Scary Horror Stories by Dr. NoSleep - If the sky goes dark in the middle of the day, hide!

Episode Date: October 11, 2021

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Talk to nicely. One last thing. If it ever goes dark in the middle of the day, just stay in your house and hide. The driver said before falling silent. I chuckled at the bizarre suggestion, as if it hadn't been enough to instate a ridiculous nighttime curfew and forbid any romantic attachments with the inhabitants of the town. They also wanted me to hide from the dark. This ain't no joke, detective.

If you can't follow these instructions, we're turning around, and I'm taking you back to the city. He slowed down the car and looked back at me. He hadn't been the friendliest person. Hell, he hadn't even given me his name, but the pure intensity of his stare made it clear how serious he actually was. All right, as you wish. Why would it go dark in the middle of the day anyway?

Last time I checked, there wasn't a solar eclipse scheduled for this year. Before the driver could answer my half-serious jab at his rules, a police fan came speeding towards us. We pulled to the side of the narrow road, allowing the van, with its flashing blue lights, to pass unobstructed. In the split second where it drove by, I'd noticed two officers occupying the vehicle. They seemed to be in a hurry, I said, expecting the driver to explain. Seriously, why are they driving out of town in such a rush? I continued.

They're looking for Patrick. Dumbass tried to leave town a few days ago. I guess a local hunter must have found him. The second comment piqued my curiosity. The ominous insinuation said in such a casual manner meant I had to keep digging. What? Are you trying to tell me that he's not allowed to leave? Of course he is. Don't be stupid. It's just that... he trailed off. Just that, what? I asked. He sighed. Listen, I'm just the damn driver. If you have any questions, the sheriff will be happy to fill you in.

He seemed on edge just having me in his car. I had offered to drive into town myself, but the powers that be had insisted I get picked up, as the road was treacherous and confusing. Based on what I'd seen that far, they hadn't lied. The road was broken and in dire need of maintenance, and there were almost no signs to guide our way on our journey. Before long, we passed by the first road sign I'd seen in ours. Just a simple piece of wood with the town's name written on it, Tenebrus. Not a particularly welcoming sight, but it served its purpose.

After another mile or so, we pulled up. on to an almost empty street. There were no more than five minuscule buildings that were supposed to be houses. The driver parked outside one of them and got outside. After you drop off your stuff, I'm taking you down to the sheriff's department, he said. Before we entered my humble abode, the driver walked over to a power box and flipped the switch. Dim lights flickered to life, barely illuminating the dark interior. The place was run down and barely comparable to a two-star motel. Not that it mattered while I was on the job. Luxuries had never been a part of my work. As we entered, bugs and insects scurried away from the wet doormat covering the floor.

The place only seemed to have three rooms. The main one was a living room with a sofa bed and a stove, a hybrid room for all purposes. Other than that area, there were two doors, one leading to the bathroom, and one with a sign reading, curfew pantry. I tried to open it, but the door wouldn't budge. It's locked, I asked. Without speaking a word, the driver walked over and gave it a solid pull. After the third or so attempt, it flew open, revealing hundreds of canned, non-perishable goods. It was enough to feed a family for about a year. I'm only staying a month. You know that, right? I asked nervously.

He sighed and nodded. It's just for emergencies. If it suddenly goes dark, there's no telling how long we'll be stuck for. So, in case the sun vanishes, I just stay here? For how long? I asked, half sarcastically, still skeptical to the whole situation. He thought for a moment before responding. Usually, just a couple of hours, he trailed off. Usually? God knows, it could be longer. How long? I asked firmly. He fell silent again, not willing to answer the stream of questions I kept producing. Just drop your damn bags. Let's go visit the sheriff, he ordered. Without further argument, I put my bags to down on the table, careful to keep them away from the bug-infested floors. I chuckled briefly to

myself, thinking that at the very least I wouldn't be lonely. As we drove through town, I got a better look at the tired-looking buildings. They all seemed so ancient, as if they'd been built back in the 50s and subsequently forgotten about. There were a few people out on the streets, all looking cold and exhausted beyond measure. None of them were particularly excited to have a stranger visit them, it seemed. department didn't fare much better than the rest of the town. It was a mix between an office building and a jail, too small to keep many criminals in place. But I supposed that in a town that small, crime wasn't much of an issue. At least officially, the deaths had all been ruled accidental. An older man came to greet us as we arrived, accompanied by two younger officers. He wore a thin

smile in his face. A tired one at that. But the first sign of friendliness I'd met, I reached out my hand, You must be Robert, he said as he shook my hand. The name's Bill Riley. I'm the sheriff around these parts. The other two didn't smile. They just stared at me with suspicion in their eyes. Why is he here anyways? One of them asked. The sheriff turned back towards him, with his smile vanishing, replaced by a stern look. The man fell silent, and the sheriff redirected his attention towards me. Don't mind them. It's good to have you here. We're in dire need of a forensic pathologist, especially after...

He said before I interrupted him. Hold on for a minute. I'm not a pathologist. Not anymore, at least. But your file said, that was a long time ago, I said quickly. The sheriff took the hint. It didn't push the issue any further. Before we could get inside, the van pulled up behind the building.

