Inside the girl’s head a fear grew larger.

As she stood waiting she wrestled with it. She fought it. It kept returning.

She glanced at her reflection and liked what she saw. It did suit her, after all.

Inside her head the fear of hats faded and she breathed again.

Dean Marriner is a production director at a design company in Newcastle, UK. He spends his spare time drawing pictures on old books and has only recently started writing mini sagas.

Editor’s Note: Cocklaphobia is the commonly accepted name for a “fear of hats”.