October 24, 2025
I’ll start: basements. Always basements. It doesn’t matter if it’s finished, carpeted, and has a Peloton and mini-fridge, once the sun sets, I’m not going down there without a buddy, a flashlight, and maybe a priest. There’s something about a basement that makes every sound feel personal.
But here’s the thing: it’s not really about the place, is it? It’s about what darkness does to our imagination. The same space that’s ordinary at noon turns unsettling at midnight. A trail, a hallway, even a parking lot can shapeshift with nothing more than a lack of light.
I think we all have our own versions of that the mental or emotional “places” we avoid when things get dark. The memories we don’t want to revisit. The conversations we’re not ready to have. The fears we pretend don’t exist because daylight makes them easier to ignore.
Darkness doesn’t change the landscape, it changes us. It strips away distraction and comfort until we’re left with what’s real. And maybe that’s why we avoid it. Not because of monsters, but because of mirrors.
So yeah, maybe my answer starts with “basements,” but it ends somewhere deeper. There are corners of the mind that make even the bravest among us hesitate before flipping the switch.
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💬 Your Turn
So… is there a place you refuse to go after dark, and why?
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