Fear

Fear

Fear. It can rise inside us at any time, looming in the background of our subconscious. It will stop heroes in their tracks, it will make the enemy run...it will make most normal people scream as it creeps up on them.

Terror. Fear heightened to the point where even the enemy freeze, the heroes cannot go back and the normal people...well, they are rooted to the spot more fiercely than before, too afraid to breathe let alone shout.

Was it possible to be frightened to death? Lauren was beginning to think so. Off to one side, the cashier lay bleeding from a bad wound in his side. On the other, just in the line of her peripheral vision, her two children were standing, both crying loudly.

Her hands wrapped around the arm holding the knife, trying to keep it away from her flesh. The young teen behind her threatening her life for just a few dollars and a packet of cigarettes.

"Please, no!" she cried out shrilly as the knife nicked her arm slightly. Pain from the slight wound flooded through her system and pushed some of her all encompassing fear back.

"Mama!" her young boy screamed, seeing the blood.

"It's alright, Benjamin." She stated, a lot calmer than she felt.

With a strangled cry she threw her head back, catching the robber in the face. A loud crack followed as cartilage snapped and she realised she had broken his nose.

Twisting the arm holding her, she managed to get the knife away from the young teen and drove it into his stomach.

Screams were heard all about as her two children witnessed the stabbing, as did the other customers in the store. No scream was louder than her own however.

The teen robber slowly sank to his knees and let out a groan.

It was then that Lauren knew that, even as she had been held hostage, she had no idea what real fear was. Standing in a shop, witnesses still about, she had just brutally attacked someone.

She froze, her body going stiff as she heard the sudden shrill ring of sirens as the police and ambulance arrived. She might be going to jail. She might be dying as the two wounded were.

Who would look after Benjamin and Jessica for her? Her two beautiful children! Who would make sure the cat was fed and watered?

She barely noticed as the police came inside, weapons drawn, ready to shoot the bad guys. She did however recognise the feeling of a blanket being draped over her shoulders.

Everything was blurred about the edges, not real. All of this was just some warped dream she was having. But if that was true, why was she in pain? Why was she still bleeding? Why did she feel like she did?

Fear, it is all-encompassing as it passes over us. It stills the heart before making it beat faster than should be possible.

Sometimes, the fear overtakes us and makes us do things we normally wouldn't. Sometimes fear can kill.