My Top 5 Fears Explained: #5 The Dark

One of my most favorite topics to discuss with people I've just met is what they're scared of the most. While some find it a little creepy that my primary interest in a new friend is what terrifies them, I just feel that it's one of the easiest ice-breakers ever. Here I will discuss what my Top 5 Fears are, and try to give a little insight as to why, exactly, because the reasoning is probably not what you'd think.

5. The Dark

Although I'm 20 years old, one of my fears from my childhood has carried over to my adult life; the dark. It's something we must all face each and every day of our lives, unless you live at one of the extreme poles of our planets in which you are sometimes faced with 40 fucking nonstop days filled with darkness! Fortunately for me, being a Texas resident, I get roughly 12 hours of daylight every other 12 hours. Some may ask, "Why are you still afraid of the dark? What are you, 8 years old?" In response to this, allow me to flip you the middle finger and explain what's so scary about the dark. Imagine if all you could see, right now, was this:

At this point, you can still hear, feel, smell, and quite possibly the worst of all, taste things. But, without any vision, we can't really be too sure what exactly it is we're tasting. Sure, you know what a hot dog with ketchup smells, feels, and tastes like. However, without actually seeing a hot dog in your hand, who knows what you could really be chewing on. That is, unless you've actually tasted human flesh before.

For me, I suppose, it's just the absence of vision that's terrifying. I'm the type of person that likes to know exactly where I'm standing at exactly that moment, plus what's surrounding me if I'm forced to make a quick escape. (for untold reasons, of course.)

I also like to know who's around me at all times. Not necessarily names, but faces, sexes, heights, weights and races (if they're strangers). While it may seem contradicting, I'm not scared of burglars at all, I'm only terrified if I know that I'm in a situation in which one could surprise-attack me from behind.

Look out behind you, there's a fucking deer exploding through the wall!

If I'm not fully under control of a situation, I tend to feel weak and powerless. The darkness seriously impairs everyone, because unless you're either A) a ninja or B) a NAVY SEAL with some high-tech night vision, then you can be played a fool of by something as inanimate as a chair. We've all stubbed our toes before, and how bad did that bitch hurt? Sure, it's only a chair, but whenever we can't see, a chair can be just as deadly as a bazooka-wielding 4 year old child.

Pictured: The Darkness, not to be confused with the darkness.

There are just too many invariables involving the dark, or "the unknown," that scare the hell out of me. I've managed to not sleep without any kind of night lights since age 10, although there are times today when I just don't look up from the pillow...because you never know when Bernie Mac and Tupac are going to be standing there, tea bagging the shit out of you.