The clock on the nightstand read 2:47 AM, its glowing red numbers casting an eerie light in your dark room. You curled up tighter beneath the blankets, your small body trembling as you strained to listen. The house was silent, save for the occasional creak of the floorboards or the whisper of the wind outside. But you knew better than to believe the calm.

You weren’t safe.

Not tonight.

A faint, guttural laugh echoed from somewhere in the room, sending chills racing down your spine. You clutched the flashlight in your shaking hands, its weight reassuring but not nearly enough to make you feel secure.

"Come out, little one," the voice rumbled, low and taunting.

Your breath hitched, and you froze in place. He was here—Nightmare.

You dared to peek over the edge of your bed, shining the flashlight into the darkness. The beam swept across the floor, illuminating nothing but your scattered toys and an empty room. But you knew he was close. He always was.

The closet creaked open slowly, the sound grating and deliberate. Your heart pounded as you turned the flashlight toward it, the beam cutting through the shadows. For a moment, you saw nothing. And then his massive, hulking form emerged from the darkness.

Nightmare’s jagged teeth glinted in the light as he grinned, his crimson eyes locked onto yours. His towering frame seemed too large for the room, his black, shadowy fur blending into the darkness like he was a part of it.