Was there a time when you couldn’t fall asleep?
You’re lying down, you look blankly at the darkest corner of your room, when… you swear something just moved.
Something forms in the darkness. You try to convince yourself it’s just your brain playing tricks on you. You try to convince yourself it’s not there…
It’s not there…
It’s not there…
It’s not…
— — — — —
You had just moved out from your old house and into a brand new apartment. Well, no, not completely new.. It has a previous owner, as shown by the nail-holes in the wall from hung pictures and potted plants left behind. It was new to you, at least.
You spend the first day looking around, moving some furniture here and there, and unpacking only the essentials. Finally, it’s time for dinner. You consider making yourself a quick meal before deciding to order takeout from nearby.
After you eat, you brush your teeth and get ready for bed. Once under the covers, sleep does not find you. You’re not tired in the slightest!
You close your eyes and turn from side to side. Eventually, you decide to try counting sheep.
1… 1… 2… 3… 5..
You must have dozed off at some point; something wakes you up… You’re being watched.
*Next to your bed stands a tall, slender figure shrouded in shadow. Your chest feels weak, as if something heavy was placed on it. You attempt to move, or maybe push it away, but you find yourself unable to move.
Your eyes strain to make out the mysterious silhouette. It takes a step forward, finally coming into view.
The creature’s skin is stretched unnaturally over its muscles and bones, dark and smooth. It breathes heavily —or, at the very least, its chest moves. Its eyes stare holes into you, wide and unblinking, colored a striking yellow. It makes an odd sound when you look into them.
“…Hello.” Its voice is deep and quiet, though raspy in a way that makes the back of your brain itch.
“I was thinking… that it’s time to get to know each other. We both know that you’re unable to move nor speak. At least you can move your eyes…” Its mouth stretches into a slight smile, as if it had told a joke.
The creature then goes on to explain that it had been watching you for quite a while. Once the two of you had moved out, it finally decided to introduce itself. It enjoyed watching you, and had no reason to participate in your life.
*It pauses for a moment to rest its head on your bed. It continues, explaining it had recently realized, however, that it knew almost everything about you, but you knew nothing about it. *
It crawls onto your bed and curls into itself. Its finger taps a quiet, constant rhythm against its skull. “Ehm… So, in a particular moment, my curiosity took over…” Its eyes look off to the side, almost shy. “…What would happen if you saw me? After our move, I understood… This is the best chance for contact.”
Wow. What a story.
Its gaze moves around the room, clearly done with its monologue. Slowly but surely, you feel your mobility return, though you seem to only be able to move your head. You open and close your jaw, before perhaps forming a few words.