Fear is a concept everyone is aware of, but too much is dangerous. Hello my name is Cal Bales and this is a story about what happened to my friends and I in the summer of 2021. But to understand it you must forget everything you think you know. I lived in a small mountain town called Durango. It was a little western and a little modern.I was finishing my freshman year at Durango High School, and that is where the story begins. There I was, sitting up right at my desk. The teacher was giving out the test scores that would tell us if we passed 9th grade or not. My legs were shaking and my teeth chattering. It was like 70 outside so I was not cold. I was looking at the kids that were getting tests. Some were smiling and some looked like they were about to explode with anger. The teacher was walking over to me. She gave me the test envelope. I opened it slowly and I could not believe my eyes. I had gotten 100%. This was great so during the bell I ran to find my BFF Jack. He had gotten 89% which means he passed as well. It was a happy moment so we left to start summer. But just as we were leaving Jack was tripped by Peter. “What is your deal dood?” He asked Peter with the anger of 100 suns. “You boys know the drill. Right?” Peter asked, staring at me. “I don’t know, do we?” I snarled at him. “I recommend you do what you're told. Wouldn't want to upset mother.” He said. “Fine.” I said. I gave him his $20 then he walked away. I walked over and helped Jack up and helped him limp to the bus. When we both got on we resumed our conversation. “You ok?” I asked Jack. “Yeah I’m used to it.” He replied. “So summer plans?” I asked. “Just the usual. Trip to Hawaii for 2 weeks. What about you?” He replied then asked. “My usual. Wake up, go to the library, go home and sleep.” I replied. “Dood you can’t keep avoiding home. At one point you are going to have to talk to them.” Jack said in a tone I could understand. “No,” I said, “You know I haven't talked to anyone but you since the accident.” But then the bus pulled up to the library and I got off and headed inside. As I entered the library gave me a greeting. “Oh hello Bales. Right on time.” He said “Hello Mr. Davis.” I said. “Don’t mind me asking but, why are you here? Don’t you think you should spend your summer outside with friends and family?” He asked. “Not really.” I replied to him. I went to my favorite section; Sci-Fi. Since the accident I have taken an interest in Sci-Fi novels. I was looking for a new good book. Then I stumbled on a book. It was called “The Science of Fear”. It was written by someone named Dr. Crazy. I thought it would be a good read so I went to check it out. I gave it to the librarian and he wrote my name on the check out card. When I looked at it there were only 10 spaces. 9 were already filled and I was now the 10th. But something about those names looked familiar. Like I have seen them before. But I did not pay much attention to them. I started on my very short walk home. When I got there I snuck into my bedroom via a window to avoid my family but as I opened and climbed inside I was confronted by my little sister Liz. She was sitting on her bed giving me this look of anger but also concern. “Where have you been?” She snarled at me. I did not respond and I just set my backpack down and laid down on my bed. “You know you can’t avoid us forever. Look I know things have been hard since 5th grade but you know you can talk to us. Right?” She said as she put her hand on my shoulder. But like before I was silent. I just rolled over and looked at her then at her bed to tell her to go away. So that's what she did. Then I went to sleep but in my last bits of being awake I heard my sister say, “I love you big brother.”. I woke up the next morning. I was in my bed but I felt something on his left arm. I pulled over the sheets and saw 3 spiders on my arm. I screamed, I hated spiders. They are on the top of a list of things I am afraid of. But that was just the start. When I went out to breakfast I saw everything was burned. Even somehow the orange juice. It was like my greatest fears were haunting me. But then I remembered the book. It was all about fear. So I ran out and went straight to Jack. But on my way there all my worst fears followed me. The streets were made of bones, the trees tried to grab me, even the grass was made of blood. It was like that day in 5th grade all over again. Nothing but fear of everything. When I arrived at Jack’s I rang the doorbell. He answered and we went inside. We sat on the couch and I told him what I have been experiencing. So he pulled out his computer and he looked up the book. But there was nothing. It was like the book did not exist. So then we tried the author. There was no Dr. Crazy. But we found someone named Dylan Shaffer. It said he spent his whole life trying to prove that fear is actual science but when his dream laboratory rejected him he disappeared. But everybody remembers him as the Craziest doctor ever. We knew in an instant that was our guy. But why would he be attacking me? So we both went to the library to see if Mr. Davis knew anything about the book. When we got to the library Mr. Davis was at his desk. “Well hello boys. Here on a Saturday I see.” He