Summary

A tale unfolds about a man named Bitter, who grapples with his own insecurities and projects his anger onto a woman named Fearless, who embodies courage and self-assurance, ultimately leading to his exclusion and her continued empowerment within a supportive community.

Abstract

The narrative "Fearless, She Writes. Bitter, He Tolls." is a poignant exploration of the contrasting emotional landscapes of two individuals, Bitter and Fearless. Bitter, consumed by an inexplicable sadness that morphs into anger, seeks to assuage his inner void by lashing out at Fearless, a woman who boldly expresses herself through her writing. Despite Bitter's vitriolic attacks, Fearless responds with grace and resilience, which only further enrages him. His attempts to undermine her through social media prove futile as she remains unshaken, surrounded by a nurturing community that uplifts her. In the end, Bitter's actions isolate him, while Fearless continues to thrive and inspire, extending an invitation for him to join the warmth of her community.

Opinions

Bitter's emotional turmoil is portrayed as a self-perpetuating cycle of sadness, anger, and rage, which he directs outwardly rather than addressing internally.
Fearless is depicted as a symbol of strength and authenticity, whose unapologetic self-expression and confidence challenge Bitter's worldview.
The narrative suggests that Bitter's hostility towards Fearless stems from his inability to comprehend or achieve her level of self-acceptance and vulnerability.
The story criticizes the toxic behavior of individuals like Bitter, who resort to online harassment as a misguided attempt to assert dominance or cope with their own inadequacies.
The supportive community around Fearless is presented as a sanctuary of empowerment, inclusivity, and healing, which stands in stark contrast to Bitter's isolation.
Bitter's ultimate rejection and blockage by Fearless serve as a cautionary tale about the consequences of negative actions in the digital space.
The tale concludes with a message of hope and transformation, as Fearless extends an olive branch to Bitter, offering him a path to redemption and connection with others.

Fearless, She Writes. Bitter, He Tolls.

A short tale based on true stories.

Somewhere out there, alone on a couch, hidden behind a laptop screen, sits a man. Let’s call him Bitter.

Bitter doesn’t know where his sadness comes from, only that the feeling permeates him. It eats him from the inside and becomes a black hole; vast hollowness folded in on itself until nothing can escape its magnetic pull.

His sadness turns to anger. Anger turns to rage: Someone must have done something to him. Someone must be at blame.

The void is unbearable and has to be filled. A hungry ghost, the man needs to feed.

Bitter steps into the world wide web. There he comes upon multiple potential suspects. Among them is a valorous woman who speaks her mind valiantly. Let’s call her Fearless.

Spellbound by Fearless, Bitter gobbles up her words, but as he reads, his vacuity grows:

How dare she be so unabashedly herself? How dare she bare her soul so shamelessly?

He continues to read and feels the ground underneath him tremble, earthquake-like. Her words fuel his fury; the cracks in his foundation deepen.

How dare she be so bold? How dare she have such hope in the midst of diversity? How dare she burn so bright with storms rippling all around her?

He wonders who gave her permission. He sure didn’t. She must be punished!

Frenzied fingers find the keyboard to fire off a righteous retribution.

That should put her in her place!

Fearless writes back:

Thank you for reading!

Bitter is confused.

Does she think he’s stupid? Did she not understand? Perhaps she’s the one who’s dumb? It must be so.

Yet, he has a sneaking suspicion she’s simply screwing with him.

Diving deeper into the web, Bitter finds Fearless on Instagram. Seeing her image, he’s excessively enraptured by her. By no means perfect, she’s better than that—she’s human. Despite her kinks and flaws, she’s comfortable in her own skin.

How dare she be so unashamed? The audacity! How dare she be vulnerable about her insecurities, yet confident enough to show them?

Everything about her maddens him. She must be chastened!

Starving, he scribbles sentences filled with obscenities:

You’re ugly! You’re not thin enough! Why do you think anyone wants to see you?

As he types, he’s unable to look away. He doesn’t understand why he’s so captivated by her and it makes him hate her even more.

Hitting ‘post’, he awaits an answer like a dog for a fresh bone. He’s so famished now, he feels sheetlike; almost invisible.

As if he were, Fearless ignores and blocks him.

How dare she?

Enraged, Bitter takes to Twitter where he goes undercover. He changes his name to Predator and attempts a different approach.

He searches out Fearless and finds her further fascinating. He covets her and he can’t stand her for it.

In his deviousness, he shares his real feeling; he tells her that she’s beautiful and that he admires her.

Fearless thanks him for the compliment, and wishes him the best.

Finally, something! thinks Bitter-Predator and continues. Strewing the space with crumbs he waits for his prey to bite.

Fearless responds politely but turns down his advances.

His blood boils and his stomach growls. Why will she not feed him?

Left with no other option, Bitter picks up his phone and points it at his crotch.

This will show her!

She might have courage, she might have fortitude, but this she doesn’t have. This will remind her of my superiority. This will show her what she lacks, and can never have.

He admires the trophy-shot of his weapon before hitting ‘send’.

Fearless sees that Predator is also Bitter and blocks him again.

He’s now locked out in the cold.

Covering herself in a blanket of lights, Fearless sits down at the table of sisterhood.

The women there light a fire and dance around it. Standing together like pillars, they lift each other up on strong shoulders. Like emperor penguins, they huddle together and take turns shielding the rest from the icy winds that surge around them. Witches bring their magic medicine to heal those who’ve been poisoned.

Bitter senses the faint warmth from the flames and moves closer. With his nose pressed up against the foggy screen that separates them, he wipes it off to get a clearer view.

He watches the women dance like goddesses, and is befuddled to find male warriors among them.

Traitors! he thinks to himself, secretly wishing he was there with them.

Too proud to knock, Bitter sits down and sends another message—to a different woman this time—but, like a match, the flare warms him only for a short moment. Hunched further, he drifts off into delusion where he’s swallowed by the void; ravaged by his own hunger.

Returning from the bonfire, Fearless picks up her quill. With it, she weaves threads of gold and silver into blankets of light. Honing her craft; her purls become exceedingly even, tighter, and more determined. With each blanket she finishes and gives away, she feels warmer.

Later, she opens her front door for fresh air and finds Bitter crouched up at her stoop. Getting one of her blankets she wraps him in it.

It’s much warmer by the fire, you should join us sometime, she whispers in his ear before returning to her writing desk.

I dedicate this story to this community and all the fearless goddesses around the table and the brave warriors who dance with us! There are too many to mention all, but here’s a few: Demeter, Elle, Maggie, Meaghan, Morgan, Nicole, Orly, Samantha, Tara, Vanessa, Yael, Zita, ZUVA, Average, Chuck, James Finn, James Knight, Jay, Joe, Roaming, & all team Fearless: Gillian, Jessica and Maggie ❤