deeply care about their lives, and this tendency exists thanks to fear, even if many tremble at the mere mention of it.

 

The Denial of Fear

As humans, we have a tendency to deny what we don’t understand. We often deny our fear. This is understandable; we are naturally drawn to heroic narratives. Everyone loves tales of bravery and fearlessness. We revel in stories of victory and triumph. So, why should we care about fear?

 

Fear as a Fundamental Human Trait

Fear is a fundamental aspect of our humanity. What kind of brave person denies their true identity, unless we are discussing cowardice? Fear is a powerful emotion; it can speak without uttering a word. While fear may make us seem weak or inferior, it can also affirm our humanity. Fear serves as both a guardian and a ruler, governing our choices and decisions. And believe me, ruling is no easy task, especially in an unstable democracy of emotions and chemicals.

 

Fear as a Survival Mechanism

When the kingdom is under attack, fear can override reason and logic to ensure survival, even if the perceived danger is illusory. Fear acts as a musician, playing the drumbeats of our lives, its music resonating with the world around us. This vibration takes hold of the souls of all living beings.

 

Fear’s Role in Time and Perception

When fear takes charge, we feel our existence connect with the universe. We sense our lives intertwining with something vast and complex. Time slows down, transforming into something else entirely, while our perception sharpens, turning our world into a battlefield.

 

Fear as the Overprotective Mother

Fear can be likened to an overprotective mother, striving to shield her children, yet her protectiveness may hinder their growth and limit their potential. This complex emotion plays dual roles, serving as both protector and sage.

 

Fear’s Parasitic Nature

This inherited facet of our evolution influences our daily behaviors and shapes our character. At times, it turns into a parasite, draining our energy and hindering our progress. Unlike typical parasites, this inner fire originates from our own being; it can stifle our movement or compel us to act impulsively.

 

Fear’s Betrayal in Communication

This force can sometimes act disloyally, betraying its creator. For example, when our fear of judgment undermines our ability to communicate clearly, it jeopardizes our goals ,whether making a good impression or articulating a point. Miscommunication often leads to misunderstandings.

 

The Overwhelming Force of Fear

Viewing the world from this perspective can be enlightening, even if we cannot prove we share the same perceptions. When fear becomes overwhelming, it can manifest as a mentally unstable individual grappling with severe trust issues. This emotion does not easily relinquish control over our destiny or our capacity for change.

 

Fear’s Relationship with Learning and Future Prediction

Fear compels us to obsess over predicting the future and learning from the past, as it intensely despises pain, especially when repeated. Fear’s aversion to pain fuels our motivation and imagination, enabling us to predict effectively and avoid obstacles. Surprisingly, fear can accelerate the learning process.

 

Fear’s Role in Human Beliefs

This complex chemical response empowers human beliefs and convictions, adding a unique spark that transforms them into dogma, shaping our behavior. Fear renders beliefs unquestionable; when we deny our beliefs, we deny our identity. All humans have standards, fortified by fear. Without fear, we are nobody. Fear is, in essence, us.

 

Modern Fears and Illusions

Our fears of change, rejection, the unknown, failure, loneliness, dissatisfaction, and unmet expectations are illusions that have become overly significant in our lives. While desire undeniably influences these fears, they have overshadowed fear’s original purpose: survival and the preservation of our existence.

 

Mental Survival in the 21st Century

We still engage in the same primitive survival game, but today’s survival is more mental than physical. In the 21st century, we battle internal dangers and threats. The technological and scientific revolution has shifted our struggles from the external world to our minds.

 

Emptiness and the Human Spirit

Homo sapiens no longer strive to coexist with the external world; our focus has shifted to mental survival. Humanity, with its problem-solving tendencies, may even create challenges just to enjoy overcoming them. While we abhor pain, we also cannot tolerate emptiness.

 

Fear and the Freedom of Choice

The human spirit is unaccustomed to emptiness and the freedom of choice. We thrive under pressure. Fear, once selected by nature for survival, has become less useful in a world dominated by peace. Our violent nature, no longer expressed physically, threatens either our destruction or our evolution.

 

The Inner Predators

If violence once protected us from external threats, today’s predators reside within us. Can we protect ourselves from ourselves and our potential actions? This is a question we must explore.

 

The Future of Fear

We try to envision virtual dangers to validate fear, but how long can this continue? Is it possible that fear will eventually be selected out by nature and become obsolete? If fear’s only remaining role is in competition, isn’t that more closely related to greed, desire, and humanity’s inherent hunger for power and occupation? Can fear survive in the modern world? That is the question.

 

Written By: Habib Riden

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