Childhood Scares

The satisfaction that comes with scaring someone is a wonderous thing. Even as a child the thought that someone found me scary, for even a moment amazed me. This is too much for any unreasonable five year old to handle! I began to feel like a superhero. A mere child by day and true hunter in the night.

Naturally the family did not see an immediate issue with their cute little five year old jumpscaring them from time to time. But after many time outs, six cups of spilled milk, and a broken dinner plate they still did not suspect.

My best scare had been my most painful. I would often wake up to the pitter-patter of feet on linoleom or the old green carpet. On one such a night I crept down my bunkbed ladder out into the hall discovering my eldest sister. I thought it smart at the time to walk directly and silently behind her. But I was certain my fun came to an end when she turned on a lamp. Desperate I stepped into the nearest corner and waited.

Should my unwitting sibling turn left I should be safe. Should she turn right I was caught. With a quick left turn I was discovered! From my elder siblings mouth erupted the most terrified banshee wail before she descended upon me twelve year-old fists flying. My mom rushed from her bedroom that night and found one child terrified and the other crying. Rushing to help me she found me laughing. With a few temporary lumps I went to bed with dignity.

Now I thought, an innocent trip to the kitchen for a midnight snack or walking down a dark hallway is dangerous… because I’m there. After roughly two years of torture my seemingly became immune to my antics. No matter how clever or unexpected I thought it was it just wasn’t working anymore. So I stopped. When weeks went by without so much as a silent approach my family became increasingly concerned. That in itself scared them even more.

Now I’m still up to my old tricks but I’ve grown and adpated. But I must say you’ve never scared someone badly enough until you see a full grown man curl up in the fetal position!