Hey weirdos,
You've probably heard of the Third Man Factor. When a comforting presence, like an extra person, seems to be alongside you in a dangerous situation, likely from the adrenaline. Despite the name, it does not require two actual people to take effect. A neat side-effect of our brains, right?
So about a week ago, I went on a hike through the hills. Nothing too dangerous, or so I thought. I ended up falling down a steep drop and hurting my left leg. There was a cougar approaching, staring me down. I thought I was going to die, but then I felt a... presence. It was a euphoric and opiate sensation running up my spine, through my nerves, and into my brain. I was able to stand, somehow. It hurt, but less. Crouching and limping, I moved silently toward the mountain lion. It was intimidated, and ran away quickly.
So then, I managed to make my way back to the trail, and it wasn't long before another hiker found me. My ankle was sprained, so they helped me get back to my car. I got home and put ice on my ankle. Lying on my bed with my laptop, I looked up "presence helping in life-or-death situation" and found out about the Third Man Factor. Or, a better name, Third Man Syndrome. That presence I feel is a common one people experience in high-stress situations.
So if I'm not in danger anymore, why is it still here?