phobias | Mostly Bright Ideas

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We Have Everything to Fear, Except Fear Itself

June 30, 2011

There’s a strange noise coming from somewhere. A scratching sound, muffled yet close by. It’s unsettling. We go looking for it, standing motionless in the middle of the living room, our heads tilted to one side. We listen. There it is again. It’s coming from inside that wall. There’s something alive in there! Even a […]

Zerophobia, and Other Fears I Made Up

December 3, 2010

We had two heavy, black rotary dial telephones in our house. My older brothers told me that if I picked up the receiver and dialed zero, the operator would answer. This scared me, the idea that no matter when I picked up that phone, she would be there, waiting. “Operator. Can I help you?” Operator. […]