June 5th, 2059

"Fear is a strange emotion. It is by design essential to a creature's survival, and some even live their entire lives in it.  But only in us humans does it show its true face.  Yet most of you don't even know what fear really feels like." This stunningly bold statement took a few students by surprise. The few that were in the class to learn real psychological science.  Most students took psychology 101 to get an easy credit or to fulfill the requirements for a scholarship or two.  Those students ignored the teacher, forgetting that he was a strict one.  Dr. Hendricks was a psychology buff who was both excellent at reading people, and failing students.  "All sciences must be taken seriously if we are to advance as a society.  Even those of the mind." He said that frequently, usually before explaining a point that made little sense to "students of a limited mind." another phrase he frequented.  He was a 60 year old man with surprisingly thick hair for his age and no signs of balding, and a physique that would remind you of a younger man.  People found him charming, even more so when they realized that nobody knew anything about him.  He was rather popular with all the students that took the time to talk to him.  One of those students want sitting in the front row, sixteen seats from the northern emergency exit, thirteen from the main door.  She was your typical teacher's pet who always found a need to pose and argument.  A biomedical engineering major who took psychology as a minor.  Her lofty goals would lead her down a very enlightened path should she stick with them.  Her name was Anastasia, and she was beautiful.  Her hair was a chocolate brown that would fall below her shoulders if she'd let it.  She always kept it wrapped neatly in a tight bun that was entangled by two braided locks of hair which fell nicely just a few inches below the rest.  She had black horn rimmed glasses that heavily accentuated her deep sea blue eyes.  She also always wore a white button up dress shirt topped with a fancy jacket and brown slacks that made her look more akin to a sexy secretary in a billion dollar business than a biomed student.  Always fond of saying. "Looks do a smart girl good." With her hourglass figure and her supple tawny toned skin that showed no signs of age.  She was quite the looker at twenty one years of age.  "But all of us feel fear Dr. Hendricks, some of us every time we get in a car or step onto a roller coaster. Fear is what breeds adrenaline after all." She had a practiced voice, she was trying to sound intelligent.  However successful she was, her tone was betrayed by lust, the subtle inclination that caused her voice to sway and for her body to twitch in certain ways that made her eyes roll and her legs to relax.  As much as she tried to hide it she couldn't, and through subtle messages anyone who knew the language of love could tell.  "Right you are, but I'm not speaking about the everyday garden variety fear.  I'm talking about the raw kind, true primal fear.  The kind you haven't felt since your night light died as a child, and in many cases not even then.  No, I'm talking about true fear.  What the rabbit feels when he's staring down the fox, or what the child feels when a dog chases them into a corner.  Fight or flight, to run.. Or to die."  Dr. Hendricks' voice went dark and deep when he said die and when he paused Anastasia took the opportunity to rebuttal.  She didn't know exactly what drew her to Dr. Hendricks. she wasn't at all attracted to older men, but he was so smart.  Everything he said carried the weight of a thousand words, and when he looked into her eyes to speak it was as if he spoke through her.  Like to him she was just another pawn, even from a distance he loomed over her like some sort of angel.  Lust is a strange emotion, loving enough to embrace you in warmth.  Yet sinful enough to be… a deadly evil.  "Okay, be that as it may.  But there are very few circumstances where people feel that sort of fear.  Not since we've been living in caves." Her point was made, and was valid but Dr. Hendricks didn't seem to care, he was cold and very clearly had already thought up a response to such a question.  "Right you are my dear, but not nearly as correct as you think.  That kind of fear exists in all humans save for a few.  Like sociopaths, psychopaths and broken men.  But for the rest of you it's buried deep, hidden between happiness, love sadness and lust." He looked around the room to observe the students.  As he assumed most were asleep, or stuck in their devices.  But nevertheless he placed his hands behind his back like an old cliche karate master and began to pace the area around his podium while he spoke. Taking caution to speak louder as he turned away from the students.  As to ensure it wasnt his fault they missed anything. Our real fear has been buried by our comfort.  We have gotten so used to society, and the feeling of security that we no longer have a use for real fear.  And instead save it for petty things like jump scares in video games or those made by our friends." He took his right hand out and raised a finger to make a point before placing it back neatly folded into his left.  "Or to be used when our children are in danger.  No parent likes to envision their children being cut in half by a car.   And should they be faced with it there are only a few things they say." He stops behind the podium.  "oh god, oh dear god no.  As they rush over hoping to see that their children aren't flat like a used toothpaste tube." Placing his hands on the podium he prepares to finalize his point.  But is Interrupted by Anastasia once more.  "Putting your oddly vulgar description aside. what point does this have for fear?" She understood Where Dr. Hendricks was going but not so much as to why. She also was one that thought questions lead to the enlightenment of others.  "If your patience would outweigh your need to question I'd be allowed to answer them." his voice was calm, aand carried a rather harsh tone. Taking anastasia and all the other students that were paying attention Aback.  Anastasia's cheeks grew red and she silenced herself.  The doctor continued.  "Death." was the only word he said for a time.  A few halted breaths and silence filled the room.  "The fear of death and loss are the only true fears humans feel today.  And there are only two ways you can feel that fear.  The loss of a loved one." He paused for a moment.  "And the loss of one's own life.  Which makes for an interesting segway into our next topic.  We will be discussing true fear, and to do so we will discuss murder." he began to pace once more.  "As you know murderers stalk their prey like animals and slaughter them all the same.  Instilling the strongest fear into the minds and bodies of their victims.  Oddly enough sometimes so much fear that it can cause heart attacks that kill before the perpetrator does." He reaches under his podium when he comes close to it.  Revealing to his students a loose leaf paper trail that he places on the podiums top.  "Its said they look like us and they do.  From Dennis Rader, the infamous BTK caught in 1991 to John Wayne Gacy who raped and murdered 33 young men and boys.  And even to those you don't know like Edward Gein who only ever killed two women.  But inspired all the current horror movies at the time  like Texas chainsaw massacre."  He pulled up the paper to show it off.  He spoke again when he set it down.  "And some new ones that very few know about." a few students interests were piqued and they sat up to listen.  "Oh yes, we have a new killer in our midst and he's been doing his work calling himself "The God of Death" since twenty twenty.  And we, my dear students have been blessed by our illustrious homicide detective Mr. John Mastiff.  He was kind enough to grant us with a copy of this journal.  The original is a book bound in leather, and written in blood. Much like the 1980s necronomicon." one more pause for dramatic effect before his final point was made.  "It seems our new killer is as smart as he thinks he's funny... We were given this copy to assist the police.  Students who wish to assist the class in discerning what we can, may stay, others will have to leave.  Call it a free day from psych 101." The students who had an opportunity to sleep or relax for two hours began to pack their things.  "Those who stay must attend class punctually and any tardiness will result in failure for this term." a few more stood up to leave.  Not wanting to risk losing their scholarship.  "Naturally those who leave pass the term, but together we may catch a killer who could be over 60 years old.  These are the readings, this is the scripture of a mad man.  And it will not be pretty."