Familiar Discomforts by Eddy Voorhees

Image Source: IStock.com

“Do you remember? Remember those nights wrapped in blankets in a house with no heat?” This is the opening to a very loose poem I wrote called Familiar discomforts. Within it, I mention, “...Those horror movies kept you sane when life was at its worst?” which is exactly how it sounds: Horror movies, or horror in general, has been in my life since I was a kid. From the TV version of IT and Dreamcatcher, to Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, these old movies were what I’d fall asleep to. Even now, I find myself comforted by the tones and themes from horror as a whole. Sometimes I cozy up in my bed with a small glass of whisky (I’m 26) and watch ARGs or YouTubers like Nightmind dive into various found footage type narratives such as Marble Hornets (where slenderman came from). Other times I’ll do homework while Nightmare on Elm Street plays in the background. In every instance, I’d find myself feeling out of place, only to pull myself back with something Horror Related. It became my comfort officially when I was 15 and in a very dark place. I won’t tell you why I was on YouTube, but I was, and in my face was a Markiplier video with the caption: “WARNING: SCARIEST GAME IN YEARS”. It was then that I would fall in love with Horror Video games, and it would stay with me even now. Do you have any familiar discomforts? Anything that would be disconcerting to most, but you it soothes? 

Everything from Stephen King novels to cheesy 80’s and 90’s horror movies is a comfort to me. I couldn’t tell you why other than the fact that when I was left awake at night worrying about things an 11 year old should never have to worry about, those movies helped distract me from those worries. I’ve met so many wonderful people because of Horror too. Many of my friends love horror as much as I do, and some even work within the genre in their own way whether it be podcasts or even directing shorts. Horror movies have also taught me a lot. For example, it's a common trope to have an outcast/old man/crazy person that turns out to be relevant to the plot. Because of this, I learned not to judge everyone based on rumors or baseless lies. It has taught me to be more respectful of others and their problems, and even be open to them. It taught me that in the end, people can get along if they have a common goal. I love horror, and I could go on and on about how much I love it, but I won’t take up too much of your time. For now, I’ll just say this: just because it's discomforting to you, doesn’t mean it’s discomforting to everyone. What’s your familiar discomfort?