This week’s post is based on the following lyrics from Re-Align by Godsmack:
“My fears come alive in this place where I once died.”
…..
He sped through the room, refusing to look left or right. Before he could exit to the solace of the hallway, his path was blocked. Gritting his teeth he said, “Get out of my way.”
His antagonizer smirked and did not move. “Why does this room bother you so much?”
“Move.”
“Fine, fine, I’ll move, if you’ll tell me what I want to know.”
Sighing, he nodded once and then stepped into the hallway as soon as the way was clear.
“So? I’ve watched you walk this big house for months now and in this room, and this room only, you rush through. Why is that?”
He sighed again, refusing to meet the other’s gaze. The words would not come immediately and so he said nothing. His eyes shifted to his feet, ready to be on the move again.
“I’m waiting.”
“I died in that room.”
“So? That’s it? You’re dead. That shouldn’t bother you.”
“I don’t mind the room because it’s where I died. I don’t like it because it is a reminder of all I left unfinished.”
“Again, so what? You’re dead. None of that should bother you.”
“You are truly lucky then.”
“Come off it. What are you talking about?”
“In that room, that room where I died, I can still feel.”
“That’s impossible.”
“As I said, you are truly lucky.”
“What do you feel?”
“Afraid.”
At this, the other scoffed and grew visibly agitated. “That can’t be. You have nothing to fear. You’re already dead, you fool. What are you playing at? What’s the real reason?”
He didn’t answer. There was nothing else he could say to have them understand.
It wasn’t fear for himself, he was dead. It was fear for those he’d left behind. Fear he hadn’t done enough for them. Fear he hadn’t helped as much as he could. Fear that they would join him in this, this haunting, this whatever it was.
In the room where he died, all those fears came alive.
The Matticus Kingdom 
Wow! I like this! The fear behind the fear of death is this!
I wanted to do so much more with this. I couldn’t find the words to match the idea. I’m glad you like it.
Sometimes it starts out with less than you want to do, but later you can revisit it and maybe expand upon it 🙂 its always worth doing something, I think. I did enjoy it! It got me thinking in a way…that will probably continue.
I’m not very good at revisiting stories. Too many ideas, too little time. But this one really resonated with me so I think I will come back to it and try again.
A-mazing. That is all, sir.
Thank you.
One of my favorite bands. Another powerful story. Wow.
Thank you. I’m glad everyone is liking it. I felt it was my weakest story I was sharing this month. Funny how that happens.
Yeah, unpredictable. Looking forward to reading more.
Love it!
Strange. That was supposed to be in response to your f bomb on stuph blog. Somehow ended up here. Sigh.
Haha! No worries. I’m still laughing about the soap comment. I tasted my first at age seven and it didn’t work either.
LOL so it goes, so it goes. We did the swear jar later but only agreed to it if our parents would use it too. That didn’t last long. Parents got tired of putting money in.
Lol, it’s like when Ralphie’s mom asks him who taught him the f word. He couldn’t say his dad so he ratted out a friend.
Exactly! My kids, of course, will have no problem saying who taught them the f word. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not.
terrifying !
Thanks, I think. I’m not sure I was going for scary… But this didn’t turn out how I’d hoped anyway, so I’ll take it whatever it is.
yes, a good terrifying for sure
Phew. Okay, cool. Thank you!
Good job, my friend. You never disappoint.
Glad you approve. Sorry I haven’t linked you on any of these. Meant to but never went back and added the links after publishing them. The last couple weeks have been pure chaos in the kingdom. I’ll try to carve out some time this weekend and link you in.
I’m not worried about it. Do what you have to do and the blog stuff will sort itself out.
You’re awesome.
You are too, my friend.
I was planning on commenting on what a clever idea this is. And how fun to take song lyrics and create such a world out of them! But then I got to the end of this one and read, “fear for those he’d left behind. Fear he hadn’t done enough for them. Fear he hadn’t helped as much as he could” and that HIT. I wrote a piece about fear and ‘Doctor Who’ a few years back and part of it was me exploring how much central not being able to help those I love – to do everything I can for them (not always the most healthy of goals but something which is a key part of who I am all the same) – was to my deepest fears. So this really resonated. Wow. It was haunting, in a very welcome, very familiar way.
I struggled with this one. Likely because this song means the most to me of the ones I stole lyrics from. But also because these are my own fears. Thank you for reading and commenting! If you can find them link to the post you were talking about send it over and I’ll give it a read too.
You’re very welcome. And I did keep thinking about this for long time after reading it – I still am thinking about it! It is such a powerful piece. Thank you for your interest in my post, too. I appreciate that so much :). Here’s the link to the piece about ‘Doctor Who’ and my fears I mentioned:
https://mycomicrelief.wordpress.com/2020/10/18/the-abject-horror-of-doctor-whos-confession-dial/