Self-Inflicted Fear

Work had been hectic! My whole body was weighed down by exhaustion and hunger as I lazily unlocked the door without calling on my next-door neighbor, Felix, to say 'hi' as I usually would. He must have heard the jingling sound from the bunch of keys as I unlocked my door. The monotonous buzz of office life, mixed with the heavy traffic I had driven through, drained me completely that evening. All I craved was good food and peaceful sleep. Fortunately, I had stored up enough food over the weekend in my small fridge. I hurried to the kitchen, walking as fast as my legs could carry me to microwave some rice. I savored each bite as it filled the gnawing void in my stomach. I could sense the worms in my stomach dancing, excited to be fed at last.

After eating, I called my friend, Ife, to ensure she had gotten home safely. Ife is my colleague from work, and it had been a particularly grueling day for both of us. We exchanged pleasantries before I prepared myself for bed.

I retired into my old bed, pulling the covers up to my chin and sinking happily into the mattress. It was so cold, and I enjoyed it. Sleep came for my consciousness quickly, enveloping me in a cocoon of darkness. It was only a matter of time before the world outside mine faded away as I soon lost myself in the abyss of slumber.

Some time later, I was jolted awake by the rumbling of a heavy storm. The sound of thunder reverberated through my small apartment, making some of my stuff jiggle to its wild sound. Flashes of lightning also illuminated the room in eerie, staccato bursts. I groggily considered getting up to lock my windows but then decided against it, too lazy to move and too scared I might lose the ability to sleep afterward. Instead, I burrowed deeper into my blanket, seeking warmth and comfort, forcing my mind to separate itself from the noise of the storm.

Minutes went by, and just as I was about drifting off again into the arms of sweet sleep, a strange noise pierced the quietness of my mind – a faint rustling barely audible above the storm's roar. My eyes snapped open at once. I peered into the darkness, my five senses actively focused on what seemed to be a "flying object." I could hear my heart pounding in my chest as though it'd break out. I prayed it was nothing so I could peacefully return to sleep, but I couldn't help but stare.

At first, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. But as another flash of lightning lit up the room, I noticed something very unusual. A strange figure hung from the ceiling, its shape distorted by the flickering light. It looked like a giant star, its edges shimmering and glowing in the storm's intermittent illumination.

A new kind of fear gripped me as I tried to make sense of what I was seeing. I thought my heart would have run out of my chest already. I reached for the lamp beside my bed, but when I flipped the switch, nothing happened. The power was out because of the heaviness of the rain, and my room remained shrouded in darkness. Panic surged through me as the star continued to dance above me, swaying with the rhythm of the storm.

I tried to call out, hoping Felix would hear me and come to my rescue. He had just taught me how to make a kite the previous day, and I had been eager to show him my creation. But now, my voice felt small and inaudible, swallowed by the storm's fury.

Exhaustion and fear battled for dominance within me as I continued to scream. My voice grew hoarse, tears of frustration and terror streaming down my face. Suddenly, the star seemed to be descending. Its glow intensified as it drew closer. I could feel its presence pressing down on me as I imagined it suffocating me with its otherworldly light.

Desperation set in immediately, and I whispered a frantic prayer, hoping for some kind of miracle or a gentle transition to the land of the dead. I was now ready for whatever was about to happen. The storm outside was beginning to abate, and the thunder grew less frequent as the rain slowed to a steady patter. My heart raced as I watched the star hover just inches from my face. Its light was almost blinding, and I closed my eyes and mind to receive whatever it had for me.

Just before it descended on my face, the power flickered back on. Light flooded the entire room, dispelling the shadows and illuminating the figure above me. I blinked in disbelief as the object got revealed in the presence of light. My terror slowly gave way to a mix of relief and embarrassment. It was unbelievable!

There, hanging from the ceiling, was the kite I had made. It had come loose during the storm and had been tossed around by the wind, creating the illusion of a dancing star in my head. I let out a shaky laugh, feeling foolish for having been so terrified by an object I created.

I reached up and untangled the kite quietly, carefully folding it and placing it under a book on my desk. The room was now calm and quiet as the storm's roaring sound had quieted. I climbed back into bed, my heart still racing but my fear now dissipated.

As I lay there, staring up at the ceiling – the once frightful scene – I couldn't help but think about the power of the mind to conjure such intense fear from something so mundane. The kite had become a symbol of my own anxiety and exhaustion. I believe it was a manifestation of the stress and fatigue that had plagued me.

I closed my eyes again, taking deep breaths to calm myself and forget about the whole scene that had just played out. I could imagine how Felix and Ife would react when I relayed the events of the scary night. Sleep was a long time coming, but when it finally did, it was deep and dreamless as I had hoped it would be. The next morning, I woke to a bright, clear day. The storm was now nothing more than a distant memory – almost like it never happened.

As I reflected on the night's events, I realized how easily our minds can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, fear feeding on the unknown and the misunderstood. The kite, which was once a source of pride and excitement, had transformed into a harbinger of dread in the darkness.

I hurriedly made a mental note to secure it more firmly next time and to perhaps pay more attention to my own well-being. After all, the mind can be its own worst enemy, turning simple shadows into monsters and harmless objects into threats.

With a wry smile, I got ready for the day, knowing that while the night had been terrifying, it was also a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit. Fear might be powerful, but understanding and reason are stronger. And sometimes, the things we fear the most are simply kites caught in the wind.