We all know this monster. Some of us more than others. It is the monster that lingers in all of us waiting to strike at the right moment. The one waiting for us to get alone and scared. It hides in the pitch black corners with the viscous beady red eyes. He has that voice that gives you goosebumps and fear every word that comes out of those yellow horrible fangs. Every word is a terrible chill. It is almost a repulsive hiss. It seeks out your pain, and most of the time it is successful. This horrid beast is what we feared was under our beds as young child. It was watch us while we slept, breathing down your neck giving you those chills that made you grab your cover as if there was a swift breeze. We all knew it was there, knowing was only half the battle. The battle between sanity and insanity, also the fine line between life and death.
It is as if it is tightrope act. With the hot bright light on shining on your face almost blinding you. But you walk, with the most careful walk. You look down and at the bottom you see the monster waiting. Waiting to see you slip and fall, anticipating this fall. It almost knows you will fall, you have fallen so many times before. As you focus more on it getting the light out of your eyes you notice something, it almost looks just like you. It has the exact hair color, clothes, smile, everything is the same. But the eyes, the eyes were red. It was a red that was a paralyzing, you felt every inch of your small fraile body freeze. The fangs of this beast were worrying, it looks as if it has blood on them from the other victims it has subjected to its power. Then, you fall. Fearing every second of this horrific fall. This fall has felt in such a way it has lasted an eternity. You know what is coming at the end of this fall. It. It is waiting, patiently, quietly, as if it is dedicated to grasping you.
Then you hit your back flat on this hard, rocky ground. You fear to open our eyes, but it is breathing on you. The cold breathe that makes you want to grab your blankie and cry out for your mommy. You open your eyes as you feel your tears running down your face. There it is, right over you. This beast that was once your mirror image of you is now this pitch-black beast with spikes running down the spine. It is starting, studying you. The monster is turning its head in confusion. While it is standing there you smell the most petrifying smell. It smells like a rancid sewage drain that has not been cleaned in months. Then it smirks, it shows these dull yellow decaying fangs. Then it grasps you with its numbing claws and takes you, takes you to this musty room and bolts you down. Then jaunts aways with a satisfaction. You finally realize that this beast that has been there for many years, gradually making you sad. The more the monster has held on to you the more you have stopped talking to your friends and family, the more you have been failing in school, the more you lay in bed at night and cry for hours on end. This monster is the thing that they have taught you in school. It is the monster called depression.