said as he looked at us. “Hello Mr. Davis,” I said, “We were wondering if you knew anything about this book.” I set it on the desk. He picked it up and opened it on the library database. “We don’t have much on it except that it was the last book everyone who has disappeared check out.” He said. Then it clicked. I did recognize those names and now I had an idea of what we were dealing with. The fact that the disappeared had this book last was either a coincidence or a cause. But then all of a sudden Abby walked into the library. Abby was Jack’s girlfriend and when he is around Jack almost never talks to me. I tried to get rid of her but she (like usual) pulled Jack aside for a chat. But then Mr. Davis pulled me aside for a chat as well. “Look I know this may be a bit personal but why are you always wearing that red flannel and watch?” He asked me with a curious intent. “They are memories from the past. They help me remember her.” I said as I burst into tears. Mr. Davis gave me a tissue. But then as I blew my tears turned into blood and that was our cue to go. So I ran out of there. Jack and Abby soon followed. Abby was asking all sorts of questions and was trying to slow us down. So Jack filled her in and she agreed to help us. But then we were forced to split up because a creature showed up. He was floating with a purple tail, a green afro, and white eyes. But he was a human. We all ran into the woods but he followed me like I was his only goal. But then I ran into a tree. I felt a pain on my left foot. I could not move but I did not want to look at it. But right before the monster could get me it was hit in the face by a log. I turned to see my sister. She helped me up and helped me limp to a nearby table. She told me she was out playing hide and seek with friends. So I told her what was going on. She laughed at first. But when the table was turned into snakes (She hates snakes) she believed me. Eventually Jack and Abby found us and we began to formulate a plan. Abby told us that her mom was a psychic and she may know a weakness. On another day I would say psychics were jokes but after today it wasn't the worst idea. The problem was that she worked on the other end of town. But Liz pointed out that they only know one person with a car who would willingly drive them somewhere on short notice. I was not into the idea at first but we had no choice. So Liz pulled out her phone and made a call. 10 minutes later a green pickup truck pulled into the library parking lot. The window rolled down to reveal the last person I wanted to see. My father Ken Bales. All of us got in the bed of the truck while Liz got in the front seat. During the drive Liz told our dad what was happening. Like the others he did not believe us but he still helped us. After a good 20 minute drive we parked in this parking lot. For some random reason the building was built in the middle of the woods. So we would have to walk. But as we got out and started heading to the trail Jack was punched in the back sending him to the ground. “What the heck dood?” He yelled as he burst into tears. He rolled over on the ground to see our arch nemesis. “Peter,” I screamed in anger, “What are you doing here.” “You haven't given me my cash today. I went to the library to collect it but you were not there. Then I saw you get in this truck. So I followed you.” He replied back at me. “Ok look I have something going on right now. So I’ll give you double tomorrow.” I said camly. “No,” He yelled, “You need to pay me for my time. How about you give me your sister for the afternoon.” “Dood, I know you have had a crush on her since you met her. But this is not how you are going to get her.” I replied to him. But then Dr. Crazy flew up behind Peter. Peter's quick reflexes turned him around and he hit him square in the ribs with a wooden bat. Or at least where they would be. He flew off leaving a trail of purple slush. He looked at me in fear. I felt like I had to help him because when I saw his face it reminded me of myself in 5th grade after the accident. We told him everything. He did not want to help us at first but then I promised him I would get him a date with my sister. Then he said yes. So we started walking into the woods to the psychic. But Jack was held back by my Dad. “So you're the bully Cal always talks about. Or he would if he talked.” Ken said to Jack. “Why doesn't he talk? Like I know it was after the accident with his mother. But why?” He asked. “He was always her favorite. Even after Liz was born. But when she got sick, Cal lost everything. The only connection he has to her left is her flannel shirt and watch. He never takes them off.” Ken said in a comforting tone. “I had no idea. I thought he was just in grief. Now I feel awful.” Jack said in a very sad tone. As we were walking into the woods. Cal felt awful thanks to that book he has now put Jack, Liz, Ken, Abby, and Peter in danger. Based on Abby this was the fastest way to her mom. But then they come to a fork in the road. There is a trail of purple slush going in one direction but the path to the psychic was another way. We then remembered the parking lot, the slush was from the monster. I all got a shiver up my spine. Jack declared they continue