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chapter eleven relinquishment of logic
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Fear is the relinquishment of logic. It's a primal instinct. As humans, we assess every situation we are thrown into whether we're conscious of that fact or not, and it's our gut instinct that determines how we react. With fear, our bodies go into flight or fight mode. Either we surrender to it or fight it but there is no in between; there's no halfway mark when it's life or death.
Some argue that fear is a psychological construct rather than discoverable through scientific investigation. Others argue that it cannot be applied to animals because there is no way of knowing whether they feel afraid. But Jill Samson thought that was bullshit.
Animals aren't born vengeful, humans sculpt them that way. When an animal is born, the world is new, but how they are raised impact the way their brains develop. If a dog chews a shoe and their owner kicks them as punishment, the dog will learn that mistakes mean pain. They could either yield to it or fight it. In some cases, an abused dog will turn to its primal instincts for protection. It is the fear instilled in them from outside forces that sharpen their canines and make them crave the stench of blood on their breath.
It's the same for humans, Jill always thought. Fear is the relinquishment of logic. When it is life or death or anything in between, logic goes out the door and all you can focus on is your heart racing and that feeling in your gut that tells you to fight or get the hell out of there. It is then you're left to rely on your instincts, and for some that gut feeling means to succumb to your fears and bare your teeth.
Jill had never been one to run. Her gut always told her to fight until her knuckles were stained with blood and her skin was covered in purple bruises. Some might have called that bravery, but Jill had never been brave. Bravery was fighting despite the fear, Jill had always fought because of the fear. She fought the things that terrified her because if she didn't they'd still be there haunting her and she already had too many ghosts to endure more.