It was the same one I'd seen speeding past us as we entered town. The sheriff rushed over to assess the situation, and they pulled a covered stretcher out from the back. You found him? The sheriff asked, surprised. The officers nodded and carried the stretcher inside. We followed them in through a set of metal doors, which led to an old-fashioned autopsy lab.

The distinct smell of formaldehyde burned through my nose as we got inside. The sheriff pulled the covers off the stretcher, which revealed the pale corpse of a middle-aged man. While the cause of death wasn't immediately apparent, I suspected some sort of cardiovascular condition, with his eyes deep red from subconjunctival bleeding, and his leg swollen. Where'd you find him?

The sheriff asked. Just at the edge of town. He didn't even make it across the border. Poor bastard. They all stared helplessly at the dead man on the table before directing their attention at me. Robert, would you mind assisting us with the autopsy? I took a step back,

and the sheriff noticed my trepidation. With a look of mild concern, he put his hand on my shoulder. Look, I wouldn't ask if I had another choice. I'll stay behind and help, but I just can't do it on my own. After an eternity of uncomfortable silence, I put the discomfort aside and agreed to help. I realized that while most of the officers in the room had dealt with dead bodies, none had ever

dealt with dissecting a cadaver. Just the act of cutting a human being up into their most basic parts was something entirely different that I'd never gotten used to. Together, we jotted down all the basic information regarding the man, who I had come to know as Patrick Lawrence. After taking down his weight, height, age, and observing all the minor wounds and bruises, the time had come to get the scalpel. You don't have to be here for this, I said as I looked at the profusely sweating sheriff. I'm fine. So, you have an autopsy lab, but no pathologist on sight? I asked. More to get his mind off the sight in front of him than out of curiosity. Yeah, we do, he trailed off. Then where is he?

You're looking at him, he said as he gestured to the corpse in front of me. I felt ashamed. Being from a larger city meant that all my cases had dealt with strangers. But in a town as small as Tenebris, everyone was either a colleague, friend, or family. I'm sorry, I mumbled. Without further ado, I sank my scalpel into the man's abdomen. The blade cut through the skin and fat without a problem. I created the typical Y-shaped incision necessary for easy access. Then I put my hand down the newly formed hole, ready to expand open his cavities. Inside, I expected resistance. I fumbled around for a bit, with the wet and slightly warm sensation of decaying organs brushing against my hand. Panic started to

rise in my body, as I realized that instead of half-rotten organs, I felt nothing. No, no, no, no, that can't be right, I mumbled to myself. What? I kept expanding until his entire abdomen and chest cavity were visible. There, within Patrick Lawrence, instead of a heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver. There was nothing. Just a few chunks of what resembled minced meat, as if something had shredded him to pieces from inside. The two of us stared at the empty corpse on the table. The sheriff, as disgusted as he must have been, didn't seem all that surprised. Did you know? I asked him quietly, but with a demanding tone. No what? What state the corpse would be in? I continued, more agitated than before.

He sighed. No, no I didn't. According to the vague report, about the town that I'd been given, at least a dozen people showed up dead every year. While the number on its own was ludicrous for such a small town, it would be impossible not to have noticed their complete lack of internal organs. Do you really expect me to believe that? After all the people who died here in the past few decades, that none showed up like this? That's the thing. It never did show up, he said as we left the autopsy lab.

We walked into the office, where he pulled out a bunch of photos, all showing what appeared to be extremely decayed bodies and skeletal remains. We always found them months after the fact, and by then, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if wildlife had stripped their insides. But this? This is something else. He put the photos away and locked his office. So you never found any flesh, hollowed out corpses? I asked. No, not really. Well, actually, Patrick. His last autopsy seemed to have disturbed him.

What happened? Three days ago? Our local pharmacist went missing at night. When we found him the next day, he'd long since died, and Patrick did the autopsy. And? He kept raving about the emptiness inside, making no sense. It was like he'd completely lost it, which isn't all that weird considering the job. But we didn't know exactly what he saw.

He burned the body before we could stop him and fled town. We exited the building to report to the other officers, all of them smoking, relaxing as if nothing had happened. He briefed the others while I lit up a cigarette of my own. A nasty habit I had quit years ago. But considering the circumstances, it felt appropriate. The sheriff kept glancing at his watch, and then at the rapidly setting sun. Time had gotten away from us within the windowless autopsy hall, and a curfew was about to start. You better head home, Robert.

We'll catch up in the morning. I tossed the half-finished cigarette onto the ground. Wait, first you're going to tell me what the hell is going on here. Tomorrow, I promise, he said as he reached out his hand. I appreciate your help today. I really do. Hesitantly, I agreed to leave. The driver took me back to my house without speaking a word, and I headed inside to get ready for a restless night.