on to find the psychic. But Ken said they should follow the slush and take on the monster. They fought and then we decided to split into 2 teams. Ken and Liz wanted to go after the Slush. But Jack and Abby want to go to the Psychic. Jack thought we should stay in teams of 3 and he would go with either. The only person who still had to decide was me. But I was stumped should I go with my family or with my friends. I loved my family but I had shut them out for so long would they even want me. But it’s all my fault my friends are in this mess so would they even want me. The other factor I had to consider was the group he doesn't go with has to be with Jack. If he sends Jack with his family he could make them turn on him or totally get physical with my sister. But if Jack goes with his friends he could totally anialite Jack. In the end I decided to go with my friends and Jack went with my family. But it was a dissection I soon regretted. We arrived at the tent and we went inside. Abby’s mom was so excited to see her. But was curious as to why Jack and I were here. We told her our problem and she tried to help us. She used her crystal ball and she found the weakness. But there was a problem there were 3 she could see. Sand, Electricity, and Love. They all sounded ridiculous but this is all we got. So we looked around the office for stuff we could use. Jack found a sand timer so he opened it and put the sand in a bag. Abby found her father’s taser that must have been left there so she put it in her pocket. I couldn't find anything to represent love except a photo album so we took it with us. We ran down the path until we got back to the purple slush. We walked together but after a while we arrived back at the parking lot. It was like the slush disappeared. But then the worse happened Dr. Crazy appeared out of nowhere. We all screamed like little girls and fell to the ground. Abby instantly stood up and pulled out her taser. She shot Dr. Crazy but it did nothing. In fact it was like he absorbed its power because his hands started glowing sparks and then he shot them back Abby knocking her out cold. Jack ran over as she fell into his arms. So he proceeded to pull out his sand punch and he threw it at Dr. Crazy in the eyes. But he just ended up deflecting it back at Jack making him blind. Then with a hit on the head he was also out cold. So it was just me left. So I ripped out the photo album and started flipping through the pages. But it did nothing as well. It was like Abby’s mom lied to us. But like a coward I just ran. But it tripped and knocked myself out. I woke up and looked at my watch. It had been almost an hour. But it turned around to see that Jack and Abby were gone and there were drag marks where they were knocked out. Then I turned to see the marks went into the woods. I knew what I had to do. This was all my fault and I was going to fix it. So I started walking into the woods. After about an hour I found what appeared to be an underground cave. I went down it and it led to a house that was fully made of rock. Even the tables, chairs, and bed. But in the corner there was a jail and everybody was inside. “Cal!” They all yelled at me. “Guys. You're all ok.” I said back to them. “Look what we have here. I knew you would take the bait.” Dr. Crazy said as he came up behind me. “Why are you doing this? We have done nothing to you.” I replied to him. “Because my whole life I have been called crazy for thinking fear is actually science. Even my dream laboratory rejected me. So I made a deal with a devil. I got the book and this new form and once I have captured you in my book I will have proven the same results for 10 people. Then they will have to accept me back.” He replied in a very angry voice. “Look Dylan. Take me. Just let them go.” I told him. “No I won’t let you do that!” Ken yelled at me. But I insisted. But in that instant Jack had figured out what Abby’s mom meant when she said Love was a weakness. I didn't mean photos it meant actual. Jack and Abby started to confess all their feelings. Then Dr. Crazy fell to the floor like he was being drained. Then we all knew what to do. Peter confessed to Liz, Ken to Liz, and Liz to Ken. It was working but the only way to finish it is for all of us to do it. That included me. So I finally learned what opening up was. I told Ken and Liz how much they mean to me and that shot Dr. Crazy down. Then Jack passed me the book and in the blink of an eye he was trapped in the place he wanted us stuck in. Then all 9 others he had caught had been released. Finally we had defeated him. The next day I arrived at the library a completely different person. Lots of things were different. Jack and Abby were closer. Liz and Peter were now dating. Peter and I were now friends. It turns out that he was just jealous of my relationship with my mother because he never had one himself. But there was one last thing we needed to do. Mr. Davis helped us do a ritual that would destroy the book and Dr. Crazy forever. We finished the ritual and we left thinking everything was over. But little did we know destroying that book was like destroying a cell door and that Halloween we were in for an event. But that is a story for another time.