The Earth is encircled by a thin protective layer we call the “atmosphere”.  It is made up of essential components that give us life, and shield us from the dangers of outer space. But recently, scientists have discovered a fearsome new layer to our atmosphere: The “Fearsphere”.

“The fearsphere traps in all of our worst fears, and lets all of our wisdom and clarity dissipate into space,” explained fearologist Jared Tolland. The thick hazy cloud known as the fearshpere covers the earth like a dirty windshield. As recently as 50 years ago, there was no fearsphere. Rational thought and ignorant fear coexisted in a tenuous balance that kept civilization in check.

But the long-term decline in truth, combined with the recent spike in fear, has created a toxic smokescreen that has been pouring into the sky in fearful quantities. Plumes of distortium, a highly potent fear agent, are gushing forth from keyboards, cell phones and human orifices, overwhelming our air supply. “Distortium settles into the atmosphere and doesn’t go away,” said Secretary of Fear Tony Bullpen. “And it will protect us from the truth.”

But some experts are sounding the alarm. “If the Fearsphere continues to grow unabated, we could trigger a ‘runaway haunted house effect’ from which we may never recover,” explained truth-proponent Alice Winslow.

The Earth would be cast into perpetual darkness, like a bad acid trip with no end. It would be a feedback loop of goblins, ghouls and ghosts. Truth would never have existed, because it will have vanished from our memories.

Efforts to get rid of the Fearshpere and its companion layers, the Greedosphere and the Rapeosphere are underway. “It’s an uphill battle,” said hope expert Geraldine Hope, “Turning off the Internet for a year would be a good start.”