“How about instead of a normal bedtime story, I tell you about something that actually happened?” Mom says.
I nod, patiently waiting for her to continue.
“This story is from a very long time ago in a place incredibly far away, when my mother was still a child. In this far away place, there were no monsters and no magic, just people and animals, all was peaceful, until a monster appeared . Now Alice, in this far away place with no magic people believed monsters were made by human emotions. This makes sense when you realise, humans can be just as evil as the worst monsters.
“When this monster appeared it said in a booming voice,”I am Chaos the Beholden, Bringer of Death and Master of Fear”, it was a giant ball of flesh with old tanned leather for skin, with a single eye in its centre that seemed to stare through your soul, seeing everything and nothing at the same time. It’s mouth a gaping row of teeth stretched into a long line that circled it’s one eye. Upon seeing this abomination, everyone was afraid, in this fear they all did different things. Some people ran as fast as they could, trying to get as far away as possible, but running could only get them so far and eventually, they were caught and devoured. Other people completely gave up, devastated by the loss of those around them, they ignored the monster entirely, acted like there was no problem. The monster ignored them too, but eventually, it came back and they too were killed. Others still, embraced the fear and tried to die by their own hands. The Bringer of Death made sure that when they were caught instead of being eaten, they were forced to die a slow, painful death instead. His ever present voice laughed as it echoed everywhere, “There will be no hope for the hopeless, the fools who forfeit their hope forfeit their life.”
“Eventually, people began to live out of the Master of Fear’s paralysing gaze, not even daring to enter his presence. Some among these never gave up. They would train and prepare for the day they would take their freedom back, but they all faltered in the face of their primal fears. Not one person, save for my mother, even tried to land a blow on It. My mother fearlessly swung at the beast, and vanished, as if it had all been a dream.
“The point of this story is quite simple. Chaos the Beholden is more than some scary monster: he is fear itself, and all the people’s actions show the many reactions to fear.”, Mom made sure to look at me for her next statement.
“Always remember that if you give up, no one can carry you forward, they can try, but in tough times, your hope is the only thing keeping you going. And another thing, know when to push through your fear, and when to listen to it. Fear is there for a reason, don’t simply act as if it’s not there, but don’t let yourself be controlled by fear either.”
Taking the message to heart I fade into my dreams.
