Chapter 18 Eyes in The Dark

A new morning had arrived with a nightmare, and Koji woke up to the sound of thunder. He looked out the window and saw that it was pouring down, with the wind howling through the streets. The sound of the raindrops slamming against the metal walls of his vending machine was deafening, and the lightning flashing across the sky made the whole street look flooded.

Koji's heart was pounding as he wondered what kind of horrors the storm might bring, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen. Suddenly, there was a loud banging on the glass, Koji remembered his dream and braced himself for the worst.

When he turned to look, he was met with a chilling sight. The street was pitch black, the light poles flicker occasionally and the rain was coming down so hard that it was almost impossible to see anything. 

The storm outside grew stronger, and the sound of rain pattering against the metal walls of the vending machine echoed through the night. Koji felt his nerves starting to fray as he listened to the howling wind, a primal fear starting to grip him. Suddenly, he heard a faint scratching sound coming from outside, and his heart leaped into his throat.

With a trembling hand, Koji reached for the self-made flashlight he kept hidden in a drawer inside the machine, and shone it out the glass. The beam of light illuminated a heap of trash, its contents are strewn across the ground in disarray. And there, in the middle of it all, he saw Boss Cat's glowing eyes staring back at him.

Koji breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that it was just his furry friend seeking shelter from the storm. But as he watched, he noticed something strange about Boss Cat's behavior. The usually confident feline was cowering, his fur slicked down by the rain, and his ears flattened against his skull.

Koji couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The wind picked up, shaking the machine so violently that it felt like it might tip over. And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the scratching sound returned. Only this time, it was accompanied by a low growling.

Koji's heart raced as he realized that Boss Cat wasn't alone out there. There was something else, something dangerous. He grabbed the makeshift rapier he'd fashioned from a long sewing needle and a scrap of metal and prepared to defend himself.

The growling grew louder, and Koji could feel his palms starting to sweat. And then, all at once, a pair of glowing eyes appeared in the darkness. They were too big to be a cat's eyes, and they burned with a malevolent intensity that sent chills down Koji's spine.

Koji stood frozen, unable to move as the creature approached, a monster from a nightmare. And it was headed straight for Boss Cat.