Chapter 5 : Fear
I was a reproach among my enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me. For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. Psalms 31:11, 13.
Mockery
When I became aware that job separation was on the horizon I thought it would be a blessing. How naive! I never imagined the hell that was awaiting me. I would have to come face-to-face with a fearsome and formidable foe, a system enabled by unbridled power and pure evil. The force it was like being hit by a train. Things were happening that had me doubting my own sanity. Heart pains breathlessness and muscle pains -- could these be caused by cardiotoxins? People quickly departed my presence just before various incidences of this sort would happen. I learned to depart at the same time, pretending to go to the restroom or something, anything.
I was actually spending my entire day in a corner of the huge room that was once my domain, my department. I ha long since assumed that I was under constant surveillance. I didn't care if they saw me not working; just pay me. As long as I could find a safe corner I would be there, reading a book, the newspaper, anything until the workday ended. There was a period of feeling like a survivor, like I had won against terrible odds. I was celebrating too soon. Some may call it intuition, and others refer to it as "my spirit is telling me", but separation from my job was not the end of my troubles but the beginning. The evil steadily encroached upon every facet of my life.
This is when fear took hold of me, crushing me, being my constant companion night and day, but most assuredly at night. It started with...