The room was dark, save for the faint glow of the nightlight casting long shadows across the walls. You lay curled up in your bed, clutching the covers tightly around you. The quiet hum of the fan was the only sound in the oppressive silence, but even that seemed to fade as the air grew heavier. You weren’t alone—you knew that much.

They were here again.

Your eyes darted to the closet. The doors sat slightly ajar, a sliver of blackness within. You quickly glanced at the door to your bedroom, the faint sound of footsteps echoing in the hallway. With shaking hands, you reached for the flashlight on your bedside table. It was the only weapon you had, but it felt like a flimsy shield against the terrors that haunted these nights.

The soft creak of the floorboards made your heart leap. You whipped the flashlight toward the noise, illuminating nothing but empty space. Yet you knew better than to think you were safe. You flicked the light off and listened, straining your ears for any sound.

A low growl came from the darkness.

Your breath caught in your throat as you turned the flashlight toward the end of the bed. Standing there, towering over you, was Nightmare.