Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-25913561-20150118101537

Nightmares. Darkness. Fear. They’re all intertwined.

You may not think so, but I hope to change your mind.

Consider this; when someone is afraid of the darkness they are often told that it’s not the darkness they fear, but it’s actually the fear of The Unknown. Normally we think this means that we are afraid of some entity that could be lurking in the darkness that may wish us harm.

We then feel better because we know that, logically, there is no such thing as monsters.

But that’s just it; we aren't afraid of the darkness at all, the fear of The Unknown isn't referring to some fabrication inspired by some cliché horror film with a bad script and unconvincing screams.

No. The Unknown refers to actual entities, actual “things” lurking in the darkness, real threats who truly mean us harm. We are told we fear The Unknown in a manner that reminds us we are being irrational and it usually makes us feel better.

But the truth is; those who fear The Unknown have seen it and somewhere, deep within the very fibre of their being, they remember.

If you still don’t believe me then consider the fact that it is not uncommon for people to often think they have seen movement out of the corner of their eye. This movement usually resembles something vaguely humanoid, but when we turn to catch a better glimpse, there is nothing to be found. This is often narrowed down to paranoia, especially in individuals who tend to be more timid and jumpy.

But they’re not timid or jumpy, they’re aware.

Those of us who fear the darkness, who see these shadows from the corners of our vision, who feel something staring at us or following us, all of us are aware. At some point in our lives we have encountered The Unknown and despite their attempts to conform us like they have the others, we resist them.

Have you ever discovered a strange, itchy lump resembling an insect bite on your body? That is the sting of The Unknown. When we are stung by The Unknown we are injected with a variation of toxins that target the area of our brains where memories are processed and stored, they aren't altered visually, but are imbued with a sense of illusion making them feel like something from a nightmare.

This change is enough to make us believe that what we experienced did not occur in reality, but rather in a hallucination brought on by fear or paranoia.

We never question these situations openly because we are always reminded that monsters don’t exist, yet monsters are everywhere; in books, movies, games, even in our dreams. But why is it that most people agree monsters we must hide from, that cannot be fought off or escaped, are more frightening than monsters whom we can face head on with a means of defence? This is because of the toxins injected by The Unknown.

Those of us who enjoy books, movies or games where the monsters can be killed will usually be unsettled by a monster that we must flee. This is because being pursued is terrifying, but what makes the chase so deeply unsettling is the knowledge that everything ends if they catch us.

Some have nightmares of being followed by a slowly moving entity, no matter how fast they run they never move, the creature gains on them at an agonisingly slow rate. This is because that person is aware, The Unknown is following them, watching them, getting closer. The toxin is designed to prevent that awareness but despite this almost no one is unafraid of an entity that pursues them, slowly drawing closer, knowing that there is no means of defence or escape.

In the dark of the night when we are at our most vulnerable, especially in our dreams, The Unknown creep ever so closer to us; their foul breath poisoning our peace, their vile presence tainting our reprieve, their sickening forms quivering with glee at the prospect of another meal.

You may not believe me, but when they come, you will. 