Fear

The window panes rattled with the thunderstorm. Phoebe backed away from the window, shacking. The city was dark, the only light the flashes of the lightning and the headlights of the cars. She had lit a candle and the smell of beeswax lingered in the air. She sat on the sofa clinging to a blanket, she would have petted Mer, her cat, but he was hiding under the bed scared of the storm. She was scared too, of the storm, of loneliness, of everything. She was tired of being afraid, but she couldn't see a way out. 

Rain kept falling down outside. Phobe stared at the candle as it burnt off, the dancing flame dying off. Then, darkness engulfed her house as it had done with her soul. It was an appropriate analogy for her hope. She pulled the blanket closer. Tears started rolling down her cheeks. Mer jumped on the couch and rubbed his head on her leg. It had stopped raining. Phoebe took Mer on her arms as he purred. He licked her face. 

-You're the only one I'm not afraid of, Mer.- she whispered into the cat's ear.- The only one. 

The cat made himself comfortable on her lap and fell asleep. Phoebe looked down at him, it was very dark and she could hardly make out his shape, but she saw that he wasn't afraid anymore. She wished she could be like him, she wished she could lose her fears, but there were too many and she was too afraid to confront them. If she had been braver maybe she would have ended with all her suffering once and for all, but she was too afraid of death.