Fear the Night I

In the middle of the night, the sky was pitch-dark. No stars, no moons, only heavy clouds that plunged the world into complete darkness.

Nothing could be seen. Everything could move without being noticed.

A strange feeling weighed on the atmosphere. Maybe the heat of summer? Or the humidity?

But it was not. It was the feeling that someone – or something – was watching and following anyone who dared to pass the area it was in. An oppressive feeling that revealed the true fears weighing on someone’s heart.

Spirituality? Imagination? Or something real, something that could truly harm? It was impossible to know. The only certainty was that the feeling was there.

The night hid these things beneath its vast cloak, making them vanish as soon as the day rose in the sky. But during the time it was allowed, the night let them wander freely.

A cold chill running down the spine, eyes and mouth wide open, panting, trembling all over, muscles tensed, the impression of going insane – seeing things everywhere that weren’t supposed to be there, disappearing the instant they were noticed. Symptoms of fear, of the terror the night provoked in those brave – or foolish – enough to wander through it. Even those who had experienced it and were now at home still felt its grip, feeling unsafe. Even those who had only heard stories about it felt the night’s terror. The more people feared it, the stronger the fear it could provoke became.

Near the village of Molia, a small forest stood at the foot of one of the Western Mountains. Hidden among the trees was a cave in the rock – not too big, not too small, just spacious enough to accommodate four people.

That was where Iwao and the rest of his group had made their camp. No one would come, and no one would see them enter, since it was so well hidden.

But at night, when the noises of the village near the forest ceased, the entire place was plunged into a deep silence. Sometimes cicadas or wingless owls could be heard, but most of the time there was nothing except the cracking of trees – cracking at a regular rhythm, like a clock’s ticking.

Tic… tac…

Crac… crac...

That repetitive sound could be stressful and disturbing, occupying the mind and preventing sleep, allowing fears to creep in.

The cave was as dark as the night outside. When the wind sometimes blew inside, it caressed the rock walls and made strange noises, similar to the snoring of a bizarre creature.

After an agitated first half of the night, the rest of it often became unbearable, the night seizing every opportunity to send every possible signal to terrify whoever remained awake.

The night could sometimes be beautiful, but its favorite pastime was to torment minds.

Inside the cave, Saya was trying to sleep but couldn’t. She tossed and turned in her sleeping bag, pulling it over her head to hide.

Her eyes were wide, her hands trembling uncontrollably. From time to time, she peeked out, glancing around in panic before hiding again in her sleeping bag.

Saya was afraid of something.

She buried her face in her hands, trying to breathe calmly. She muttered to herself, making sure Lo, Celi and Iwao couldn’t hear.

“Don’t worry, Saya! Everything’s fine! You’re strong, and you have strong people around you to protect you if something bad happens!” She whispered, trying to comfort herself.

She sighed deeply, her breath trembling with fear.

“There are too many strange noises outside… I know it’s coming, it happens at least once a week… It all started because we do everything at night… All the strange and terrifying creatures are out at night, and they try to kill us every time… I almost died earlier to a monster… How could I not fear that something similar is waiting for me out there…?”

She pulled her head out of the sleeping bag again, eyes darting around, her face full of stress.

“My chest hurts – it feels like something is pressing it. I can’t breathe properly, and my head aches from all this thinking and stress… Please, tell me there’s nothing out there, so that I can sleep a little…” She whispered, breathing rapidly.

She looked toward the back and the entrance of the cave and muttered a question.

“Is someone there?”

Nothing.

“Is someone there?” She repeated.

No answer, only the wind.

“Well, maybe there isn’t anyone here except me, Lo, Celi, and Iwao. I should try to breathe deeply and close my eyes... Maybe sleep will come more easily now. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way sometimes… I’m sure Celi feels it too. After all, we experience the same events and fight the same monsters...” She thought, a little reassured.

She readjusted herself in the sleeping bag, laid her head on the pillow, and closed her eyes.

An image flashed in her mind, as if it appeared just behind her eyelids.

She jolted awake, screaming – but it didn’t wake anyone. She was drenched in sweat, breathing rapidly, trembling again.

“It was there again… haunting my spirit… It just wants to terrify me in my sleep… I can’t go on like this…” She muttered, her voice trembling but low, careful not to wake the others.

