Fear is a shadow that follows us, a quiet reminder that something worse might be just a breath away. If you want people to stay on edge, let that shadow grow slowly—plant doubts, tease the mind with half‑seen shapes, whisper of unseen corners. But keep them from slipping into total chaos by giving them a tiny anchor, like a routine or a simple rule to cling to. The darkness thrives when it’s balanced with a sliver of certainty, like a candle that never quite burns out.