Delving into the dark side of human nature can be a scary undertaking, but what would the horror genre be like if authors didn’t have the courage to do so? It goes without saying that there’s a big difference between handling sensitive content and gratuitousness for the sake of gratuity, but let’s face it: what writer doesn’t have a demented thought now and then?

Horror is more than just dead bodies and ravaged victims. Horror is all about fear and the mastering of fear. Horror delves into human aspects that we, as civilized beings, would rather just ignore. But we ignore it at our peril. For it is easy to slip off the straight and narrow path when you are ignorant of the monstrosities humans are capable of, especially when you feel guilty over something that, in comparison, is trivial compared to the greater sins. And that guilt of the trivial, if not handled (whether through prayer or other means), can easily lead you down into a spiral.

For example: the little white lie. How often does the little lie lead to even bigger lies? Why? Because you know it was wrong, and that brings guilt. And with guilt comes shame. And we all prefer to hide our shame. So, we end up building even bigger lies to hide the small lie that cause our shame, thus leading to greater shame and a greater need to hide it. If we’re just willing to admit that we’re capable of lying, and that we did lie, then there’s no more cause for guilt and shame because it’s now out in the open and the process of forgiveness can commence.

But ask yourselves, how many of us are willing to admit that we are capable of even that small a sin? Precious few. After all, it’s only human nature to avoid that which we fear the most: one being our own capability for sin.

Exploration of humanity’s dark side through fiction (i.e. horror) is also about Good vs. Evil at its most primal level. Evil can be stopped, defeated, or delayed (usually), but it can never be permanently destroyed. Only God is capable of that, and He already has His time set for that deed. Therefore, evil is always present—all around us and within us. It is up to us to face it, in whatever forms it takes, and by facing it, defeat it.

One of the first times I attempted to write a horror story, I decided to delve as far into my dark side as possible, just to see how far I’d go (fiction-wise). The story was a terrifying one, one that made my readers turn pale and accuse me of being “one sick puppy.” I can’t really fault them for thinking that. After all, the thing about the story that terrified me the most was how dark I delved before I felt uncomfortable writing it. And no, it’s never getting published; no way, no how.

When you face your fears, you face yourself—and the monster lurking inside all of us. But be careful when you face it, because you likely won’t like what you see.