Dark Flutters: Stories for a Moonless Night

The Day Bringer

The Day Bringer

Gary looked in the mirror and frowned at the wrinkles which now lined his once youthful face. Sighing, he ran a hand through his gray hair and quickly turned away.

He hated what he had become. He was only a worn out shell of what he used to be. His life had been stripped away from him, just because he had to prove he was right.

He turned and shuffled down the hallway, his aching back protesting as he went. Now at least, he knew he was right. His fear of the night had indeed proven true.

He stopped as he reached the living room and glanced out the front window at the darkness beyond. How could the rest of the world sleep so peacefully when the truth was all around them?

Gary had tried to make them listen. He had tried to explain how dangerous the night could be, but no one ever takes a nine-year old seriously.

But he had known the truth. Deep down he knew he had to sleep before morning would come.

His mother had laughed at him. She told him how silly he was being, that a lot of people stay up all night and morning always came.

He shook his head at that memory. Those people weren’t him. He was the one who had to fall asleep to bring the day. It was just that simple.

That final laugh from his mother had been what made him decide to try it. Gary would show them. He would prove it was all true. He would show the world he was the Day Bringer.

Gary had stayed awake all night, watching the night through the window in his room. Just before sunrise, time had frozen.

The world had come to a complete stand still because he had stayed awake. He had been right all along. He was the one who controlled it.

Pleased with himself, nine-year-old Gary climbed into bed and tried to drift off to sleep, hoping to bring the day back to the world. But sleep would not come.

It hadn’t come then, and it still wouldn’t come now.  He wiped away a tear as he turned and shuffled back down the hall. He had broken the balance just because he wanted to prove he was right.

The world stayed frozen around him while he had grown to be a bitter old man just because he didn’t like to be laughed at.

Gary knew he had to do something to make up for it. The balance had to be restored.

He carefully made his way into his parents’ room and stared down at their sleeping forms. “I’m sorry, Mommy,” he whispered as he brushed the cobwebs from her face. “I’m going to fix this, I swear.”

He let his fingers linger in her hair before turning and shuffling from the bed. He slowly entered his parents’ walk-in closet.

Groaning slightly, he straightened up and pulled a metal lock-box from the top shelf. He lifted the lid and stared down at the shiny metal inside.

He grabbed the box of bullets lying next to the weapon and gave it a gentle shake. The rattling inside brought a small smile of relief to his lips.

Gary turned around, watching his parents sleep one last time before giving a final nod. “Maybe my eternal slumber will be enough to wake the world.”