"Ladies and gentlemen, let's welcome Menyene Ekong." Then the crowd applauded in glee.

Behind the curtain I stood ready to climb the stage. But I was astound, wondering what could betoken such cheers. It was just me and a protocol. Then she stormed in like a bolt from the blues, and sneered as she pointed at me what looked like a pistol. Imagine a bullet piercing through my skin!

PS: I was an invited guest to speak on "Social Media: Boon or Bane?" at the just wrapped ICASS '2018. A conference held at one of the coveted universities in Nigeria.

I was bewildered. Should I move or should I not? This ensnared me in the cave of utmost perplexity. My body frozen and heart was torn in pieces.

I started gaiting like a toddler toward her. She stood at the entrance backing the crowd. "Don't move," she actively uttered through my mind. I dared her with one more step. It was then I realized she was not ready to cut the mustard.

A sliver of courage made me pressed on, more. And the nadir of the moment came. The muzzle was at my forehead and she reached to pull the trigger. My fear was heightened, my heartbeat-per-second leaped. I couldn't utter a word due to heavy breathing.

My life became more risky by the tick and nick of time. I was really afraid to witness any flash point. Death or alive! My mind was thrown in a ditch at this point. "How do I solve this knotty problem?" I deemed and cogitated with the slightest consciousness I had, but no answer was in sight.

"Haven't you caused enough? Has the crowd not waited enough?" I asked as I plodded around with an heavy heart. but there she stood adamantly unwilling to answer my questions.

As I was quailing in front of imaginary danger, I became sulky and scowled at her as I started trudging toward the stage. There she stood wild and fiery like a villainous beast, and dared to wield my mind with even more fear.

"A man must accept his fate or be destroyed by it," my mind whispered and became made up at the drop of a hat, and it was time to eat the hot potato.

It was through this regained moxie that I picked up the gauntlet. To fight to my last breath for my life and regain my absolute freedom. I have really cooled my audience's heels and this became apt.

I covertly clenched my right hand fist and approached for a punch, or still hit the hand holding the gun. But she noticed my surreptitious motives and held it even more stronger.

In the denouement, I realized I conquered her because I pushed on to fight.

Then I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was then I realized myself. I never knew I was hoofing in the room hallucinating. She was not there. She was fear that grasped my mind, and almost gave way to stage fright.

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Fear is silent but limits great things. Never give it a chance to shrink your positive energies toward your goals and dreams. Remember the words of Gary Haugen, "Fear is the silent destroyer of dreams."

#Fiction
© Menyene Ekong