This is an anthology of stories about people discovering or experiencing their darkest fears, their Bête Noire. This features the most popular phobias that most of us have and the most unusual yet dreadful ones... An excerpt narrated in a poetic for...
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"Finn, stay right there, okay? Mom's just gonna make your omelet," she spoke from behind, I looked back after a second and she's nowhere to find. I took my trumpet in my toy bucket and just stared at it, it's cool because I have my name on it, Finn Rogers. "Yeah, Carly, I'm gonna be there soon - oh really? That's so hilarious," she chortled, and the stove ignited. I put my trumpet back and I sat on the couch while staring outside the window, I wish mom would let me play in the meadow - someday... I'm just here sitting, waiting, staring at the scaffolding, while mom's in the kitchen, cooking our meal for this evening. I suddenly heard something heavy fall from the kitchen, I approached near to listen, everything remained silent. Normally, when something fell, mom would immediately yell. But right now, I couldn't even tell. I went to the kitchen to find out, then saw my mom on the floor, passed out. "Mom?" shivering, I asked. I reached her, there's nothing wrong with her, except for the fact that she became hotter. I looked at her tummy, it's still fluctuating, she's still breathing. "Mom?" I asked the unawakened about what exactly happened. I sniffed and started crying, then I smelt something burning. The stove is still ablaze, like a raging fireplace. It started smoking, and I started panicking because I don't know what to do with that thing. I approached it and tried to operate it. I turned something but the fire kept on going. I grabbed the potholder on the tray and moved the pan away from the fire that's much brighter than the day. I opened the windows, because the kitchen is already covered with smoke as dark as shadows. I coughed and checked up on mom again, and she does not yet awaken. The stove is still on fire, I grabbed a towel and tried hitting the fire - it doesn't do anything. I ran to the toilet to go grab a bucket, I twisted the lever, and there's no water, and so as the bucket. I ran back to the kitchen while crying because I couldn't do anything. I just remembered something, mom's on the phone earlier. I looked everywhere and I couldn't find it anywhere. I looked at the sink, there's just dirty water, it's not here I think, but I glanced at something pink, and there it is! Mom's phone fell on the dirty sink. I took it and dried it, then tried to open it. I'm suddenly out of luck because the screen remained all black. I just smelt something funny, that smell in the gas station when mom takes me with her to the grocery. The room suddenly burst into flames as if the fire triggered something. Luckily, I was little, so I wasn't hurt, even a little, and my mom's still peacefully sleeping. I tried to drag her body, even though she's absolutely heavy, just to bring her to safety. The fire is already spreading, grasping at everything it's touching. A few seconds later, I heard distant chatter, and the sound of the car of a firefighter. Our only exit is through the kitchen, I could make it out of here as fast as a kitten but right now my mom is a huge burden. I can't leave her alone here, I'd rather get trapped here - with her. The smoke reached us here near the window as the kitchen is already a blazing inferno. A firefighter suddenly came in from the window "Let's go, this house is gonna blow!" "No! Let go! Leave me! I'm not going anywhere without my mommy!" hard-headed, I shouted. "Please, you need to listen to me, trust me, it's for your own safety, I'll come after your mommy after you come with me," he convinced me as he spoke softly just like my daddy - that left me, and mommy... I let him carry me and we got off the building through a rope, and we slid down as smooth as soap. After touching the floor, he immediately climbed back to the 5th floor. A lady then approached me. She crouched "What's your name? I'm Alex." I sniffed "My name... is... Finn Rogers." I replied while sobbing. She looked at me then hugged me "It's okay, honey, happens to everybody..." I looked back to our house, someone just yelled "SET THE LIFE NET!" I saw a shadow from the window, and there's the firefighter, holding my mom in his arms and preparing to throw. I saw my mom wearing the firefighter's safety uniform and the firefighter's resisting the fire in our dorm without his uniform. The other firefighters are all set, each one of them is holding the net. The firefighter then threw my mom, and she landed safely, thankfully. What happened next was terrifying, while he's preparing to leave the building, the fire gave its final blow, it knocked him away from the window and the fire is already coming out from the window. Alex took out her radio and tried calling him "Matthew, are you alright? Do you copy?" and no one replied.
Matthew... I think I've heard that name before.
It's been a couple of minutes already, and everyone is still busy.Another soldier approached us and gave Alex a radio. She showed me the radio as she wiped her tears. The radio has a name on it, and it says -
