"The Darkness" by Meghan Brownjohn

Most stories start off with once upon a time, but mine doesn't. My story doesn't begin in a fantasy world with princesses and knight doing extraordinary things. It doesn't start off happy and pleasant. It begins in the middle of a hot, sticky night while my room was submerged in a blanket of darkness as heavy as the air I breathed. I woke panting in my tangled blankets to small sounds. Whispers in the dark. Looking around my room in an increasingly panicked state my light brown hair, stained black in the darkness, fell across my sweat-soaked face. I hid beneath my blanket like a small child, hoping that the voices would pass me by, like all those other nights. Yet knowing the voices were louder than usual dampened those hopes considerably.

The air became heavier while I stayed consumed within the folds of the comforter, until I could no longer take in the insufferable breeze. It was like the very air was on fire. I peeked out enough that I could still breathe without fainting. Standing there in that darkness surrounding me was a shadow. A shadow amongst the shadows. My eyes widened in fright, terrified of the tall figure cast in black. He held out his hand, beckoning me to follow him.

"Take my hand," the shadow rasped, "there is no time left."

"W-w-what do you want?" I stammered.

"Take my hand!" it said again from the depths of my room. It stood there, waiting, hand still extended. Suddenly there was a scream from outside my window, making me jump 2 feet off my bed.

"Hurry!" he rasped again, bringing my attention back to his hand. I was scared of him, but more so of the scream that had echoed the promise of a darker night than the one we were shrouded in. Slowly I got up from my bed as the blanket fell away to reveal my blue teddy bear clothes. I reached out and took the safety he offered over the oncoming danger.

Hand in hand we fell back into darkness and nothingness.