The Imposter

Before I had even entered the house, I felt something was not right.

A feeling of dread filled my whole being. The hair stood up on the back of my neck.

Yet, I still turned the key and walked through my front door.

I saw him, before he saw me; he was wearing a black hoodie. His hood covered all of his face.

He was sitting cross-legged on my lounge floor.

I froze, dropped everything I was carrying.

They say your fight-or-flight response will kick in. Mine did not.

I stood as if my feet were cemented to the floor.

So many questions ran through my brain. Who was he? What did he want?

What felt like hours of me standing staring at this impostor must’ve only been minutes.

He slowly raised his head, and he looked into my eyes.

His eyes were black like marble.

Then he opened his mouth to speak, and he spoke in a growling voice.

“I am fear, and I now live here”

The sound of his voice made my blood run cold.

The whole room felt like he had sucked the oxygen right out of it. He then began to speak.

“You haven’t planned for your future”

“You don’t have enough money in the bank”

“What will happen if your husband dies?”

“You should really get your health checked out; it’s most probably something sinister”

This impostor seemed to know all my thoughts and was feeding into all the fears I had ever thought.

My hands flew to my ears trying to cover out the sound of his cold, eerie voice, but he just shouted louder.

Although the room in front of me was cold, I felt a warm hand on my back

I slowly turned around to see who was there.

Love had come quietly behind me. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Love whispered gently in my ear.

Do you want me to deal with this impostor?

I nodded. I couldn’t find the words to express my gratitude for his being there.

Love gently moved me to one side. He stood in front of me.

Loved covered me so I could no longer see into fear's dark, piercing eyes.

Love spoke with authority.

“Love conquers all fear. You are not invited here; you must leave”

Fear stood slowly. He seemed agitated as he walked past me. He tried to intimidate me with one last look.

He stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

The Lounge began to feel warm again.

I had the urge to clean the whole house, never mind the place where fear had sat.

Instead, love took my hand, and we walked into each room; the warmth and light that radiated from love cleansed the whole house.

We sat together, love holding my hand.

I asked, " Love, why did I feel so intimidated by fear?”

With no condemnation in his voice, love just said

“You just forgot I was near”