She hid deeper in her sleeping bag, silent.

“It’s not Iwao… It’s not Iwao… It looks like him, but I know he’d never do this to me or anyone else. He only eats nightmares to relieve people of their suffering. I know it’s not him… But what is this creature? It comes back again and again… Please, let me sleep. If I let it take over my mind, it’ll hurt me even more… Please go away… I’m scared…” She thought, crying quietly, trembling.

Minutes later, exhaustion overtook her from the stress and her crying, dragging her into sleep. She slept covered in tears and sweat – the only traces of her fear.

But outside, branches cracked on the ground.

Something was coming. It was making a lot of noises.

The footsteps entered the cave, approaching Saya’s sleeping bag. It crouched before her, its breath heavy, as if it had just finished an exhausting effort.

Even in sleep, Saya was slowly awakened by the feeling of a presence nearby and the sounds coming from her side.

She slowly opened her eyes and crawled out of her sleeping bag, still half-asleep, not fully remembering the fear she had felt earlier.

When her head emerged, she rubbed her eyes and squinted to see more clearly in the dimness.

She cast a spell to light up the cave. A small ball of light appeared, gently illuminating the space without waking the others.

“Oh no… This time I’m not hallucinating! This thing is right in front of me!” She thought, panic flooding her.

Her body trembled violently as her mouth opened wide.

“AHHH-” She screamed, her cry quickly muffled by the hand of the figure before her.

“Calm down, Saya, you’ll wake Lo and Celi! It’s just me, Iwao! Don’t worry!” He whispered, trying to reassure her.

Saya looked him over carefully, searching his eyes for a lie – but it was really him. She inhaled deeply, regaining her senses, though her heart pounded furiously.

“Take this and drink. It’ll help calm you. You’re soaked in sweat too…” He said, handing her a water gourd.

“You scared me… Don’t wake people by staring at them in their sleep. It’s terrifying to feel a presence near you like that… haha…” She replied, her voice trembling as she laughed awkwardly.

She drank the water and finally began to calm down, her face softening.

“Why did you do that? Weren’t you sleeping?” She asked.

“I was out to eat… and do some other things. I came to see how you were doing, since you were hurt badly in the fight earlier.” He replied, his voice heavy with sadness.

He stood, glancing around. His gaze fell on Celi, still asleep. A rope was attached to her body – a nightmare rope.

“So she’s having a nightmare… Should I eat it, see what’s in her mind? I don’t know...” He thought.

Saya noticed Iwao staring at Celi. Looking at her, she saw nothing unusual, except that Celi was moving a lot in her sleep.

“What’s wrong with Celi? Did you see something?” She asked.

Iwao didn’t look at her. He took his time before answering.

“Well, nothing in particular… I’m just making sure she’s okay.” He said, his voice unconvincing.

“He’s not telling me everything. I need to know, and I need to bring him back to reality – he seems lost in thought.” She thought.

She stood and grabbed Iwao’s arm, trying to turn him toward her, but he didn’t move.

“Hey, Iwao. Tell me what’s wrong! I can help you if you want.” She said softly.

Still holding his arm, she turned to Celi – and saw the rope.

“Right, I forgot... I can see these ropes when I touch him. That’s why he’s acting strange.”

She tightened her grip on his arm.

“What do you want to do with that?” She asked, pointing at the rope with her free hand.

“Oh… I forgot she could see them when touching me. What do I do now?” He thought.

Suddenly, he turned toward Saya, grabbing her shoulder with his free hand. His eyes were determined.

“Come with me into it! I don’t want to be the only one to see Celi’s nightmare. I want you to see it too – what’s in her mind, what she fears. Then we can help her. And maybe, like this, I’ll be in a better position to receive her memories after eating her nightmare, since I know I’ll have someone else with me to help her.”

“Of course. I was going to suggest the same thing. You took the words right out of my mouth.” She replied.

Just before they touched the rope, Saya glanced once more at Celi, her face now twisted with fear.

“She must fear the night too... Today’s events must have awakened her fears. I’m not the only one…”

Then, together, they touched the rope and entered the nightmare, leaving behind only Lo and Celi in the cave, illuminated by the small floating light.

The cave was plunged back into silence.