It was an uncomfortable place to live, with boring food and a bathroom that had no functioning light, meaning I had to use the provided flashlight, just to take a piss. I searched the pantry for something to eat, and to my surprise, I feel. found an unopened bottle of whiskey just resting there. I drank it while going over the case files I'd been given prior to my departure towards Tenebrus. Five detectives had been sent there before me, all who returned unsettled, but none the wiser regarding the strange deaths. By the

time I'd finished half the bottle, I drifted off to an uneasy slumber, asleep filled with complicated nightmares from my past. Events and impossible situations I struggled to escape, but that had ultimately landed me here in Tenebrus. I awoke in the early morning of the next day, with a splitting headache and an overabundance of regret. I glanced at the time to see it was only 7 a.m., meaning I still had ample time to recover. The first daylight peaked through my window, and I grumpily covered them with the curtains, hoping to get another hour of sleep before I got up. I could have sworn only a second past before I awoke again to the bizarrely warm air around me. I got up, intending to open a window, when I noticed it was completely dark outside.

Surprised, I started to panic, worried that I'd slept through the entire day. Hung over and annoyed, I grabbed my phone to call the sheriff when I noticed the time. 7.42 a.m. only 42 minutes had passed. I stuck my head out through the window and tried to get a look around. Even the street lights seemed obscured by the darkness. Their yellow glow barely visible. I dialed the number to the sheriff's department, but they didn't pick up. Then, I attempted to call Sheriff's Riley's personal number. He picked up almost immediately, but his voice was obscured behind a static-like mess of sound. Roth keeps it. Don't. Outside. He managed to get out before the connection broke. I slumped back in bed, the driver's warning playing on loop in the back of my mind. If it ever goes

dark in the middle of the day, just stay in your house and hide. Then I saw someone move out on the street, just a shadow hidden in the dark. With the warning of dangers lurking in the dark, I was torn between hiding or calling out to check if the person needed help. He wasn't far away, so I decided to try and coax him inside. Hello? Are you all right? I called out. My voice muffled as if the air itself had grown too thick. The shadow heard my call and turned towards me. It moved with unnatural exaggerated movements, seeming to skip steps. At first, I thought it was one of my neighbors, but even as it walked under the partially dimmed street light.

It still didn't come into view. It dawned on me that the thing wasn't human. I wanted to duck away from the window and hide, but I was frozen in fear. My eyes kept focused on the slowly approaching figure. Then I noticed another shadow approaching from down the street, and another and another. Dozens of shadows wandering the streets of Tenebrus.

Beaveree. Embarked and profited. Embarked and relax. Ciro-te, bookine Oh, that also. And profite. Vi-aray, the voice that we love. Self-preservation might not be my most redeeming quality.

So when I saw a figure walking around in the overwhelming darkness, my first instinct was to help them. That fact, mixed with the skull-crushing headache I'd received as a parting gift from the alcohol, caused me to fuck up monumentally enough to call out into the dark. There, on the streets, Hundreds of dark figures approached me. Mere shadows with humanoid features barely resembling people.

While they hadn't necessarily seen me, they definitely heard me idiotically call out through the window. I ducked down out of sight and closed the blinds. I contemplated whether I should leave the light off to keep myself hidden or to turn it on to fight the darkness. Then I noticed a few scribbles on a piece of paper posted under the light switch. Leave on! I turned on every switch I could find,

hoping it could repel the bizarre creatures from entering my temporary home. Then, after I locked all doors and windows, I collected my mobile phone, my gun, and the provided flashlight before boarding myself up inside the pantry. With little hesitation, I decided to call the sheriff again, hoping he could give me some further instructions on how to survive the oncoming nightmare. Alas, despite my best efforts, the call wouldn't go through.

I glanced down at my service weapon and considered whether hiding or escaping would be my best option. But, even if bullets could maim the creatures, I wouldn't have nearly enough ammunition to put a dent in the horde. My only option would be to hide until the darkness rescinded. The driver had told me earlier that only a couple of hours would pass while the darkness loomed over us. And while I prayed that was true,

something within me felt instinctively doubtful. I kept as quiet as I could, keeping my eyes fixed on the door in front of me and a hand on the gun. while I couldn't hear the creatures move around. I knew they'd gotten close once the lights outside the pantry started to dim. It wasn't as if the lights died, but more like their presence swallowed the light.

The sliver of light that sneaked in under the door had all but vanished, and I had little more than the weak light bulb inside the pantry, and my exceptionally strong flashlight left to keep me company. Hours passed, and I held my breath as I awaited what felt like my inevitable demise. Then, days passed. and the darkness remained.

I tried my best to preserve the battery on my phone, only turning it on every few hours to check the time and attempting to call for backup. I managed to keep the phone going for a week before it eventually died. Even if I had the charger with me, there were no outlets to connect it to. The pantry itself had become a disgusting prison. Food and water were not exactly a scarce resource,

but dealing with my bathroom habits made me weigh the pros and cons of consuming anything more than absolute necessities. Time became a foreign concept without my phone to keep track of it. I had to rely on my own internal clock, which had been wrecked by the lack of a day and night cycle. Based on the growth of my beard, I assumed two weeks had passed by the time I looked at my gun as more of a way out than a means of self-defense.

