On the Wings of Hope: Prose (Recognized)

Fear

"B-o-o-o-o! W-o-o-o-o!" something hooted in a distance.

"Who is crying over there?" the Man was disturbed.

"It's me – Fear!" answered the Fear. "And I am not crying at all, but frightening instead. Be afraid of me!"

"What for?" the Man was surprised.

"You are obliged to! Everyone is afraid, and so will you! It's simply a matter of time."

"Somehow I cannot see you..." the Man doubted.

"For certain!" guffawed the Fear. "That's because most important things are invisible! B-o-o-o-o!"

"And how do you look like then, Fear?" the Man was curious.

"I have many forms!" proudly howled the Fear. "I happen to be truly wild and horrific, I can become stupefying as well, capable to remain reserved and careful so that people don't understand that it's still me. I am the F-e-a-r! Are you terrified?!"

"Don't know for certain," the Man admitted honestly. "Still didn't taste it fully."

"You must be truly stupid!" the Fear was annoyed. "That's always being the case with you, idiots. You are even incapable to fully understand and experience the essence of fear. Too little brains, perhaps? Didn't parents teach you to be afraid of something in childhood?"

"Parents told me that to be afraid of nonsenses is a nonsense!" the Man honestly admitted.

"You... coward!" hissed the Fear. "You are all cowards, one way or another! It's possible to find cracks in each house... I will get through it and take over... b-o-o-o-o! Tell me," the Fear suddenly changed the tone, "do you desire... power?"

"What's the reason?" the Man was surprised. "Only the headache comes out of it."

"Too bad!" spat the Fear. "I won't be able to control you through it then."

"I am not afraid of getting power," smiled the Man. "I simply don't need it."

"Not to get, you clodhopper, but to lose! You all aren't afraid to get something, especially from what is coming in your hands by itself willingly, but to lose it all afterward..."

"To be afraid to lose something? What exactly?"

"O-o-o-o... some many things, so many illusions!" laughed the Fear. "Riches, authorities, prestige, comfort, faith, love!"

"One cannot be stripped of love and faith," firmly told the Man, "for they are living inside of us!"

"Certainly, certainly!" the Fear calmed him down. "You are probably one of the clever ones which I have encountered today. But would you know how many people are afraid of losing what they call as 'love'. Pure physiology!" the Fear continued guffawing. "If you would only know how many of them we together with my friend Offense have already sent straight to the Other World recently due to that very 'non-mutual love'... you wouldn't smile with that silly smile of yours any longer. B-o-o-o! W-o-o-o! F-o-o-o!"

"You, bastard!" shouted the Man. "For long I have had a feeling that deeds of yours are dark!"

"And you haven't seen deeds of mine!" the Fear interrupted him sharply. "So don't you judge, and won't be judged, as they say! Always do I act with your, human hands. So the responsibility lays down on you as well. I mean on these clever ones who have come under my influence, and not such simpletons as you who even cannot be frightened normally!"

"You put dread first and foremost into minds of clever people?" the Man was shocked.

"They are my most delicious prey!" confirmed the Fear. "Almost being afraid to lose their prestige and illusion of own pansophy. Such arrogant and pretty ones, huh-huh!" the Fear was laughing hysterically.