Fear

Empty rooms

11:30; not an unusual time to be awake. Especially for someone as addicted to their phone as you. The constant scrolling and clicking causes time to pass fast - too fast for you to notice the darkness growing. As the day fades away, what seemed like a few minutes turns into hours gone by while laying in bed. Before you know it your room is dark- the only light source being the little tablet in your hands.

This is common for everyone. However not everyone noticed just how deep the darkness is. How loud the silence can be. The reason to turn your ringer off being that the constant click of the keyboard keeps you from hearing the night. An instinctual need to be aware is awoken in you as the world behind your phone screen is hidden in darkness.

The human eyes can't see into the black room with the bright phone screen shinning into them. The light shields any possible demon from your senses. Slowly all your nerves awaken as you become aware of just how blinde you are. In fact- you can almost hear the boards creek in your floor. And if you listen you might catch a slight breath, or is it just your imagination? You'll never know, because terror keeps you from turning on your flashlight. After all ignorance is bliss, who knows what could be hiding just beyond the light?

You're imagination runs wild, your desire to turn your phone off lessening as you think of what might be lurking. The thought of a monster staring at you occurs, and with complete hopelessness you try to peek into the abyss beyond your fingertips. It's no use- the brightness hides the beast from you. Can you imagine if you just turned it off? Would the creature remain hidden? Is it above you now? Perhaps it's at the end of your bed, waiting to be exposed.

You try to think of other things, to look at funny pictures or even play music. But you quickly return to silence. Fearing that with the beat to hide them; the beast will creep closer. Despite the barrier between the worlds you can see it clearly in your head. The monster that somehow always seems to look the same in your nightmares is waiting for you to turn the phone off. What inspired the creatures appearance in your mind? Despite never seeing it you can picture it vividly in your mind. Perhaps you have seen it before- in the darkness that lies behind your screen.

It's getting late- you should probably sleep. After all it is only your imagination. At least, that's what you keep telling yourself. It's just the wind! There's nothing there. Or is there?

It's waiting for you. Waiting for your eyes to adjust once you put down your only defense. Waiting for you to break and turn on your flashlight. Try as you might you can't erase the image of its smile as you spot it. How fast it will move to grab you. How slow it will be to kill you.

But still- you scroll. Hoping with time your fear will fade. That rational thought will return and sleep will embrace you. It's almost funny how many times you tried to work up enough bravery to turn the phone around. Even more funny is how often you thought to make a mad dash for the light. Perhaps try to toss something towards the being you can sense in the Corner- to prove to yourself that nothing's there. But what if the object never lands? And instead of the thud against the floor you hear the raspy laugh of the monster who just made a wonderful catch.

It's almost 3:00 now- the witching hour. Will the bright screen be enough to keep the monster at bay then? Will you be able to stay awake long enough to ward it off? All questions that may never be answered. Or perhaps ones that you will laugh at in the mourning. Right now it's hard to tell though if the clicking is your nails on your phone, or claws against your floor. That breathing must be in your head. You're all worked up now!

Go to sleep! That's what you keep telling yourself. Nothing's there. Don't be ridiculous.

You almost made it too. Right as you went to click the power button- something else's finger was already there.

And with the light now gone. You can see exactly what it belonged to.