By then, the light outside my door had completely vanished. It had taken the creatures a long time to consume all the light, but once they were done, I could see slivers of shadow penetrate from under the door. I shined my light at it, which seemed to keep them at bay, but I only had so much battery power, including the extra batteries left in the pantry. Day by day, my sanity started to fade. Every thought was occupied by the immense desire to escape,

be it through a heroic act of defiance or by a bullet to my own head. Then, as if a switch had been flicked, a beam of bright light appeared under the door. A heavenly white light brighter and more beautiful than anything I'd ever seen. I stared at it in disbelief. Could it be daylight? I didn't know. And I didn't even dare open the door. I must have sat there for an hour

before a familiar voice finally broke my trance. Robert, are you in there? I heard the sheriff call out. I carefully started dismantling the makeshift barricade I'd placed in front of the door and stumbled out into the bright hall of my home. The light of day hit me with blinding power. Thank God you're still here. I thought we'd lost you for sure.

Sheriff Riley exclaimed as I opened the door. I just stared at him for a moment before I fully believed he was real. What? What happened? I stuttered. Robert tried to hold back a grimace as he noticed the smell and state of my worn-out body. He stepped inside and closed the door to keep me out of sight. I caught a brief glance of my own reflection in the window,

greasy hair, untrimmed beard and bloodshot eyes. How long was I in there? I asked. 19 days. It's the longest time we've ever. He trailed off as he noticed the look of dread on my face. I'm sorry, Robert. I reeked of sweat and shit

after being trapped in my own filth for almost three weeks. The sheriff seemed slightly fresher than myself, probably having had access to a bathroom. It wasn't his fault that I'd been trapped in the pantry. If I hadn't called out for the creatures, I could have stayed safely inside my own home and lived an isolated but comfortable life. I had a lot of questions,

but in my tired state, all I could think of was to clean myself up. I'm going to have a shower, I said. He nodded, understanding him, and said he'd wait for me while I got ready. As I washed the past weeks off my body, I finally started to formulate a plan. I'd been so preoccupied with surviving

that I hadn't been able to question the reality of the situation. I decided that the best course of action would be to call headquarters back in the city. I was out of my depth and needed serious reinforcements. When I got out of the bathroom, I saw Riley talking on the radio with a destroyer. broad expression on his face. What's wrong?

I just got word from the others. We've lost some people. The others are outlooking, but the situation seems pretty bleak, he said. How many? I don't know. The current count is 24. Jesus Christ! The longest bout of darkness only lasted a couple of days, and that was almost 30 years ago.

This is... This... The words got stuck in his throat. Though he had fared better than myself in hiding, The people that had been taken were his own, friends and family that he'd known his whole life, and it had taken a toll on him. A surge of pity filled my body as I realized the true gravity of the situation. Sheriff Riley, we're going to figure this out, I promise. We just need to get help from the city to let people know what's going on here. He nodded. You're right, but what are we going

to tell them? The truth. I charged my phone and attempted to call my supervisor, albeit skilled, skeptical person, but even he likely wouldn't reject the call for help with several dozen people missing. The phone wouldn't even ring, not a single bar of signal visible on the little screen. By all accounts, we'd effectively been cut off from civilization. I ran through a few ideas, ready to suggest that we'd just drive a town over, but before I could formulate a proper plan, someone called Riley over the radio. A voice said on the other end. He picked it up and responded. James? Yeah, I'm here. What's going on?

The officer said with a shaky voice, Oh God! What did you find? There's a wall of darkness. He continued before getting cut off. James? Can you hear me? Riley kept repeating, getting no response on the other end. He turned towards me with terror in his eyes.

We have to help them. We rushed to the car and started speeding towards the border. We stopped briefly at the police station to see if anyone had gotten back. But apart from a prison guard too old to partake in the search and rescue operation, It was seemingly abandoned. The streets were empty. Everyone was hiding in their homes while the police did their search. These creatures, what are they?

I asked as we sped down the road. Riley glanced over at me with a look of confusion on his face. What creatures? I saw shadows wandering through the dark, just barely resembling humans. There were hundreds of them. Before I could ask any further questions, a car came speeding towards us from the opposite direction. Riley swerved to the side, narrowly avoiding collision,

While the other car broke violently skidding into the ditch, a panicked man stumbled out from the car. His face bruised from the crash. James! What the fuck are you doing? Riley asked. They're dead. They're all dead. And I just left them there.

I'm sorry. I couldn't. I couldn't. He stuttered as he frantically looked around. I stared towards the horizon from where James had fled. The light in the horizon seemed to cut off, fading harshly from day to night. As pitch black clouds were moving towards us,

for each second past, The wall of darkness grew closer. It was what had terrified James and what had killed the others. Sheriff, we need to move, I said as he tried to comfort James. I turned around and noticed the same darkness had occupied the horizon behind us. By the time we'd picked James up, the darkness had enveloped the entire town, shrinking by each passing second. It had already killed most of the police force,

but I was starting to fear that by the time we got back to town, there wouldn't be anyone left. She knows. How? Did you blouse? No. The Devil Wears Prada 2. He's the movie event 20 years in the making. Honestly, can't with the secrets anymore, so I think we just should tell her.

