Author's Note: This is my first every short story/prose that I have created. I hope you enjoy reading it!
What are we afraid of? Some may not like to admit it, but everyone fears something. A fear factor. Common fears are these: fear of small spaces, fear of heights, and fear of water. Claustrophobia. Acrophobia. Hydrophobia. Yet, there are some unique ones, such as the fear of the color purple. Porphyrophobia. Yes, that is an actual word, but that’s not important. The million dollar question is what fear outshines the rest? Make other fears seem so minuscule? Death? Guess again. Believe it or not, it’s public speaking. It’s basically getting up in front of a crowd and delivering a speech or presentation, so why does it seem so bad? I, myself, have had many dreadful encounters with the monster itself, public speaking.
People present before me and I watch them anxiously. They seem so confident and self-assured. They are clear and calm. All of them enunciate and their loud, booming voices reverberate throughout the entire room. Meanwhile, I’m sitting somewhere in the back. I tap my foot impatiently. I must have ADHD; it seems that I can’t sit still. I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans. How is it possible for a person to break a sweat when they’re doing nothing?
There are butterflies in my stomach, threatening to take a fifteen hundred feet drop and go on a roller coaster ride. My heartbeat accelerates and it skips a beat or two. I sneak a peek at my short fingernails, which I have been gnawing at for the past half hour.
With a sinking feeling, I realize it’s my turn. I stand up and make my way to the podium. My legs feel like jelly, or thin spaghetti strands, in danger of snapping at any moment. I wobble a bit and stumble, catching myself in the nick of time. I look out the audience, who are waiting expectantly. Their piercing eyes see right through me. I exhale deeply and clear my throat.
Adjusting my microphone, I finally open my mouth. No sound comes out. My face heats up and I quickly close my mouth. I gulp and try to regain my composure, but it’s impossible. Somehow I get through my speech, but I doubt I’m going to get any applause. I was stuttering and sometimes I made stuff up, even though I hadn’t planned it. Practicing in front of a mirror is certainly different from the real thing!
