The Forgotten Soul Series: Bonus Chapters

Nightmare By Design (WHAT IF?) Halloween-2023

EVAN POV:

The ringing. Constant, loud. Sounding off every half second.

If that alarm clock doesn't shut up. I'm going to throw it through a window.

"Ugh." I groaned as I rolled over and slammed my hand on the small box shaped device on my bedside table. I had been having such a good dream before that stupid piece of technology interrupted me.

Letting out a sigh I shifted in my bed so that I was laying on my back before opening my eyes, an action I immediately regretted as my eyes were assaulted by the bright holy light suspended in the sky that was shining through my partially closed curtains. Also known as the sun.

I rolled back onto my side so that the light was behind me. While using the shadows to let my eyes adjust so it didn't feel like they were being melted in their sockets. It was as I was doing that, that the sound of my bedroom door slowly creaking open alerted me of an unexpected visitor.

My body quickly went limp, dare I say played dead, as I heard the sounds of something sniffing the air from the doorway. One would think it might be a dog, but I don't have any pets. And also dogs don't giggle with distorted reverb.

I could hear the light yet also heavy tapping of their feet as they slowly creeped forward. The clinking of their metal teeth as they opened and closed their mouth. And the near silent, almost hungry growl as they approach.

I felt the bed shift as a new weight began to crawl onto it, the springs of my old mattress creaking under the creature's weight.

The sunlight shining through the gaps in my window curtains cast an ominous shadow on the wall I was facing. Allowing me to see the large humanoid body that was crawling towards me from the end of the bed. Akin to that of a predator hunting prey.

From the shadow I could make out some key features. The large fluffy tail, Vulpine-like ears atop their head, and portions of their skin missing casting a shadow of their robust skeleton and stray wires.

Instinctively I felt my hand tense, ready to fly out from under the covers and grab the item on my bedside table that I knew would protect me. But I held it at bay. If I went for it too soon the creature would attack, too late and I'd already be at its mercy.

I waited for a few threateningly silent seconds as I watched their shadow. Then I saw my que, the subtle flick of their tail and twitch of their ears. They were getting ready to pounce.

My arms snapped out and grabbed my defence mechanism. My fingers wrapped around the trigger and handle as I swung it around and pointed it at the monster's face. Then without a moment of hesitation I pulled the trigger.

"EEEP!" They yelped as they recoiled, a small spout of water hitting them right between the eyes. "HEY! NO FAIR!"

"Bad Mangle." I replied bluntly as I continued to squirter them with my water pistol. "You know not to sneak up on me in bed."

"Stop." They said with a half giggle as they used their hands to defend themself from my attack. "You're getting my hair wet."

"Serves you right." I spoke as I squirted her one last time. Before reaching over to put the water gun back on my bedside table before climbing out of bed and opening the curtains.

The now brightened room allowed me to get a clear view of her. She was tall, about 2 metres to be precise. Her skin was mostly a dull white with a creamy pink secondary colour. Said skin was also damaged in a few places allowing me to see the Endoskeleton beneath, the most prominent area of damage being a tear line around the mid area of her torso. Her hair was a brighter white than her skin and was pulled into a very messy ponytail. She had a set of mechanical fox ears that were perched at the top of her head, along with a large fluffy tail that was swaying side to side behind her.