Will you two please spit it out already? This Friday, be the first to experience it only in theaters. In light of the recent scandal, I'm here to restore your credibility. Oh, because we're a team now? That's a nice story. The Devil Wears Prada 2 in Theaters Friday. I don't want to die. James kept repeating as he sat panicked in the back seat.

The shadow inching its way towards town, while we sped down the road in a desperate attempt to reach safety before it was too late. James was in shock, and while I could have given him a few words of comfort, I sensed that he needed something to swiftly bring him back to reality. Without warning, I turned around and slapped him firmly on his cheek. He immediately snapped back to attention.

What was that for? He asked. Voice still shaky, but at least he was focused. needed to break you away from your hysteria. Crude method, I know, but it worked, didn't it? He nodded, still shook, but thankful. I peeked out through the back window of her speeding car, watching as the darkness grew ever closer at an accelerated pace.

This hasn't happened before, right? I half asked, half stated. Riley didn't even respond. His eyes were fixed on the road, and his hands grasping the steering wheel in a mix of panic and determination. Just as our town came into view, A massive wall of darkness shot into the road, cutting our lane off completely. Watch out!

James yelled, but it was futile. Riley swerved away from the darkness under the other lane, causing the car to spin uncontrollably before putting us at an abrupt stop, only a few feet away from the dark. No, no, no, keep driving! James yelled as the shadow started enveloping the car. Small tendrils slithered their way through cracks in the window, rapping around James.

Oh, God, help me! Before I could even try to pull him away, the tendrils dug their way into his chest and abdomen. His blood-curdling screams of agony quickly faded as his throat filled with blood, and within seconds he could do little but writhe around hopelessly and whimper in pain. I fumbled around for the flashlight and pointed it at the window. The shadow immediately retreated back, retracting from the light. The headlights! I yelled. Riley had already reached out to turn the high beams on.

The bright light shoved the shadows away, just long enough for us to make a sweet. with escape. James, are you all right? I asked. He didn't respond. He just sat motionless in his seat, eyes wide open and lifeless. James?

Riley chimed in. He's dead. I said as I checked his pulse. I thought about performing CPR, but his abdomen and chest seemed sunken in, as if he'd simply been hollowed out by the shadow. With no time to stop, we let James's corpse sit there while we made our way into town.

By the time we drove past the first neighborhoods, The darkness had formed all around town, leaving nothing but a tiny opening of light as the void surrounded us. In the center, we were met by a small group of survivors. They'd put up a perimeter of bonfires and powerful searchlights. Though it seemed to keep the shadows at bay, slivers of darkness still tried to absorb the light, dimming it second by second. We stopped the car and bolted out, leaving James' lifeless body behind. An older man, who I recognized as the nameless driver, met us with a strong flashlight. and gestured for us to follow.

George, thank God. How many people made it? Riley asked. We've got about a dozen setting up a barrier, while the rest are scavenging for supplies, but we ain't got long. We need to get inside the station, he said.

It was a chaotic retreat back into the sheriff's department. Though it wasn't the safest place to be, it was the only building not yet consumed by the darkness. As we ran inside the building, something emerged from the edge of the shadow wall, just looming on the border. What's that? Riley asked.

It was one of the things I'd seen wandering the dark, the beings that kept me trapped within my pantry for weeks. It's them! It's the creatures I saw! I yelled in panic. George and Riley both instinctively put their flashlights towards it, and the shadow quickly retreated back to the dark. But before it did, the true horrific nature of the being revealed itself. They weren't shadows, but mangled messes of flesh and human organs, held together by an unseen force. It was as if someone had created a poor reconstruction of a person,

person, having nothing more than guts and muscle to work with. What the hell are these things? Riley asked with a trembling voice. I don't know, but let's keep them the fuck away. We mounted a few searchlights on the outside of the building and lit a few fires before barricading the doors to the station. How long till the darkness goes away? I asked, knowing in my heart what the answer would be.

I don't think it will. Not this time, George said quietly. The darkness kept growing closer, slowly consuming the light, and breaking the through our barricade. Is there any way out of town? I asked. Only the main road, but it doesn't matter. We can't leave this place.

Do you have any better suggestions? I asked. It's only a matter of time before they break through. And once they do, we're all going to die. Riley kept quiet for a moment while he pondered his response. The others had collected any weapons and lights they could find to keep the shadows at bay, but it could do little more than to buy us a few hours. Though we had an overabundance of food and ammunition,

electricity was a scarce resource. How long can we keep this place running? Riley asked. Without anyone to run the power stations, we have about 12 hours. George responded. Sorry, Sheriff. I think this is it for us. I looked at him in disbelief that he'd give up so easily without a fight.

No, we can't just give up. Listen, I saw at least three patrol cars outside. We could mount lights to them and at least attempt to escape, I argued. They looked at me without saying a word. There was something they weren't telling me, a reason why they were so willing to just surrender. We can't leave, Riley finally said. Why the fuck not?

Since you got to Tenebris, have you seen any children? He asked. The population had seemed to be on the older side. Even though I'd only been there for a day before the darkness first arrived, I hadn't seen any kids, nor schools, kindergartens, or even families. Riley sighed. Fifty years ago, we had our first bout of darkness. At first, it was nothing more than an oddity we couldn't explain, something we just accepted as a weird phenomenon.

