Arousal is a bit of an odd one, when you think about it. Most people think of being aroused purely in terms of sex (notoriously, when it comes to anti-porn idiots, demonstrating serious comprehension failure when citing studies about the phenomenon.) Yet you can be aroused by all sorts of things, Arousal is 
simply a state of excitement, alertness, interest, eagerness to act.
Of course, arousal of one type can lead to another: it’s at least moderately well-known (and worth bearing in mind at this time of year) that going to see a horror film is a good dating strategy as it is likely to incline your sweetie to cuddle up closer, if only for comfort. Well, at least at first.
I got thoroughly aroused last night, but there was no opportunity to turn it into anything erotic. From a physical point of view, though, I felt thoroughly aware that I could be up for anything in the next few minutes, once the initial experience was over. I was shivering, heart racing, hands trembling and all the rest of it, and grinning like a loon.
Just as well that the only solace on offer was a pint and a fag, really. I needed to come down enough to make a few notes for one of the stories I’m working on at present. What I’d been playing with was virtual reality – headset and a couple of joysticks, in a little 
fairground booth. In the story, of course, the VR set up is a little more sophisticated and the characters are having cybersex rather than shooting zombies in a scarily convincing bit of woodland. For the few minutes I was in that other reality, though, I was wholly immersed, wildly excited, screaming and swearing and jumping up and down.
Of course, the idea of sex zombies isn’t new, any more than cybersex itself. (If you fancy the idea, at least in fictional terms, check out the magnificent Lust In The Dust anthology published earlier this year.) But I like to do my own research when I get the chance. Even if my shooting skills are lamentable without an unfair advantage.
(The VR story isn’t finished, but if you want to read hot fiction about paintballing, check out Hunter’s Moon, published in The Master’s Voice & Other Stories…)