Gulp

When I was a kid, I was convinced that around every corner lurked specific malevolent forces--biological forces, geological forces, etc.--that would kill me without warning. I had never seen them firsthand, but I knew from cartoons and Bible stories that they were out there, and they gave no quarter. They included:

piranhas
quicksand
leprosy

I grew up, and now I don't worry as much. Most of the time.