Then, people started disappearing, always in the dark, never to be found again. He trailed off. The shadow was heard from outside, jolting us all to attention. Through the window, we could see a few glimmers of light vanishing as one of the searchlights broke down. Time was running out. Of course, once we were hit with the horrors that lurked in the dark, people tried to live. leave. The thing is, that something had happened to the population here. Those that were born here, those that spent too much time in town, they became bound to the place, finding themselves physically incapable of leaving. Those that ignored their instincts, those who tried to leave anyway,

simply vanished without a trace. And the kids? I asked. Eventually, we decided to just stop bringing more people into this nightmare. The last child was born 20 years ago. He was my son. As he finished the last sentence, a mixed feeling of anger and pity filled me. Why didn't you ask for help? Trust me, we tried. But who would believe us? We brought in detectives from different cities, hoping they'd see the darkness, that they'd finally help us.

But none ever did, until you came. Another shatter sounded outside. Broken glass fell to the ground, and more of the flesh-bound shadows emerged from the dark. So, that's it then? You're just giving up? I asked. an uncomfortably long moment of silence. George finally spoke up. Sheriff, how about the pillar? He asked. Don't be ridiculous. Riley shot back. Wait, what pillar? I joined in.

It's the source of the darkness. George, this isn't the time for your stories. Don't... I understand your trepidation and going there, Sheriff, but we ain't got any other option. You don't even know where it is. No one does, Riley said. No, but I know where my father, brother, and your son were last seen. I'll lead the search. But I can't do it alone. By then, everyone had fallen completely silent. And as confused as I was, I felt a hint of hope awakening within me. What exactly are we going to do?

I asked. Riley turned to me inside. We're going to destroy the darkness. Lasagne sur-goled, puissance-molyne, we're trying to play. We'd say that's their dojo. Pre-to-jew?

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on the machine-assoubik Bonanza, depot minimum of $10. Defeas'rower to be responsible. The conditions apply. As children, we were told

that darkness wasn't something to fear. Our parents gave us empty promises that there were no monsters hiding in the shadows. They said that whatever creaks and cracks

we heard were figments of our imagination. Yet, we felt the horrors hiding beyond the edge of our vision, the threat looming right in front of us, obscured beyond recognition. We were right to fear the dark. After arriving at Tenebrus, my childhood fear of the dark was revived. I quickly realized that it's perhaps the most logical instinct of humanity, one were even born with, developed to keep us alive since the dawn of humanity, thousands of years ago. Detective Riley had just announced a plan to destroy the darkness, a ludicrous suggestion to any sane person,

yet it remained our only chance at survival. How the hell are we supposed to do that? I asked. We've got explosives available. If the pillar really exists, that's our best bet. And how are we supposed to find it? I kept asking. Before Riley got the chance to answer my question, another light shattered, causing broken glass to rain down onto the ground. It plunged another section of the building into darkness, allowing the shadow creatures to sneak closer.

As they came inside, I could see the rotting organs piled up within it, a poor reconstruction of what had once been a human being. It grabbed onto one of the survivors, quickly merging with his flesh. He winced in agony, unable to scream as his lungs turned to mush. Get him into the light! Riley yelled. George and I rushed to grab him, pulling him away from the ever-growing darkness. Alas, it was too late. And with his own, In just a few seconds, his insides had hollowed, and he'd become one with the shadows. It's too late. He's gone. George sighed. Sheriff, we've got to go. Now. Though there were three patrol cars outside, we only had enough portable lights to secure one.

Of the dozen or so survivors, only four would venture out on his suicidal mission. Riley, George, John, and myself. John was one of the few surviving cops, and among the youngest inhabitants of Tenebrus. He volunteered without hesitation. All right, we're dividing the lights in two. Have to keep the building lit up and the rest for the car. Riley ordered as we guided the survivors into the autopsy room. Without windows and with heavy doors,

it remained the safest place for those who stayed behind. The four of us got ready, placing ourselves in front of the exit. Stepping out would most likely lead to certain death, but we had no other option. You'll have a better chance staying behind. This is your last chance to back out, George said. He was an odd fellow. With every inhabitant of Tenebrose stuck in town, physically incapable of leaving,

he'd been the one to pick me up in his car. Why he could break the rule of the dark remained a mystery. John looked at me. A look of horror stuck on his face. Though he was eager to help, he lacked the experience the rest of us had. Let's just go, he said nervously. With that, Riley unlocked the door. We walked in formation through the dark, each holding on to a powerful searchlight.

