DARKNING [Completed]

3. Lured into the dark...

nightmares haunt yibo. his love life with his boyfriend has reached a dead-end. it seems that the only place where he can find peace is misty harbor - his father's hometown.

by the time he arrive in the town, everything seems to be closed.

"you've got to be kidding me! it's only 7 PM! why is this whole town sleeping already? is it even safe to be out in the streets at this hour?"said yibo.

the only thing to find is a single ad truck on the announcement board in the town center. yibo found it.

"guess that's my only option then, home, sweet home!" said yibo.

he drives to the address mentioned in the ad. as he arrive, a monstrosity of a building  rises in front of him.

"there you are, dearest!" said sue a middle aged woman.

"hi, i'm yibo!"

"who on earth comes to look for housing in misty harbor at this hour?" asked sue.

"right the most desperate ones." said yibo.

"those are my favourite type of tenants. now, let's go inside, and i'll show you the house." said sue.

yibo feel slightly nervous as he look at the building. it's beautiful in some creepy way.

'is it weird this feels like home already?' thinks yibo.

yibo can almost feel the now familiar feeling of flapping in his heart. he ignored it.

"i'd love to see my room, sue.  i'm so tired." said yibo.

"of course, sweetie. you'll have time to check the rest of the house tomorrow morning when the shadows don't lurk in every corner." said sue.

"right..." said yibo.

"the whole upper floor will be yours, dearest." said sue.

yibo follow sue up the stairs that make cracking sounds threatening to crush under your weight at any moment.

"and here's your bedroom, darling. i hope you love it. what do you think?" asked sue.

"well, sue it's gorgeous. i'm taking it!" said yibo.

"aren't you the best tenant one could have?!" said sue happily.

to yibo's surprise, as strange and unwelcoming the place looks, in some inexplicable way, he feel like he's at home. sue brews tea as they sit down to sign the lease agreement.

"now, darling. tell me what exactly brings you to the town?" asked sue.

"nothing special. i like traveling." said yibo.

"one would say those who love travelling end up in paris or niagara falls. or australia for that matter..." said sue.

"i'll consider that too. for now, i think some rest and mists are what i need." said yibo.

"thrilling.. now, i believe a young boy as curious as you should want to know the local hangout places." said sue.

"i'm not exactly the party-goer type." said yibo.

"of course, not! but you should check the local bar called 'darkening'. you never know what you'll find there, or who you'll come across on your way. and that's the only place one could get some food or a drink at this hour in this town." said sue.

sue shrugs at you innocently, but yibo know exactly what she means. he quickly unpack and using his non-existent hunger as an excuse, hurry to the darkening.

half an hour later, yibo enter the darkening. although it's dim and noisy, once he step in, it seems like every sound dies around, and every set of eyes is directed towards him. it takes a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light of the bar. and then...like a physical touch he feel a stranger's gaze directed towards him. his eyes are burning with an intense green shine.