Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-26705150-20150824213148

'Author's note: If you could point out awkward phrasing, story problems, things I could do differently, etc out that would be great. I'd really like to get this polished enough to where I can get it posted on the wiki without it getting deleted. Fingers crossed on getting that done.'



Every Halloween my grandfather and I would sit by the fireplace as he attempted to scare me with his various tales of Horror. Most of which I can’t recall, but I do remember being frightened often as a child. But there was one time when he told me something that I haven’t forgotten since. It isn’t much of a story at all but rather a more optimistic, yet equally dark idea.

I remember sitting there as the fire crackled and sparked, while the wind brushed against the frosted window outside. Candle lit pumpkins were neatly arranged around the fireplace and their various faces reflected softly on my grandfather’s face. He sighed and took his last gulp of hot cocoa before proceeded to recount the following.

Most children of a young age are afraid of the dark and get easily scared by just about anything even remotely frightening. As such sleeping and being alone, is all the more uncomfortable and difficult to do. During those moments in life, you can’t help but shift your eyes wildly as you expect for a creature of the night, a serial killer, or something else to pop out. You also can’t help but pick up on even the slightest of noises, even when you normally wouldn’t. Sometimes you even find yourself looking for whatever you thought that shadow in the corner of your eye was or the movement you thought you saw.

This happens to most people on occasion. But to be honest, it’s simply a natural instinct to fear what we can’t see. So I suppose maybe that has a psychological effect on our mind and eyes. Those instincts go back to ancient man, when we had reason to fear the dark and be constantly alert of the things around us.

But now we don’t have predators to deal anymore, yet we still have those instincts. I suppose we have a connection with those of the dead and ancient man. Most people would think of this as a natural one, but what if I said that it might be a different kind of a connection?

I think those of ancient man and the grave, watch over us, when we’re frightened and feeling vulnerable. So you can remember that every time you go to sleep or when you’re feeling scared, son.

He rubbed my head as he said that and we went to the kitchen to grab some graham crackers, before finishing off the rest of the evening.  