It kept the shadows at bay, allowing us to mount each light to the car. Within a couple of minutes, we were driving away from the station on a road of sacrifice. I led out an audible sigh of relief as a false sense of security washed over me. The car had been secured by lights, creating a perimeter of light around us, but it wouldn't last long. How far is it? I asked. An hour's drive on a good day, George said. But this ain't a good day. George drove the car slowly, with a limited line of sense.

ahead of us. It was a dangerous trek to travel. At the edges of our perimeter, shadow creatures loomed. They observed us from a distance, somehow absorbing the light, straining our lamps in the process. John, focus the beams at the monsters. Wherever they stand, just keep them away, Riley said. He stuck his head out the window and pointed the searchlights towards clusters of shadow creatures. They screeched as the light burned them, chasing them away, if only temporary. George, you need to tell us everything you know about the pillar of darkness, I ordered. He sighed, mulling over how to answer my loaded question. Back when my old man was the sheriff, when the darkness first introduced itself,

he led a search and rescue operation into the heart of Tenebrose Woods. A kid had gone missing, which wasn't anything we'd experienced before in our small and peaceful town. He trailed off as the road narrowed. We drove over a rock sticking up from the ground, causing one of the lights to shatter. John quickly responded by shifting the rest. Fuck, if we lose another light, we're screwed. John said in panic. George slowed down even further, keeping his eyes fixed on the road.

A day into the search, my father radioed in. He claimed they'd found something in the woods, some sort of dark structure. With his limited vocab, he described it as a pitch-black pillar that swallowed the light in front of him. Despite orders to wait for backup, he approached the damn thing. That was the last thing we heard before they went. They were the first victims of the darkness. Tenebrous Woods spanned a massive area. With the limited information we had, it would take us weeks to cover the entire grid.

Anyway, they sent out a second search party to look for my dad and the missing officers. When those went missing as well, they sent out a third. As you might have guessed by now, after the third party went missing, they never sent a fourth. I could tell by Riley's unimpressed demeanor that it was a story he'd heard before. That's not exactly proof that the pillar exists. It could have been anything, Riley said. Well, that's because you haven't heard the whole story. There's a part I never told anyone.

George shot back. What? That I've seen it, he said somberly. That single sentence shut us all up, plunging the car into deafening silence. You've seen it, the pillar? Riley asked. It was back when I first joined the police force, before I was reduced to driving people around. I'd grown up without knowing what happened.

happened to my old man. After repeated refusals to reopen the investigation, I decided to take things into my own hands. So I set off into the depths of tenebrous woods, spending the first day just getting to the so-called forbidden zone. No sooner had I crossed the border before the air changed around me. It had been cloudy, sure, but in the span of just a few seconds, the sky went dark. He took a breath, as if he felt ashamed. I was young, afraid. Lacking the guts to continue, I decided to turn back. No matter what direction I headed in, the sky kept getting darker. Within an hour, I was hopelessly lost and getting desperate. Though I didn't know exactly where I was heading, I could feel the presence of the pillar. It needed sustenance,

and I was it, just like my father had been before me. We hit another bump in the road, shattering another light. Then I saw it. A towering structure wrapped in dark tendrils. It stretched far into the sky above, eating any light that dared touch its realm. I couldn't deny the fact that the pillar was alive, and it needed to be fed. At that time, I still hadn't seen any shadow creatures, but maybe they didn't even exist yet. All I remember is darkness enveloping me, before I passed out. George brought the car to a screeching halt. The air felt dense, and the powerful lights we'd mounted to our car just didn't reach as far anymore. We're here, George said as a surge of dread washed over me.

We exited the car, surprised not to be overrun by the shadows. They simply observed us from a distance, keeping away from our lights, even though we'd lost half of them. Our voices didn't carry very far either. Every sound felt muted around us, as if we were speaking underwater. George, how did you escape last time? John asked. He didn't respond, just shook his head.

We dismounted the lights and brought them away. us. George carried the explosives, being the only one with enough experience to ensure a safe detonation. Hours passed as we ventured deeper into Tenebrous Woods. It didn't take long before the last searchlights finally died, leaving us with pathetically weak flashlights. I looked around, flashing my light at the occasional shadow that reached out from the dark. Standing by George's side, I felt oddly confident, as if the darkness couldn't touch us. I couldn't say the same for John and Riley, who were repeatedly assaulted by the monsters. Leaving George behind, I rushed over to help them.

One of the shadows reached out for me, and I fell to the ground. Riley pulled me back up as another shadow reached out for us. The hint of security I'd felt only moments ago vanished. Then I saw George, still walking confidently through the darkness, not a single shadow daring to touch him. George, the shadows, I said in awe. You all right? He asked as I got to my feet.

The shadows, they're not, they're not. I stuttered in confusion. It was odd, as if a sense of brightness surrounded him. Wherever George stood, darkness retracted, and he didn't even seem to notice. What? he asked, still oblivious. We got to keep moving, Riley interrupted. Just stick together, all right? They couldn't see it.

Despite the blaring hole in the darkness, they weren't aware. George was the only person to ever face the heart of the darkness and live, and it somehow kept us safe. We kept walking in silence. For each step we took, the forest grew thicker, dead branches hindering our progress. Despite the dense vegetation, there were no signs of life. Even the trees had long since perished. All that was left was their dried out corpses.

We're getting closer, George said. How do you know? Riley asked. I don't know. I just do. There was no point arguing. Even with George's weird connection to the pillar, we had no other option but to blindly follow. John walked a bit ahead.

