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Fear

Fear.

We all feel it, whether it’s a fictitious entity like a killer clown or it’s a psychological one. Fears morph into different beings as we get older, but the heart-pounding, pulse racing feeling we get when scared doesn’t change.

My first fear was…dolls.

After watching the movie POLTERGIEST in third grade, I was scared to death that my dolls would come to life and drag me under my bed. I know now that I was way too young to watch that movie, but that’s what happens when you have older neighbors with a scramble box. In fact, the fear of dolls is so far behind me that I recently bought a few for my office.

Yes. Dolls in my office. Here’s my favorite:

photo

As a teen (and until two years ago), I had a HUGE fear of clowns. Bet you can guess where this came from. Right?

If you guessed Stephen King’s IT, then you win a prize. Granted, this is my favorite horror novel ever, but sweet lord that Pennywise was creepy! My son actually helped me to get past my fear of clowns. He had one chase me at our local amusement park during Haunt! It totally amused him of course, and I learned how irrational my fear was.

With my two biggest fears conquered, I have a few psychological ones–like sharing my writing. That feeling of terror and the pounding of my heart keeps me coming back for more. Through the stories I write, I’m able to push the limits and allow myself to be dark and scary. So for my weekly blog posts, you can be sure I’ll be leading you down into the dungeon where things go bump in the night and you can conquer your fears.

Until then…tell me, what are you afraid of?

Amy - Midnight Society Signatures

 

  • Kathy Palm
    March 18, 2014

    Um, so yeah … dolls still creep me out. My daughter threatens to stand her American Girl dolls on the floor by my bed so I will see them when I wake up. That clown doll from Poltergeist is the source. Pennywise … serious creep factor and hedge animals from the Overlook Hotel. I can hear the sound of the snow sliding from their moving bodies. *shudder* However, I watch all these movies and read all these books OVER AND OVER AGAIN! Love it! This sounds like an awesomely fun and creepy blog!

    • Amy Giuffrida
      Kathy Palm
      March 18, 2014

      Hi Kathy,
      Oh those American Girl dolls! I think my girlie put hers away at one point, because she swore it was looking at her! I love the spunk of your daughter, too!

      Thanks for visiting and please, be afraid…
      Amy

  • Kira Butler (@kirabutler)
    March 18, 2014

    Onryō. Japanese revenge spirits popularized by The Ring, The Grudge, etc. Dark hair hanging in the face, pale features, blue veins under the skin, likely a murder victim but they don’t really care who they exact vengeance on.

    (Insert sound of meowing cat-boy.)

    My night terrors tend to assume this form, when they happen.

    My practical fears include fear of failure, fear of not finishing what I start, and fear of never accomplishing my life’s goals. (And fear of butterflies and moths. I’m really not a fan of flying insects. I don’t care how pretty they are. They terrify me.)

    • Amy Giuffrida
      Kira Butler (@kirabutler)
      March 18, 2014

      Kira,
      My teen recently watched The Ring and then laughed at me when I told him how much it scared me!

      Thanks for sharing your fears!
      Amy

  • MidnightSocietyJolene
    March 18, 2014

    Oh my god yes. I HATE CLOWNS. And creepy ass dolls! Glad to hear you made it through your fear. You should teach me your ways!

    Awesome post Amy! <3

    • Amy Giuffrida
      MidnightSocietyJolene
      March 18, 2014

      A teenager who loves to terrorize you is the antidote!!!! They also bring with them new fears though:(

      xoxo
      Amy

  • Faith McKay
    March 18, 2014

    After I typed up this super long comment, I realized I sound like a really big weirdo. Which I am. So I guess I’m posting it….

    I am so afraid of mice that people first think it’s pitiful, then think I’m kidding, and then are just completely confused. My husband really looks baffled when we try to talk about it.

    If I HAD to go be near a mouse, I could make myself take the steps and go toward it and control my body in that way, but I would NOT be able to stop myself from sobbing and shaking. Deep, earth shattering, sobs. I am often told by people that they are not afraid of anything the way I’m afraid of mice.

    I’m afraid of a LOT of things. I’ve been pretty well afraid of things that don’t make sense to people since I was a very little kid. I had abusive parents, which makes this a lot less funny, and one of the things my mom did was use fear to keep us in line. Absolutely everything she wanted us to do or not do would lead to our inevitable deaths. My usual example of this, is when she wanted me to clean my room. She told me that if I didn’t pick up my room, there would be an electrical fire (because we were always waiting for the inevitable house fire) and then I would trip over the stuff on my floor, hit my head, pass out, and die in the fire. BUT WAIT, STORY’S NOT OVER. And then my dog would not want to leave me, so he’d die in the fire, too. Two well meaning firemen would climb up into my attic to attempt to save me, trip over the crap on my floor, and also fall, hit their heads, and die in the flames. So if you don’t clean your room, you’ll die, your dog will die, AND two firemen.

    Anyhow, this went over to a lot of things, and I’m scared of a lot of things that make no sense to other people.

    When I was little I firmly believed that we were all stalked by our own personal psycho killers, and I used to stay up all night listening for them…and sometimes talked to them, to ask them not to kill me in my sleep. My younger sister thought this too, it was just talked about a lot. I think this is how I came to be pretty afraid of strangers living in your house. Like, there are stories about people sliding into your house and living in your attic or your closet without you knowing for weeks. You can find stories about it on the internet, some of them fake, some of them not. It really freaks me out, and you will never find my doors unlocked.

    There’s also chickens. Birds in general. They’re okay if they’re just out and about, but if they start coming towards me, you can be sure I’ll back up. Lizards. Swimming in lakes. I can’t touch fish. I also can’t swim in the ocean. This is weird because I was the star of my swim team.

    Fire. Heights. Elevators. SKY BRIDGES. Planes. Anything where a person is running something, because people are just people. For instance, I’d much rather climb a tree than go in a tree house, which a person built. You won’t see me lean against any railings. Garbage disposals. Decapitation.

    Most of my nightmares are about mice, fire, and/or decapitation.

    You’d think I’d be more afraid of things like spiders, since I was bit when I was younger and almost died (brown recluse) but that’s more of a rational fear. I don’t shriek at the sight of one, I just skirt away and take sensible precautions. I’m not gripped with terror.

    Fear is a weird thing.

  • Amy Giuffrida
    March 18, 2014

    Faith,
    Yuck, mice! I’ve been known to jump on top of furniture and scream like a lunatic when I see a mouse. I know it won’t hurt me, but it doesn’t matter!
    Thanks for sharing your story. I guess we all have deep-seated reasons why we have our fears and no matter what, it’s real.

    Amy

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