Don't Wake The Darkness

It was like a gun had been fired in my ear, the sun was setting and dusk was gobbling up the sky like a snack. I needed to get home quickly, I needed to curl up in his blankets and rest his head. I needed to feel safe.

“It’s not safe there.” And suddenly the car swerved, passing the subdivision in which I lived and I held to the car for dear life. My heart beat faster and I felt that we were gonna die in some sort of crash; instead we headed to another division that was gated. The night seemed drawn to the both of us as the sun’s heat, its warmth and its glory was quickly fading into the moon.

We pulled into the drive way of a two story brick house, it looked identical to all the others in the area except it had no shutters on the outside. It was the black and white trim that made it appear just worn and torn. The engine was turned off, and all was gray and the wind nipped at my flesh.

“Stay outside, no matter what don’t come in until I allow you to.”

Gerard slammed the door shut, the automatic lights shut off and the sky was now a black. The shadows scared me as they danced around the car, I made sure each door was locked and I tried to slink away from the windows. My fleece jacket was doing nothing for me and I thought that maybe I should walk home, but the sky and the wind told me to stay and wait for Gerard.

The darkness loomed overhead; I wiggled my body to seat myself lower in the seat, my back arched and achy. The windows were tinted with fog as I caught myself breathing heavily. I wish he didn’t take his keys inside with him; I would have calmed myself with the radio and the lights.

I could make it, just quickly run to his front door and be safer, any place is safer then this car, this cold, cold car.

I noticed how the temperature dropped significantly low, the ache in my back reaching my shoulders and I hunched, neck turning at any possible movement from the outside. I was going to make a break for it when I felt the driver’s seat door being whipped open and cool air rushed inside.

I jumped, startled, but it was only Gerard, his face had a cold flush to it and it made him look almost human as he bundled himself tightly.

“Sure got chilly quickly, didn’t it?” I relaxed, nodding feeling something similar to safety surround me.

“Let’s get out of here.”

His home was fairly decent; it had a pretty small living room that held a television, and a fire place. The mantle up above seemed slightly bare, only a lone candle had been placed in the center.

The walls were a beige color, all the rooms were. All of them shared the same carpet too, a wine red it seemed. The only thing slightly out of the ordinary was the fact that, there were no electric lights to be found. I noticed when I had looked at Gerard, who found it comfy by a small bed that there were no lamps in the room.

“Hey Gerard, can I ask you a question?”

He folded his arms. “Well you already did so I can’t complain.”

I smiled slightly, looking into his eyes. “Where are your night lights?”

He quickly dropped his arms, glancing at something beside me, almost laughing in a mocking manner.

“Afraid I assume?” His eyes glanced at something behind me, and it was driving me nuts. But my instincts said to leave sleeping dogs lie so I decided to nod and he ran over to me and whispered gently in my ear.

“You have everything to be afraid of.”