His Horror Story Might Have Been a Little Too Effective

Dear Papa Bear,

I've written to you about 7 times now, and I know that can sound bad, but your help is really great! Recently, I asked my friend if he can record a reading of a fan-fiction so I can use his voice in stuff, and he agreed to it. He told me to give him the darkest, creepiest story I knew of. I thought he was serious so I gave him "My Little Pony: Cupcakes" which is really gory and extremely dark. It's basically about another pony torturing her friend till she dies and using her organs to make cupcakes. Based on that, you can tell that it's just plain creepy. 

Well, he read the story and sent me the recording, and then told me he was crying and that he never wants anything to do with cupcakes or ponies anymore. I didn't realize that it had scared him that much, and I've apologized several times, but I think I may have gone too far with it. He said he would record himself reading it as a favor, which he did, and now I feel horrible cause that little favor really scared him to the point where he's crying. 

So do you have any tips on how to say sorry and actually show it? I feel really bad. 

Sincerely, 
Gelato the Dragon

P.S. Happy Late Birthday ^^ 

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Hi, again, Gelato, and thanks for the birthday wish :3

It’s sweet that you feel bad about your friend’s lachrymose behavior, but it’s not your fault. Did he not ask you to “give him the darkest, creepiest story I knew of”? So, you gave him what he asked for and now he’s upset? Completely not your fault.

You were the “bigger man” and apologized to him—more than once—and that is more than you need to do. Perhaps you should ask him why, if creepy stories make him cry, he asked you to send him one. Sounds to me like he was trying to create drama to evoke sympathy from you. In other words, he’s a drama queen. Not to mention this is just fiction, and if he is driven to tears by freakin’ fiction, then he’s really going to have a hard time dealing with reality, which can be even creepier and darker than fiction, if you ask me.

There are some people who are strongly affected by reading novels and short stories. They can empathize and relate to certain favorite characters and even be sad when they are hurt and die. I'm reminded of my English seminar on Charles Dickens back in college when I learned that thousands of people wept openly over the death of Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop. Good fiction evokes an emotional response. Perhaps you should take your friend's response as a compliment, in its way, of your writing skills in the genre of horror.

Anyway, you don’t have to do anything further than you already have, Gelato, and please don’t feel guilty. At this point, just tell him you will never ask him to read another creepy story again, and leave it at that.

You’re a good furry. Take a deep breath and stay cool.

Hugs,

Papabear

P.S. Just so you know, your story, while chilling, is not the first to be about necrophilia. As an example, I give you the Broadway play Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.