This week: Fear Edited by: W.D.Wilcox  
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“And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon‘s that is dreaming.”
— Edgar Allan Poe
“Is there someone inside you?”
— Psychiatrist, “The Exorcist”
“I know of witches who whistle at different pitches, calling things that don’t have names.”
— Helen Oyeyemi, “White is for Witching”
“He’s not like us. He smiles a lot. But I think there might be worms inside him, making him smile.”
— Stephen King, “The Stand”
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FEAR
“Fear is our survival response,” says Northwestern Medicine clinical psychologist Zachary Sikora, PsyD. Some people — like roller-coaster fans and horror movie buffs — thrive on it, while other people avoid it. Have you ever wondered why? And what really happens inside your body and brain when you’re afraid?
Fear is experienced in your mind, but it triggers a strong physical reaction in your body.
As soon as you recognize fear, your amygdala (a small organ in the middle of your brain) goes to work. It alerts your nervous system, which sets your body’s fear response into motion.
Your body releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Your blood pressure and heart rate increase. You start breathing faster.
Even your blood flow changes. Blood flows away from your heart and into your limbs, making it easier for you to start throwing punches or run for your life. Your body is preparing for a fight-or-flight response.
As some parts of your brain are revving up, others are shutting down. When the amygdala senses fear, the cerebral cortex (area of the brain that harnesses reasoning and judgment) becomes impaired. This makes it difficult to make good decisions or think clearly. As a result, you might scream and throw your hands up when approached by an actor in a haunted house. You are unable to rationalize that the threat is not real.
Why do people who love roller coasters, haunted houses, and horror movies enjoy getting caught up in those fearful, stressful moments? Because the thrill doesn’t necessarily end when the ride or movie ends.
Through the excitation transfer process, your body and brain remain aroused even after your scary experience is over.
During a staged fear experience, your brain will produce more of a chemical called dopamine, which gives you feelings of pleasure.
So, please, scare me.
W.D.Wilcox
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Adrenalized Picks
|  | The Pit (13+)
An adventure story about four teens, an old man, and a mysterious pit in coal country.
#1673878 by Milhaud - Tab B  |
| | Possession (18+)
In an asylum for the criminally insane, a young orderly discovers true possession...
#1028269 by W.D.Wilcox |
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DEAD LETTERS
S 🤦
I often find that in horror, children are not written as children. They don't respond the way children would react to what is going on around them. After more than a decade in the classroom and even longer as a sports coach, there have been very few child characters in horror writing (it's worse in films) who are children. 'The Shining' by King is a great example of it done well with Danny; 'Firestarter' by King is an example of a child acting more like an adult.
So, while children in peril in a horror tale seem like a great idea, making them act and behave and respond like children seems to be a rarity.
It's true. Writing a child who behaves as a child can be tricky. I think Stephen King knowingly puts children in his horror stories because there's no greater fear in adults than to see a child in danger or being harmed.
Beholden 
Thank you very much for including my short story, Pinky, in your Editor's Picks section.
You're welcome, it's a good story.
| ASIN: B0DVZFKS6F |
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Horror/Scary: August 27, 2025 Issue [#13305]
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