“For the night is dark and full of terrors” —

If you were a huge fan of game of thrones, the above saying won't be new to you. There is a specific reason I have started this post with the night, the dark and the terrors. I have a real time experience that links the three element into a horrendous memory. A memory that never gets dusty in my head.

As some of us know. There's this phobia that comes when the lights go off or when we find ourselves in the dark or maybe when we walk into the dark. Our mood changes. We start having strange thoughts, our heart palpitate vigorously due to the unknown that gets created in the imagination. That's when our imagination gets intoxicated by images of fear and terror.

Well, not everyone have such experience of nyctophobia (severe fear of the dark). Some enjoy the dark more and find it more comfortable, some are more bold in the dark. They have high relaxed mind in the dark, they don't phantom pictures of fear or terror, they hardly get tensed in the dark even if they are caught by surprises from a friend, family or a relative.

Since I came into this world in the late 20th century, right from my early childhood days till now - my experience with the dark has always been nyctophobic. If I am alone, I tell you the experience is much horrible as my heart will never fail to palpitate, my body and teeth will never fail to quiver and my imagination will never fail as an evil sorcerer cooking my thoughts in a cauldron of evil.

The funny part is that nobody is responsible for pulling the strings of this phobia, rather it is I who subconsciously pulls it.

While growing up I didn't understand why I was so scared of the dark as I never see any of my parent exhibit such trait. Since I was ashamed of it. I kept the secret to myself.

.......Then came one night when the moon was high and clear in the sky......

My fictitious reality

I have always been secretive about my ncytophobia dilemmas as they contributed more to my abnormal heart beats that last over thirty minutes which most times lead to thoughts of ripping out my heart.

After we moved from festac town to another remote area, majorly a suburb area. The place lacked more developing features than the former place we lived. In terms of electricity, road, education, infrastructure, industry and top services etc. This new place we moved to had low substantial quality in these areas capable of enhancing a good standard of living.

Anyways shit happened, all I remember is that my parent had to make an unplanned decision to move to this new location as our former rented apartment came under threat of quick demolition from the government.

............then came one night........

My parent never knew I was sacred of the dark, most times when they sent me out on an errand to buy something from the retail store close to our house, they always find me running back into the house. I was always on the "run" before and after the errand. They never bothered to ask what was chasing me.

So one night like this when the moon was high as usual in the sky, as I ran past the threshold of our house gate. Few meters from the gate, I stopped running and saw a strange being who was the same size like me. He looked liked a kid I recently became friends with in the streets. He had white eyes and was lean in physical features. He wore a vest and was on shorts. He had this halloween aura and didn't seem like one that could pose a threat. He looked harmless but terrifying as his eyes lacked those needed pupil and retina to prove his human qualities. It was pure white.

This is what I can remember of this human-like being.

Immediately he came out of nowhere. He obstructed my way. He didn't let me pass. Anytime I tried to bypass him by moving to the other side he was swift and reacted with the likewise speed of a vampire. It got me pissed as I had an important errand to run for my parent.......

.......since he looked like a friend I knew from the streets... I said this words to this odd being;

"Hey, Samson move out of the way, I wanna buy something for my parent" (x7)

This being just stood there, it didn't twitch. Each manoeuvre I did to the left or right side
uttering "get out of the way" was all in futility.........

.......It fell on deaf ears. Mind you I was scared but what reduced the tension was because this strange being was clothed in the appearance of a friend I knew. So it felt like I had an awkward company.

So I kept pestering him repeatedly to get out of my way, it got to a point a voice adviced me to push him out of my way by thrusting my hands on his chest. Damn that was the worst advice ever as the retaliation of this being wasn't funny. My push only moved him three steps backward, when he responded he was swift with his move and only touched me on my chest with his two hands. You will think I wlll just stagger slightly. Damn.. the effect was worst. I swear I remember vividly that I flew backwards in the air.

Immediately I stood up back on my feet. Nobody told me twice to retreat at this strange phenomenon. I ran swiftly like a car back to my house. It took me some time to mount up some courage to try again so as to complete the task of the errand cuz it was my worst nyctophobia experience. I was haunted in reality by the unknown. Till date this incident remains a mystery.

Whether you believe it or not; this is a true life experience though I am now a young adult, the deposit of ncytophobia is still in me but at a reduced rate.

Thanks for reading.

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