Cherophobia is a story about two sisters who haven't been together for so long because of a certain reason and when they do meet, it turns out to be the worst nightmare. 

Cherophobia is the fear of happiness and you might think that what kind of person would fear being happy? Everyone might say that it's not real and that it is nothing. The thing that most people do not understand is that cherophobia is aeonian.

Standing there on the concrete, looking at the grass moving feebly with the wind, she looked over to the swings she wanted to sit on, the green grass she wanted to lay down upon, the smiles that she saw on other people's faces, the ones that she wanted to feel but which made her anxious,  the joy that flourished the entire park, well not just the park, everywhere she saw and the feeling of bliss when someone so dear touches you, all of that which makes you happy was what she was afraid of. She looked at all of it and shut her eyes tight, trying to push those thoughts of fear away. She used to come to this park with her sister, but that wasn't something that made her happy, not anymore.  She feared these memories and thus remembered each one of them as clear as a crystal because the voices in her mind never let her forget them. After eight years, this would've been the first time that she could spend time with her sister. But now it would never happen. She was the reason for her death. She was to blame. All the people, every one of them was shut out by her which had left her with no one to talk to. Anyone who tried to lift her up from her ruins, were either slammed or left unnoticed and unanswered. Time went by and the people fewer and fewer with each passing year when there came a time when there were none. She didn't mind that because it only meant lesser expectations and no compulsion to talk. Happiness was just a nine letter word she was scared to death of. But what had happened? Was what happened to her that bad, that she feared being happy?

HER STORY:

Mirage remembered vividly what had happened that night.


Her sister Katherine, the one who had been her lifeline after their parents had passed away, had come home to meet her in the holidays and they had so much to catch up on. Every time she came home, it would all go back in time and they would become kids all over again.

It had been a very long time since they met and visited the park and had decided that they would.

They were so happy. Their happiness beyond measure. But the wind had something else to say. It became colder by the minute and mist had started to form. Mirage went out to the door to shut it and walked over to light a fire but realised they had run out of wood. She called out to Katherine saying that she'll be right back and started out the gate, paving her way into the woods.

Mirage could sense something following her and wanted to run back to the house and lock herself in. It had come back. It had found Katherine.

Trembling with fear, Mirage looked at the silhouette formed in front of her, under the tree then looked away. She picked up the lightest logs she could find and headed back when something gushed across her face. She couldn't see what it was. It was an apparition. She felt a rush of adrenaline and then realised that Katherine was alone at home.

She ran as fast as a panther and looked up to the moon which had turned blood red. She looked up towards the house, it was still such a long distance to cover. No, Katherine was not alone. Oh god, what had she done? She breathed out her lungs and puffed in as much air as she could and ran towards the house.

All this while she had been doing her best to protect her sister but now, it had found her and she couldn't do anything, Could she?

Tears welled up in her eyes but she wiped them away. No matter how much she ran, the distance didn't seem to cut down. She ran with all her might but it seemed like she was going round and round in some kind of a circle. Her mind was in a constant battle with itself. She couldn't let anything happen to her baby sister. How could she fail her dad? She had promised him to do it even if it cost her, her life. But now?

All these years, Katherine was under her protection because she wasn't supposed to know who she was or rather what she was. She was not an ordinary person. She had powers, just like their mother but Mirage hadn't been passed those powers but that didn't matter to her. These powers had cost their mother her life along with her husband's.

He didn't want that for Katherine and that is why he had made Mirage promise him to keep Katherine's powers hidden and mirage had done it, faithfully for all these years but this one time, for her happiness and for Katherine’s, she had let her come home. This couldn't cost her sister. Her temptation engulfed her mind completely.

Finally, when the moon hid under a thick cloud could she find her way to the house and she called out to Katherine, her voice thick with all the cold. She ran into Katherine's room, she wasn't there.  

In the hall, wasn't there. In the kitchen, wasn't there. On the terrace, no sight of her. There was one room in which she hadn't looked. The house was a mess. It was in here, but she couldn't see it. She rushed into her room and found what she had feared. There was a note pinned on her bathroom door saying, "Hey Mirr, I know you hated it when I used your stuff, when were kids but I really don't care anymore okay? I'm meeting you after complete 8 years and so I'm all forgiven. I'm so happy and happiness is meee!
P.s: You can't hate me coz I love you so much, Mirr. Haha! "


The water was still on but Mirage knew something was wrong. It wasn't here anymore. Where had it gone? Where was it? She pushed open the door and she saw her there, lying there in the tub. Katherine was there, lifeless. Her head had a hole in it and blood oozed out colouring the water to a bright ruby. She walked over to Katherine and grimaced.

It was horrific. 'It' had come to get her this way? How could it?

The shower head poured out excessively hot water which gushed right over and into her head, killing her. What had it done? Her eyes popped out of their sockets and her mouth open so wide it could take in a baby elephant.  Mirage's temptation for happiness had cost Katherine's life.

She was so happy and now she was Cherophobic! 


 

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