ᶜʳᵃᶜᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᵘⁿᵈᵉʳ ᵖʳᵉˢˢᵘʳᵉ ⁽ᔆᵖᵒⁿᵍᵉᴮᵒᵇ ᶠᵃⁿᶠⁱᶜ⁾ - 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝: 𝟶.𝟼𝚔? ᴱᵘᵍᵉⁿᵉ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ˡᵒᵛᵉˢ ᵐᵒⁿᵉʸ ˢᵒ ʰᵉ ʰᵉᵃʳᵈ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵃˢʰ ᵖʳⁱᶻᵉ ᵃᵗ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵛⁱˡˡᵃⁱⁿ ᶜᵒⁿ‧‧ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵃʳʳⁱᵛᵉᵈ ᵃᵗ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵒⁿᵛᵉⁿᵗⁱᵒⁿ ʰᵉᵃʳⁱⁿᵍ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵖᵉᵒᵖˡᵉ ᵃʳᵍᵘⁱⁿᵍ‧ "ᔆᵒ ʷʰᵃᵗ ʸᵒᵘ ᵃʳᵉ ᵃˡˡ ʷᵉᵃᵏ ᶠᵒʳ ᵖⁱᶜᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᵒⁿ ᵐᵉ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵇᵉᶜᵃᵘˢᵉ ᴵ'ᵐ ⁿᵒᵗ ˢᵒ ᵗᵃˡˡ ᵃˢ ʸᵒᵘ‧‧‧" ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ'ˢ ᵛᵒⁱᶜᵉ ˢᵃʸˢ‧ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ˢᵃʷ ᴰᵉⁿⁿⁱˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵉᵛᵉⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗᵃᵗᵗˡᵉ ᵗᵃˡᵉ ˢᵗʳᵃⁿᵍˡᵉʳ ᶜⁱʳᶜˡᵉ ⁱⁿ ᵒⁿ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵉᵛᵉⁿ ᶠˡᵃᵗˢ ᶠˡᵒᵘⁿᵈᵉʳ ʲᵒⁱⁿᵗ ⁱⁿ! ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵉⁿᵉᵐⁱᵉˢ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ˢᵒ ʰᵉ ᵈⁱᵈⁿ'ᵗ ᵐⁱⁿᵈ ᵐᵘᶜʰ⸴ ᵒʳ ˢᵒ ʰᵉ ᵗʰᵒᵘᵍʰᵗ ʰᵉ ᵈⁱᵈⁿ'ᵗ ʷʰᵉⁿ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ'ˢ ˢᵘᵈᵈᵉⁿˡʸ ᵍᵉᵗˢ ᵇᵉᵃᵗᵉⁿ ᵘᵖ ᵇᵃᵈˡʸ ᵇʸ ᵗʰᵉ ᵍᵃⁿᵍ‧ ᴮʸ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗⁱᵐᵉ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵍᵒᵗ ᵒᵛᵉʳ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉᵐ⸴ ᵗʰᵉʸ ˢᵃʷ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ʳᵉᶜᵒᵍⁿⁱˢᵉᵈ ʰⁱᵐ ᵃˢ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ'ˢ ʳⁱᵛᵃˡ‧ ᴴᵉ ᵏⁿᵉʷ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᵐᵘˢᵗ ᵇᵉ ᵇᵃᵈˡʸ ʰᵘʳᵗ ⁱᶠ ʰᵉ'ˢ ⁿᵒᵗ ʸᵉˡˡⁱⁿᵍ ⁱⁿˢᵘˡᵗˢ‧ ᴮᵘᵗ ⁿᵒʷ⸴ ʰᵉ'ˢ ʷᵒʳʳⁱᵉᵈ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ʰⁱˢ ⁿᵉᵐᵉˢⁱˢ ᵈʸⁱⁿᵍ⸴ ᵃˢ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ'ˢ ᵉⁿᵗⁱʳᵉˡʸ ᵈᵉᶠᵉᵃᵗᵉᵈ‧ ᴬ ᵇᵃᵈ ᵍᵘʸ ʰᵉˡᵈ ᵘᵖ ʰⁱˢ ʰᵉᵃᵈ ᵇʸ ᵖᵘˡˡⁱⁿᵍ ᵒⁿ ʰⁱˢ ᵃⁿᵗᵉⁿⁿᵃ‧ "ᵂᵃⁿⁿᵃ ᶠⁱⁿⁱˢʰ‧‧‧" ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ˢᵃʷ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ'ˢ ʰᵉˡᵖˡᵉˢˢ ᶠⁱᵍᵘʳᵉ⸴ ⁿᵒʷ ᵗᵒᵗᵃˡˡʸ ᵘⁿᶜᵒⁿˢᶜⁱᵒᵘˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵃˢ ᵐᵒᵘᵗʰ ˢˡᵃᶜᵏ ᵒᵖᵉⁿ ᵃⁿᵈ ˡⁱᵐᵇˢ ˡⁱᵐᵖˡʸ ʰᵃⁿᵍⁱⁿᵍ ᵈᵒʷⁿ‧ ᔆᵉᵉⁱⁿᵍ ʰⁱᵐ ᵐᵒᵗⁱᵒⁿˡᵉˢˢ ⁱⁿ ˢᵘᶜʰ ᵃ ˢᵗᵃᵗᵉ ᵃᵗ ᵒᵗʰᵉʳˢ ᵐᵉʳᶜʸ⸴ ⁿᵒʳᵐᵃˡˡʸ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ʲᵘᵐᵖᵉᵈ ᵃᵗ ᵃⁿʸ ᶜʰᵃⁿᶜᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵉᵗ ᵇᵃᶜᵏ; ᵇᵘᵗ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ˢᵃʷ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ'ˢ ᵇᵒᵈʸ ᵃᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ʰᵃⁿᵈˢ ᵒᶠ ᵒᵗʰᵉʳˢ ᵗʳʸⁱⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ᵇᵉᵃᵗ ʰⁱᵐ ᵗᵒ ᵈᵉᵃᵗʰ ᵃⁿᵈ ᶠᵉˡᵗ ᵗʳᵘˡʸ ᵃʷᶠᵘˡ‧‧ "ᴵ ᵈᵒⁿ'ᵗ ʷᵃⁿᵗ ᵗᵒ‧‧‧" ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵗᵒˡᵈ ᵗʰᵉᵐ⸴ ᵉᵛᵉⁿ ˢᵘʳᵖʳⁱˢⁱⁿᵍ ʰⁱᵐˢᵉˡᶠ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵗʰᵉ ʰᵉˢⁱᵗᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ‧ "ᵂʰᵃᵗ‽" "ʸᵒᵘ ʰᵉᵃʳᵈ ᵐᵉ‧" ᵀʰᵉʸ ˡᵒᵒᵏᵉᵈ ⁱⁿ ˢʰᵒᶜᵏ ⁿᵒʷ ᵃˢ ᵗʰᵉʸ ˡᵉᵗ ᵍᵒ ᵒᶠ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ‧ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵘˢᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵇᵉ ⁱⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ⁿᵃᵛʸ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵘˢ ʷᵉˡˡ ʳᵉˢᵖᵉᶜᵗᵉᵈ ᶠⁱᵍᵘʳᵉ⸴ ⁿᵒᵗ ᵗᵒ ᵐᵉⁿᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᵏʳᵘˢᵗʸ ᵏʳᵃᵇ‧ ᵂⁱᵗʰ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ⁿᵒʷ ᶠᵃᶜᵉ ᵖˡᵃⁿᵗᵉᵈ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵐᵒᵗⁱᵒⁿˡᵉˢˢ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵏⁿᵉˡᵗ ᵈᵒʷⁿ ᵇʸ ʰⁱᵐ ᵗᵒ‧ ᴴᵉ ᵗᵘʳⁿᵉᵈ ʰⁱᵐ ʳᵒˡˡ ᵒᵛᵉʳ ᵒⁿ ᵇᵃᶜᵏ‧ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ'ˢ ᵘⁿᵐᵒᵛⁱⁿᵍ⸴ ᵗᵒ ᵇᵃᵈˡʸ ʰᵘʳᵗ ᵗᵒ ᵉᵛᵉⁿ ᵒᵖᵉⁿ ʰⁱˢ ᵉʸᵉ ᶠᵒʳ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ⸴ ʷʰᵒ ˡᵒᵒᵏᵉᵈ ᵒᵛᵉʳ ᵗʰᵉ ᵃᵗ ʰⁱˢ ᵘⁿᶜᵒⁿˢᶜⁱᵒᵘˢ ᵇᵒᵈʸ‧‧ ᴱᵛᵉⁿ ᵃˢ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ʰᵉˡᵈ ᵘᵖ ᵃⁿ ᵃʳᵐ⸴ ⁱᵗ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵈʳᵒᵖᵖᵉᵈ‧ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵘˢᵉᵈ ʰⁱˢ ᵒʷⁿ ᵏⁿᵒʷˡᵉᵈᵍᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵃˢˢᵉˢˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵉˣᵗᵉⁿᵗ ᵒᶠ ʰᵒʷ ⁱⁿʲᵘʳᵉᵈ‧ ᴴᵉ ᶠᵉˡᵗ ᵖᵘˡˢᵉ⸴ ˢⁱᵍʰⁱⁿᵍ ⁱⁿ ʳᵉˡⁱᵉᶠ ᵃˢ ʰᵉ ʰᵒˡᵈˢ ʰⁱˢ ʰᵃⁿᵈˢ‧ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ'ˢ ᵇʳᵉᵃᵗʰⁱⁿᵍ ᵃⁿᵈ ʰᵉᵃʳᵗ ˢᵒᵘⁿᵈᵉᵈ ᶠⁱⁿᵉ ᵗᵒ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ‧ "ᴵ'ˡˡ ʰᵉˡᵖ⸴ ᵇᵘᵗ ʸᵒᵘ ⁿᵉᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ʰᵃⁿᵍ ᵒⁿ‧‧" ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵗᵒᵒᵏ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ'ˢ ˡⁱᵐᵖ ᵇᵒᵈʸ ᵗᵒ ʰⁱˢ ʰᵒᵘˢᵉ⸴ ᵏⁿᵒʷⁱⁿᵍ ʰⁱˢ ᵈᵃᵘᵍʰᵗᵉʳ ᴾᵉᵃʳˡ'ˢ ⁿᵒᵗ ʰᵒᵐᵉ ⁿᵒʷ‧ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᶜˡᵉᵃⁿᵉᵈ ʰⁱᵐ ᵘᵖ ʷⁱᵗʰ ⁿᵒ ʳᵉˢⁱˢᵗᵃⁿᶜᵉ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ᵃᵗ ᵃˡˡ‧ "ᴺᵒʷ ᵗʰᵉⁿ‧‧‧" ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ˢᵃⁱᵈ ᵃˢ ʰᵉ ᵍᵒᵗ ᵃ ʷᵉᵗ ʳᵃᵍ ᵗᵒ ᵖᵘᵗ ᵒⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᵒʳᵉʰᵉᵃᵈ‧ ᔆᵗⁱˡˡ ⁿᵒ ˢⁱᵍⁿ ᵒᶠ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ‧ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵈᵉᶜⁱᵈᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵖʳᵉᵖᵃʳᵉ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ʷᵃᵗᵉʳ ᶠᵒʳ ʰⁱᵐ ᵇᵉᶠᵒʳᵉ ʰᵉ ʷᵃᵏᵉˢ ᵘᵖ⸴ ᵏⁿᵒʷⁱⁿᵍ ʰᵉ'ᵈ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ⁿᵒ ᵉⁿᵉʳᵍʸ ᵃᶠᵗᵉʳ ˢᵘᶜʰ ᵃ ᵇᵉᵃᵗⁱⁿᵍ ᵗʰᵉ ˡⁱᶠᵉ ᵒᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ʰⁱᵐ‧ ᴴᵉ ᵃˡˢᵒ ᵏⁿᵉʷ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᵐⁱᵍʰᵗ ᵇᵉ ᵘᵖˢᵉᵗ ⁱᶠ ʰᵉ'ᵈ ᶠᵒᵘⁿᵈ ʰⁱᵐˢᵉˡᶠ ᵃᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ʳᵉˢⁱᵈᵉⁿᶜᵉ ᵒᶠ ᴱᵘᵍᵉⁿᵉ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ‧ ᴴᵉ ᵗᵒᵒᵏ ʷᵃˢʰ ᶜˡᵒᵗʰ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵉᵗ ᵃᵍᵃⁱⁿ ʷʰᵉⁿ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᶠⁱⁿᵃˡˡʸ ᵗʷⁱᵗᶜʰᵉᵈ ᵃᵗ ᵗʰᵉ ˢᵉⁿˢᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵒˡᵈ ʳᵃᵍ ᵈᵃᵇˢ ᵃᵗ ʰⁱˢ ᶠᵃᶜᵉ‧ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ᵈⁱᵖᵖᵉᵈ ᵗʰᵉ ʷᵃˢʰ ᶜˡᵒᵗʰ ᵃᵍᵃⁱⁿ ⁱⁿ ʰⁱˢ ᵒʷⁿ ʷᵃᵗᵉʳ ᵇᵒʷˡ ᵗᵒ ʷᵉᵗ ⁱᵗ ᵃᵍᵃⁱⁿ‧ ᵂᵃᵏⁱⁿᵍ ⁿᵒʷ⸴ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᵐᵃⁿᵃᵍᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ˢˡᵒʷˡʸ ᶠˡᵘᵗᵗᵉʳ ʰⁱˢ ᵉʸᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵒᵖᵉⁿ‧ "ᴼᵘᵍʰʰ‧‧‧" "ᴵ ᵍᵒᵗ ʸᵒᵘ ˢᵃᶠᵉ ⁿᵒʷ⸴ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ‧‧" ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ⁿᵒʷ ˢᑫᵘᵉᵉᶻᵉᵈ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵉˣᶜᵉˢˢ ʷᵃᵗᵉʳ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ᵗʰᵉ ʳᵃᵍ‧ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵏᵉᵈ⸴ ʳᵉᵍᵃⁱⁿⁱⁿᵍ ʰⁱˢ ˢᵉⁿˢᵉˢ ᵃˢ ʰᵉ ʳᵉᶜᵒᵍⁿⁱˢᵉᵈ ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ‧ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᶠˡⁱⁿᶜʰᵉᵈ ᵃˢ ʰᵉ ʳᵉᵍⁱˢᵗᵉʳˢ ᵈᵘˡˡ ᵖᵃⁱⁿ‧ "ᵂᵃᵘᵍʰ ʰᵒʷ⸴ ʷʰᵉʳᵉ‧‧‧" "ʸᵒᵘ'ʳᵉ ᵃᵗ ᵐʸ ᵖˡᵃᶜᵉ⸴ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ‧" "ᵂʰᵉⁿ’ᵈ‧‧‧ ʸᵃʰ⸴ ʷʰᵃᵗ'ˢ ᵍᵒⁱⁿᵍ ᵒⁿ‧‧‧" ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ˢᵃʷ ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ˢᵗʳᵘᵍᵍˡᵉ‧ "ᴳᵃʰ⸴ ᵐʸ⸴ ᵐʸ ʰᵉᵃᵈ; ᵃʷ‧ ᵂᵃʰʰʰʰ ᵂʰᵃᵗ⸴ ʷᵃʰʰ ʰᵃᵖᵖᵉⁿᵉᵈ‽" "ᴰᵒ ʸᵒᵘ ʳᵉᵐᵉᵐᵇᵉʳ ᵗʰᵉ ᵐᵒᵇ? ᴵ'ᵈ ᵇʳᵒᵘᵍʰᵗ ʸᵒᵘ ᵗᵒ ᵐʸ ᵖˡᵃᶜᵉ ʷʰᵉⁿ ᴵ ᶠᵒᵘⁿᵈ ʸᵒᵘ‧‧" ᴾˡᵃⁿᵏᵗᵒⁿ ᶠᵉˡᵗ ʷᵉᵃᵏ‧ "ᴵ ᵍᵒᵗ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ʷᵃᵗᵉʳ‧‧‧" ᴹʳ‧ ᴷʳᵃᵇˢ ˢᵃⁱᵈ ᵃⁿᵈ ʰᵉˡᵖᵉᵈ ʰⁱᵐ ᵈʳⁱⁿᵏ ˢᵒᵐᵉ ᵒᶠ ⁱᵗ‧ "ᵂᵃⁱᵗ ʷʰʸ ᵃʳᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ʰᵉˡᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᵐᵉ? ᴬʳᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ʲᵘˢᵗ ʷᵃⁿᵗⁱⁿᵍ‧‧‧" "ᴵ ʷᵃⁿᵗ ᶠᵒʳ ʸᵒᵘ ᵗᵒ ᵍᵉᵗ ᵇᵉᵗᵗᵉʳ‧ ᴱᵛᵉⁿ ˢᵒ ʸᵒᵘ'ᵈ ᵈⁱᵉ ⁱᶠ ᴵ ʲᵘˢᵗ ˡᵉᶠᵗ ʸᵒᵘ! ᴵ ᶜᵃⁿ'ᵗ ᵉˣᵃᶜᵗˡʸ ˢᵉᵉ ʸᵒᵘʳ ˢᵃᵈ ᵃᵗᵗᵉᵐᵖᵗˢ ᵗᵒ ᵇᵉᵃᵗ ᵐᵉ ⁱᶠ ʸᵒᵘ ᵃʳᵉⁿ'ᵗ ˡⁱᵛᵉ ᵗᵒ ᵗᵉˡˡ ᵗʰᵉ ᵗᵃˡᵉ‧‧‧" "ᴱᵘᵍᵉⁿᵉ ᴵ⸴ ᴵ ᵈᵒⁿ'ᵗ ᵏⁿᵒʷ ʷʰᵃᵗ ᵗᵒ ˢᵃʸ‧‧" "ʸᵒᵘ'ʳᵉ ʷᵉˡᶜᵒᵐᵉ ᵇʸ ᵗʰᵉ ʷᵃʸ‧‧‧" "ᴵ ʰᵒᵖᵉ ʸᵒᵘ ᵈᵒⁿ'ᵗ ᵉˣᵖᵉᶜᵗ ᵐᵉ ᵗᵒ ˢᵗᵒᵖ ᵃᵗᵗᵉᵐᵖᵗˢ ᵗᵒ ˢᵗᵉᵃˡ ʸᵒᵘʳ ⁱⁿᵍʳᵉᵈⁱᵉⁿᵗˢ‧‧‧" "ʸᵒᵘ ᵏⁿᵒʷ ⁱᵗ; ᵒᶠ ᶜᵒᵘʳˢᵉ⸴ ⁿᵉᵛᵉʳ‧‧"

THE LIGHTS When I was young, I used to sleep in my mother's bed a lot due to the nightmares I frequently had as a kid. I could always find peace under the covers of my mom's bed but I now realize the actual comfort had come from the lights. Though still foggy in my memory, there had always been a pair of two lights somewhere near the ceiling of my moms room; I never thought much of them, at least nothing bad of course, they were comforting, soothing, warm. I began depending on these lights, so much that when there didn't show (only on rare occasions) I couldn't help feeling distraught and never got a good sleep. I never investigated the lights, perhaps if I had I wouldn't be in the situation I am now. Eventually I got older and gradually stopped sleeping in my mom's room. The nightmares stopped and I had relatively