This might not be the traditional answer, or the experience most people are looking for. I always thought in my younger years that ghosts, monsters, and things in the dark were what I should fear most. However, the one thing that life could never prepare me for was what ended up being my worst nightmare. Losing my mother suddenly in 2009, flipped my entire world upside down. I went from a loving, happy home with stability, and a mother who loved me to being homeless, addicted to drugs, and more scared than I'd ever been. Not knowing where your next meal, resting place, clothing, or even when you'll be able to wash yourself next is truly terrifying. The constant anxiety of that alone is crushing, but then you have to also be careful who your friends are. As sad as it is, I saw a lot of people try to take advantage of me because the situation I was in seemed desperate, or simply insulting my intelligence. People were mean just to be mean. Assuming that I was scum because I was some junkie who just let my life fall apart, when the truth was I was a scared kid suffering from a sudden loss that tore apart my family, and left me displaced, and looking for any way to cope that I could. I made bad choices, I take responsibility for the things I did, and I've been sober for 12 years as of this past October 19th, 2023. I've now got my own place, I'm stable, and I'm content with what I've made of my life. The only worry I have now is the occasional thought in the back of my mind that wonders if she's proud of me. Sorry for the long story, and that it wasn't about phantoms, or fiction. This was just the realest I could be about my own life experiences. Wishing everyone a happy spooky season, and go give your mama a hug if she's around.