Fear by Scott Aranha

When I am on land, I constantly peer over my shoulder, waiting for some jerk to jump me. When walking on the unlighted streets of downtown Nassau, I turn my head at any sound; I jump when a car starts up, or air conditioners kick in.

When I jump in the water, I am at home, and nothing startles me.

Sharks are nothing to fear; so long as you show them you respect them, they leave you alone. The natives of the water are so tranquil, they move around in their rhythmic patterns, and routine manners. They live together in a peaceful, yet chaotic manner. The violence is only natural; they kill only those who are destined for death.

On land we have crazy people, those who kill for fun. We have people with psychotic streaks, those who have no control of their actions. We have people who value material possessions over life, those who kill for wealth, and decadent luxuries.

Beneath the surface of the sea there is nothing but what is natural, nothing created. Guns and knives were created to kill those of our own species, some kill for a thrill, and others for the need to satisfy the bloodthirsty nature of our aggressive society. We have arson, murder, rape, theft, and conspiracy. Our communication is aggressive and vulgar; people live in poverty, sleeping on the streets. Beneath the surface of the sea, home is where you spend the night; any hole in the rocks, any sea fan, every fish is born with equal opportunities. Fish can go where they please, they have no one appointed to positions of authority and they live in natural order.

We appoint pompous windbags to positions of authority, people who run around pointing fingers and acting like they are untouchable. We push others around, treat some like dirt, and not all voices are heard. Under the sea, natural order rules, but when we get into the sea, we try to take over, and this is why we have fear. Because of some, we have taught the under sea creatures that we are a threat, and so we fear their retaliation. But if we are as tranquil as the ocean naturally is, no creature pays us any mind. The water is my safe zone, and the land brings to me a sense of fear.