reality whiplash

The experience of suddenly realizing that something is the opposite of what you thought it was.

"That's adorable!" I thought, watching a baby bear squeak with frustration as it tried to pull the bark off a stick. Then after a few minutes I realized the stick was a rabbit, and the squeaks were from it being eaten alive. The reality whiplash literally knocked the wind out of me.

by TheAwfulDin December 2, 2014