domshandy

Eleven-year-old I sat alone in my room, staring at my reflection in the mirror. Suddenly, a dark shadow emerged from behind my reflection.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am your fear," the shadow replied. "Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of being alone."

I widened my eyes as the shadow grew larger.

"But I'm not afraid," I said, trying to sound brave.

The shadow chuckled. "You are, I. You're afraid of not meeting expectations, of not being good enough."

I dropped my eyes and whispered, "What if I fail?"

The shadow loomed closer. "You will fail, I. But it's how you respond that matters."

I looked up, determination burning within me. "I won't let you win."

With newfound resolve, I turned away from the mirror and faced my fears .