forgotten about the lights, until last night. Stumbling to bed around midnight after a long night of studies, I couldn't wait to just hit the bed and sleep: I didn't get much, after all. Tormented by visions I hadn't had in a long time left me paralyzed and covered in sweat when I awoke. Somewhat relieved to be back to my world I was confronted with a fond memory brought up through a familiar feeling. It took a few moments to notice the two solid lights and by now my eyes had begun to adjust to the darkness. Adrenaline surged through my body as I gripped the sides of my bed. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed something I hadn't through the foggy memories. They weren't lights; they were glowing red eyes. I began to wonder if this was another part of a nightmare, It had to be. Deep down I knew it wasn't, this was all too real. Through lost hope and fear for the unknown a grabbed the closest thing i could, a gift from my mother on my birthday a few years ago, a snow globe from our Denver ski trip. Playing baseball at school I developed a pretty efficient throwing arm. Launching it across the room with my pitching arm the eyes went dark followed by a thump on the floor in front of my bed. Turning on the lights left a pang of guilt in my stomach, why was that so easy. Seeing the creature for the first time up close and knowing it had been around here since I was a kid brought bile up my throat. Its limbs were half as thick than an average humans and where it's skin should have been was a substance unknown to me, dark and leathery but looked as though you could stick your hand right through it, recently punctured with shards of glass. What happened next led me to believe the theory | came up with, as soon as I turned on the lights, was true. This creature wasn't my enemy; nor was it just a neutral visitor. That's when it began, the trampling creaks on the stairs, windows smashing, and above all the worst part was the grotesque shrieks and howis. I knew what I had done tonight was the worst and probably last mistake of my life. Somewhere down the hall my sister screamed. The creature, the one had killed, had been my protection.