The Fears Within

Break the Looking Glass

Ophtalmophobia - Fear of being stared at

The back of Victor’s neck prickled, the hairs standing erect and sending a tingle down his arms. Breathing shallowly, he didn’t dare turn around, fearing whatever may be behind him and dreading the outcome.

He’d gotten used to the feeling and had learned how to ignore it over the years. Every time he turned it never brought anything good to him. The feeling of people’s eyes on him creeped him out more than he let on. And when he realized someone was staring at him… well. It would be mild to say that he freaked out.

Now that people knew this about him, the more stares he got, and the more people would torment him.

Apparently it was fun to stare at the weird kid. His classmates had made almost a game out of it. How many people can we get to stare at him before he freaks out?

Victor hated going to school now because of it. He begged his mom to home school him, but she was too busy and she knew he could deal with his fear by himself.

The feeling intensified and he knew the sardonic taunts weren’t far behind. His classmates’ favorite game had started up again.

“Hey, Vic. Vic. Turn around. I’ve got something to show you.” Someone called out.

Victor bristled as laughter sounded through the lunch room. It was immature and cruel, but no one was stopping it.

“Come ooon, Vicky. Please? I know you’ll love it.” This time Victor matched the voice with Peter Easton, a boy in his Science class.

Grimacing, Victor bent over his lunch and cast his eyes down at the table. He knew he should just get it over with but he couldn’t help glancing at the clock, willing it to go faster so that he wouldn’t have to look up.

Right as Peter started another taunt, Victor took in a deep breath and spun, meeting his gaze with a glare.

Finding almost everyone in the lunchroom staring at him, Victor gripped his thighs, his head spinning. Applause littered the room as Victor tried to gain control of himself.

Peter approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Great job today, looks like you’re getting better at-”

He cut off as Victor launched himself at the other boy. Someone in the room screamed as the two went down hard, crashing to the floor.

Kids backed up as Victor stared down in out of control fury. Peter’s eyes radiated fear as he struggled meekly under Victor’s weight.

“TURN AROUND!” Victor screamed at his other classmates.

Everyone in the cafeteria spun, not chancing any looks backward. Peter tried again to free himself but couldn’t move under sixteen year old Victor.

“Hey, come on, man. I was just messing around!” Peter squeaked, cowering under Victor.

“That was the last time. Ever. I’m done with this.” Victor growled and threw himself on top of Peter.

Peter spun, trying to avoid Victor’s murderous intentions. The latter grabbed Peter’s arms with one hand and with the other slashed his fingers down on the boy’s face. Peter screamed as Victor raked his nails across Peter’s eye. Blood splattered the floor as the boys rolled and fought, Victor not thinking straight in his anger and fear. Someone ran to get a teacher and came back a moment later with the gym teacher.

“BOYS!” He yelled, pulling Victor off of Peter. Peter crawled away, holding his left eye and whimpering. Another teacher started to tend to Peter as the gym coach dragged Victor out into the hall.

What the hell were you doing in there, Victor?” He said, trying and failing to keep his voice down.

“I was afraid.” Victor said quietly.

The gym teacher just stared at him and then dragged him to the principal’s office where Victor was giving out of school suspension for a week.

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When he returned everyone gave him a wide berth in the halls. He had changed from the wimpy, fearful, easy target that everyone picked on to the boy that everyone feared. No one looked at him, afraid to draw his attention.

At one point Victor passed Peter in the hallway. The other boy had an eye patch strung over one eye and three angry red scars on his cheek. He cast his eyes down and hurried away from Victor.

When the day ended Victor walked home and up into his room. He knew he had changed but he didn’t know if that was good or bad. Surely it was good. No one ever looked at him now. But then he realized something. There was one person who could still see him.

His head snapped up and he ran into the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror. In front of him, his reflection was staring at him, brown eyes wide in fear.

Terrified he clawed at his face, ignoring the pain and digging into his eye sockets. Blood splattered against the sink and stuck under his finger nails. The last thing he saw was his terrified and bloodshot eyes being ripped from his face before everything went black. He staggered into the opposite wall and slid down it. Blood ran down his face like thick, hot tears and stained his clothes.

The pain was horrible, but he only had to endure it for a couple of moments before he fell unconscious.

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When Victor awoke he thought he was dead. He couldn’t see anything and he was cold. But then he realized he could feel sheets around him and some time of cloth covering his eyes. He tried to blink and realized he couldn’t. There was nothing left to blink with.

Sighing in contentment he started laughing, startling whoever was in the room with him. The same words kept replaying over and over in his head. I’m free.

He swiveled his head around, chuckling to himself. Someone ran from the room and returned a moment later. Victor couldn’t see them, but then it happened. The hairs on his arms stood up. He could still feel himself being looked at.

Victor started screaming.