He was young compared to Riley and George, and in far better shape. John, slow down, will you? I asked. You don't even know the way. Without acknowledging us, he kept walking. John! Riley shouted. No response. Riley ran ahead to grab him. As he put his hand on John's shoulder, a loud crack could be heard, and his arm just popped out of its joint. John fell to the ground without uttering a single word. His abdomen was sunken in, and his eyes seemed empty. He was dead. Without anyone noticing, a shadow had gotten inside and consumed his guts, all because he stepped a few feet too far ahead. How the hell did that happen? Riley asked in shock.

I don't know. He just kept walking. George responded. Then John spoke, I have to keep going. I have to keep going. I have to. I have to. It needs us. It needs to feed. He kept iterating, quieter each time. His chest sunk in and sunk in. as his lungs were eaten, and he quickly lost the ability to speak. Yet, his mouth kept moving, a hopelessly futile attempt at talking. Sheriff, we have to keep moving, I said. We left John's body behind, no word spoken. We'd accepted our deaths the moment we agreed to the mission,

but if we could save the town, it would be worth the risk. The shadows followed us from a distance as we were seated into the darkness. Our lights were dying, and our hopes wore thin. Hours passed, if not days, as we wandered blindly towards the heart of the darkness, awaiting our much-anticipated deaths. Then I noticed the light from my flashlight bending in the wrong direction. It was as if something sucked it away, further plunging us into the shadows. I turned around, noticing thick, dark tendrils stretching along the ground,

leading to a massive, bulging structure. It was the pillar. It was magnificently horrific, stretching endlessly far up into the sky. rotting flesh covered its surroundings, and any light getting too close, immediately faded into its Vanta black surface. It twitched in response to our presence, and the shadows were quick to surround us as we got closer. Wow, I can't believe it, Riley said in shock.

Yeah, but don't stop to admire it. Keep the perimeter clear while I fix the explosives, George said. Riley and I kept the area as safe as we could while George went to work. With the pillar eating up the light, we could only clear a few feet ahead of us. By then, most of the shadows were flesh-bound. Within their dark frames, they carried the remnants of the townsfolk. Oh, God!

Riley exclaimed. There, on the edge of the darkness, stood the emaciated remnants of John. His body broken, carried by the shadow that occupied his empty husk. John? Help me! He groaned back. His voice twisted by the shadow, speaking without air. Alongside the cry for help, he lifted his service weapon and firing.

He was too quick for us to react, but even then, he didn't aim for me, nor Riley, but for the one person their shadows could never touch. George let out a quick front as the bullet tore through his throat. Riley kept his flashlight fixated on the mutilated remnants of John, causing him to drop the gun. I rushed to help George. His carotid artery had been severed, and his trachea torn to shreds. He lay there, bleeding into his own lungs, unable to speak. All he could do was stare at me as he coughed up chunks of half-coagulated blood. Despite the agony, he seemed at peace, as if dying was the preferable choice over a life in

Tenebrace. What's going on? Riley asked, still keeping his light pointed at the shadows. Then, without a single word, George died in my arms. He'd spent the past 50 years living in the dark, and now he'd never see the light again. He's... he's gone, I said. The light in his eyes had vanished, and with it, the power that kept the shadows at bay. Without hesitation, they approached us. ready to add our flesh to their growing pillar.

Riley rushed back towards the explosives, knowing that we couldn't get to a safe distance in time. He grabbed me and pushed me out of the way. Run! I fled away from the pillar, which focused their attention on Riley. We gave each other one final glimpse, and I saw the undeniable feeling of guilt in his eyes. Regret that he'd brought me into Tenebrus,

and regret that they hadn't tried to destroy the darkness before. This was his last chance. The ground shook under my feet. The tendrils had awoken. trying to grab onto me while I stumbled away from the pillar. Behind me, I could hear Riley scream in agony. The shadows had already reached him, and were digging their way through his guts.

Come get me, you fuckers! He yelled. Then an impossibly bright light filled the air. Riley had pulled the trigger, and the explosives shattered the pillar behind me. Despite being at a safe distance, the sound and shockwave set me plummeting to the ground. A wailing sound of pain followed the loud explosion

as the darkness retracted back towards the pillar. giving way to light in its wake. Once I recovered from the initial shock, I stared up at a clear blue sky. I got to my shaking feet and returned to the site of detonation. Riley and George had evaporated alongside the remains of the pillar. It was over.

The trek back to town was monotonous. Still in shock, I wandered on autopilot, not sure what I would find once I got there. Tenebris was a beautiful place, a fact that had been obscured by the dark for so many years. I linked up with the last survivors, all of them speechless. Together, we mourned the loss of those who'd perished, gone but never forgotten. They could finally leave Tenebrus and find new opportunities.

To my surprise, most of them chose to stay behind. For better or for worse, the town had been their home, and they had nothing on the outside. At least the town had been given a second chance and could once again flourish as it had so many years ago. I returned back to my own city a few days later, with no clue how to report what I'd seen. I'm sure they'll come up with something more believable than the tale I have. Not that it matters what the public thinks, but to honor Riley, George, and all those who died, I wanted to share the truth about Tenebrus. They didn't die for nothing.