The Importance of Fear

Lucy Belle was a sweet little girl with a timid nature. She was far too delicate in the way of emotions and physical appearance. Her parents would treat her like a priceless little doll. Dressing her in the finest clothes and making sure her chestnut locks were always properly groomed. Her dark eyes would glimmer like jewels in the sunlight. And even in the darkness, her smile shone through. 

But, Lucy wasn't satisfied with her delicate nature. At a mere seven years old, she wanted to become stronger. She no longer wanted to be that porcelain doll, needing to be kept on a shelf and protected. She had fears that made her weak, that made her afraid of the world around her. But one fear overshadowed all of them. Darkness. She decided that she needed to overcome her fear of the dark. 

She had always feared the dark. Feelings of dread stirred in her chest whenever the lights went out. Going as far as keeping the lights on in her room when she slept. Her mother had finally given her a night light to keep her safe from the shadows that had her chest pounding in anxiety.

It was finally her time to overcome her weakness and remove herself from that safe shelf she rested upon. During the night when her home was soundly asleep, she chose to go to the basement. Lucy had never stepped foot into that wretched place. She would only go as far as the door, building her courage to simply look down the rickety wooden steps to the dark hole of nightmares. 

But it was not the time to be afraid. Suspiciously, the light was turned on. Her mother always made sure to turn off the lights to save electricity. It was just a single light bulb swinging on a dingy string. She opened that heavy wooden door and looked down to the place where she would overcome her fears. 

Lucy’s delicate feet slid across the harsh wood. Her onyx eyes perceived her surroundings. The concrete walls were cracked and dusty. The ceiling only showed spider webs and a bare wood ceiling structure. The air was musty and cold, making her shiver. Lucy was scared already and the lights were still on. 

She traveled down those wooden steps, listening to them groan from her slight weight. She wanted to run. She never wanted to be down there. But she was determined to reach her goals and prove that she could be more than a breakable doll. 

Lucy reached the bottom, feeling the chilly concrete beneath her. She walked to that dangling lightbulb ominously swinging in the still room. Her tiny hand reached up to the chain currently keeping the room lit. Shadows danced on the walls, but she was safe. At least for now. She took a deep breath, inhaling the damp air, and pulled on the chain. 

Not even moonlight could reach her in this darkness. She could feel the ominous presence everywhere. Eyes watching her every breath, demons threatening to grab at her feet, but she stood strong. Three seconds passed. And then five, then twenty. Her chest was going to explode with pure terror. Even with that feeling building within her, she still didn't turn on the light. 

Only did she come out of the darkness when a voice whispered into her ear. “Hungry” it said with a strained tone. Lucy screamed in fear and turned to reach for her savior, the light. 

Lucy had slept with her lights on that night. Every night after that, she would go down to the basement. And every night, the light would be on. She would go down those same rickety steps and pull on that same chain. The light would be off longer and longer, but there was always something that made her run from her goals. That voice. Whispering in her ear. It wasn't a human’s voice. It sounded like an animal speaking in an unfamiliar language. Always sending shivers down her spine and rattling her bones in soul shaking horror. 

One night, she traveled back down to her enemy. The darkness. She turned off the light and waited. The monsters crawled from the deepest parts of her mind. This time however, she refused to be the victim. She stomped on the demons that grabbed at her feet. She glared at the eyes that watched her from the corners. She felt stronger. She was breaking her glass shell. Grabbing her sword and shield, ready to jump from her shelf and face the world. 

But behind her, there was that voice. That same voice that shook her entire being. “Hungry.” 

But she wouldn't take it any longer. She turned around to face her monster. To impale it with her new weapons of bravery. “Go away!” She yelled with confidence. The voice didn't respond. She felt the weight on her chest lift and without turning the light back on, she walked up the steps. Her fears were behind her. 

The next few nights, the voice still came to her. Always whispering the same thing. And every night she would shout the same thing in response. "Go away!” Then she would run upstairs with trembling hands. But she could feel her resolve growing.

“Hungry” it replied. That same raspy voice sounded off. Animalistic and savage. But this time, she didn't shake. She held her ground.

“I'm not afraid of you anymore!” She screamed from the top of her lungs. Expelling all the fear from her body and soon, she felt lighter. Finally free from the voice as it didn't respond. She ran up to her room. Proud of herself.

The next night, her mother came into her room to tuck her in. Finally, she was able to say, “No night light, Mommy. I'm not scared anymore.” 

Her mother would look at her precious doll with sparkling eyes. “That's good honey. Goodnight my darling.” 

“Night Mommy.” The lights went out and she felt calm. Her mind drifted into a dreamless slumber, unaware of the doom that awaited her soul. For the basement door was left ajar that night. The light that was always on had burned out. Something dangerous had slipped from the depths of the basement. Slinking along the halls, bringing with it fear and despair. The home that she loved so much was now shrouded in darkness. The darkness she no longer feared. 

A figure stood over the exquisite bed of Lucy Belle. Dripping in misty shadows, taking no shape. It was fear incarnate. Screams of the lost were its voice and souls of the damned were its heart. Its eyes ran red with the blood of its victims. A feral grin rose to the creature's face as it looked down to the delicate creature that was Lucy. Shining in the moonlight, no longer weighed down with fear. That was perfect, though. The savory flavor of the foolish was its preferred meal.

“Hungry.” 

Lucy’s parents woke to find her bed empty. They worked tirelessly, trying to find their little doll, but they never did. The Belle’s lost their fortune and moved away from their precious dreams that had turned into nightmares. 

Years later, a new family moved into the home. Bringing along with them a little boy. He was a boy like the little girl named Lucy. And he too was afraid of the dark. He went down to that same basement. Walking down those same rickety stairs she had. Finding the light bulb always on, just like she did. He would turn off the light and wait. And every night he would hear a voice, whispering in his ear. It was the sound of a little girl, pained and desperate. It would say those same words uttered many years ago. 

“Hungry.”