Writing Prompt #30: Fear

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Avatar for JonicaBradley
1 year ago
Topics: Writing Prompt

"Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."

--Yoda

When I was a very little girl I slept with a baseball bat. Just in case. I also practiced what I would do when the bad guys came to kidnap me. I was really fixated on being kidnaped. I practiced appearing dead. I thought if I were dead, they wouldn't want to kidnap me. I obsessed about this even into my waking hours. When I was riding in a car, I would close my eyes and practice memorizing the turns and stops. So, you know, when I escaped I could tell people where the bad guys were hiding.

I'm not sure what instilled this fear in me. All I know is the fear was real. It was big. It was constant. When I turned 9 and we moved to Germany, the fear of being kidnapped disappeared. 

Whether it is fear of the dark, fear of success, fear of failure, fear of flying, or fear of things that go bump in the night, we all have fears. Some of our fears are manageable and some may seem silly. Some of our fears may paralyze us.

People who aren't terrified of lightning think my terror is cute or funny. Granted, I've found ways to deflect with humor. I might tell someone, "Lightning knows where I live and wants to come eat my face." And they will laugh. Even when I make a joke out of it, my fear seems irrational to them. 

Alternately, I don't really get the fear of snakes or spiders. I love snakes and spiders. I love insects. Maybe not mosquitos or flies. Especially not wasps.

I'm afraid of wasps. They are a thing of nightmares. I may also be allergic to them. I fear them and they seem to know it. They always come find me. Once, I stepped out of the shower, wrapped myself in a towel, and got stung. Once I was just sitting on my couch watching TV and I got stung. Reaching for the dish soap. Waling through the grass. Every time, minding my own business, and bam! I get stung.

Most people who get stung by wasps feel a little bit of pain for a few minutes. They might get a red mark. Me? Oh, I feel it for two or three days. And the mark it leaves behind is hot, red, and swollen. For days. And it feels like I am continuously being stung over and over again.

So, snakes and spiders? Bring them to me. I'll hold them and pet them. But a wasp? When I see one of those flying assholes, I shriek like a siren and run. Keith always has to come kill it. I make him kill it more than once if possible.

I completely understand both the fear of failure and the fear of success. I have suffered both fears at one time or another in my life. Sometimes at the same time which seems really weird.

My weirdest fear is hair. Hair that is not attached to a body. It doesn't matter if it is dog, cat, or human hair. If it isn't attached, I freak right the fuck out when it gets near me. THIS fear I understand. Though I didn't for most of my life. I have allergies. They get pretty severe. I break out in hives all over. Hair is one of my allergens. Horse hair. Cow hair. Cat hair. At least the trepidation I feel for hair is well-founded in logic. Just because I wasn't aware of the logic doesn't mean it wasn't there. Right?

How about you? What are your deepest fears? What are your weirdest fears? Let us know by participating in this prompt. Here's how:

  1. Join the Promptly Jonica community here

  2. Write anything about FIRE

  3. Write 100% original content

  4. Write at least 600 words for Rusty to be happy

  5. Submit your article to PromptlyJonica

  6. Tag me, @JonicaBradley

  7. Have fun!

Please don't forget, that there is no time limit on writing any of these prompts. You can write any prompt, any time, as many times as you like, forever. If you want to check out all of the prompts, you can find them here.

Feel free to tag people to invite them to play with us!

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Avatar for JonicaBradley
1 year ago
Topics: Writing Prompt

Comments

I think you know your fears and you can face them, which is very good.

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1 year ago

I know many of them.

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1 year ago

very good to know that. or your fears will enslave you

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1 year ago

we are all afraid of something. Whether it be spiders, mice, or the future. But by comfronting our fears, we can overcome them and become better people. Your post has inspired me to create one about my fears. I hope to get your feedback https://read.cash/@McRonald/fear-the-worst-the-weird-and-the-aftermath-46465d9e

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1 year ago

Please feel free to join the PromptlyJonica community and post it there.

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1 year ago

I already did.

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1 year ago

Thank you. I saw that.

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1 year ago

I'll surely participate on this one

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1 year ago

Good!

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1 year ago

Good for you you don't fear snakes 'cause I really do specially whenever I am in the CR haha. I remember most of the time that post I've seen on Facebook where a snake came out from the bowl while the person is still pooping huhu. But they've said that snakes don't bite as long as we're calm and they can't sense any fear. You know, I just can't hahaha.

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1 year ago

A lot of people just have a fear of snakes. It's ok.

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1 year ago

Yeahh there really are tons. Thank youu.

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1 year ago

I'll surely participate on this one

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1 year ago

Fear is something which born naturally in us. I will definitely go to write about my fears.

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1 year ago

Yay!

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1 year ago

I fear snakes and also phone calls huhu

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1 year ago

Ugh. I hate phone calls!

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1 year ago

A lot of animals that I am scared of while I was small and even up till now.

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1 year ago

Any animals in particular?

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1 year ago

Dogs, snakes and cats too.

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1 year ago

I am scared of snake and all crawling creatures small or big hehe. My weirdest fear? Hmm let me think of that and I am happy to share it with you :) thanks for the prompt idea.

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1 year ago

Can't wait to read it

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1 year ago