The Dark Somnium - "My town stays inside when the wind blows from the west" Creepypasta

Episode Date: May 4, 2021

This creepypasta scary story is from the nosleep subreddit, written by Grand Theft MottoNarration, SFX and Music by The Dark Somnium--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/darksomnium/message Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every house in my town has a weather vane. All of the stores and buildings and the library too. We learned to watch the veins carefully when we were out. If the arrows started to point towards the west, you went inside. It didn't matter if you were at home or the park or walking down Main Street. If a west wind blew, you went inside as fast as you could. I was working a shift after school at Burger Burger when an early dinner rush started. It quickly turned into a full-on crowd migration.

I shared a look with Tony, the cook. We only saw traffic like that when the wind was up and people were ducking inside wherever they could. Tony and I both turned to Rosanna. She was already wiping the chalkboard over the counter clean. In big, clean letters she wrote, West Wind Happy Hour, everything 50% off. The orders came rolling in, so I stopped wiping down tables and went to help Rosanna with customers. Everybody was chatty, energized.

It had been more than three months since the last real west wind. We'd seen little breezes that sent people scurrying for a few minutes, but nothing like the gale that was building up outside. A copse of pines that lined one side of the parking lot were all bending in supplication to the wind, branches bowing and trembling. The sky was beginning to darken, cloud cover rolling in like a gray tarp. Swings were even whipping back and forth at the park across the street. It looks like a big one today, Tony said, laying another line of burgers on the grill.

I could hear the meat sizzle above the rumble of conversation. There were at least two dozen people packed into the small restaurant. The booths and tables were filled and several customers were just standing in front of the big bay windows, sipping milkshakes and watching the storm. Rosanna scooted past me to get change from the register. Our arms touched, and I felt a little electric rush connect my throat and stomach. Rosanna, with her black hair and blue eyes, Rosanna with that smirk that could destroy a rude customer in a second.

Are you okay, Ross? She asked. You're staring. Just had a mental checkout for a second. Sorry. Rosanna rolled her eyes. Get it in gear, cowboy. Others are waiting, and I can hear Tony cursing at the milkshake mixer.

Maybe you should... She stopped talking. The whole room stopped. Two dozen voices all collectively muted at once. We all saw the same thing. There was a car on the road driving slowly past the diner. They were outside and the west wind was only getting nastier. Christ!

Tony whispered. I don't think they know. The car, a sapphire blue sedan, was moving at a crawl. I saw two people inside, the one behind the wheel gesturing towards the park. They had out-of-state license plates, tourists, probably just passing through town. They wouldn't know. Of course they wouldn't know. Our town's little quirk wasn't a secret exactly, but we were isolated, didn't see too many visitors,

and the winds were rare enough that usually everyone was inside and safe by the time it really got blowing. Usually. Being out in a car while the west wind was roaring wasn't a death sentence. My dad had a long talk with me when I'd gotten my license. If the wind is just starting, pull over and go inside anywhere you can. He told me, the two of us sitting in my brand-new, 15-year-old Chevy pickup. If the wind is coming in hard and you're not in town, drive east.

You'll be fine if you can make it five miles or so in that direction. You'll notice the wind doesn't blow the same once you're that far out of town limits. Go past the Wainwright farm a good way and you're safe. Now if you're ever caught out driving for whatever reason, when it's going to be able to be able to getting ugly and the sky is black, and you start seeing shadows out there where they shouldn't be. You park the car, roll up the windows, lock the doors, and you hunker down. Keep the car running, play the radio as loud as you can, and try not to even look outside. Then you wait until the wind dies. But the blue ford inching down the street didn't look like it was going to park at

the diner, and it wasn't driving away from the wind. It was heading west towards the valley. towards the source of the storm. The clouds above looked like a wool blanket that had been ripped to pieces and stuck back together. We could hear the wind now whistling past the windows, plucking leaves from trees. Turn around. I heard Rosanna whisper. Get the fuck out of town. The Ford continued its slow motion roll. Lights began to flicker inside of the restaurant. Then they went out. That usually happened when the wind was up, but rarely this soon. This is going to be a bad one. Tone.

He said, The crowd of customers was restless, nearly everyone standing at a window watching the car. I was trying to mentally tell them to turn around, to hit the gas, to head east like the devil was licking at their heels. Or if they at least parked and bunkered down, they might be able to wait out the wind. The Ford slowed to a stop next to the park, and for a brief moment I wondered if telepathy was real. Then the driver's door opened. Someone in the diner gasped, and a few started to murmur. Close the door, close the door, close the fucking door. Tony whispered, coming out of the kitchen to stand with Rosanna and me behind the counter.

Can we signal them? Rosanna asked. Someone could open the door and- Fuck that! One of the customers said, I recognized him as John, something or other who delivered our mail. The Ford's driver got out, one arm raised to shield his face from the wind. He was short, gray-haired, and the woman who stepped out of the passenger side of the car.

was much the same. They stood together looking out into the park. The sky was a dark bruise of clouds and the wind was somewhere between howl and roar, though there was no rain. Still, shitty conditions for a day at the park. I turned to Rosanna. What do you think they're doing? Why do you think they got out of the car? She bit her lips. I think they seem like they're looking for something. The couple began to walk away from the car towards the park. Rosanna was practically vibrating next to me, knuckles white as she clenched the countertop. She glanced up at me with those blue eyes again, and I knew whatever she asked, I'd agree.

We have to help them. There's still time. A gust of wind made the building creak. I wasn't so sure. Please. We can't just watch. She didn't wait for my answer. Rosanna cut through the crowd.

They were all watching her. By the time she reached the door, there was a wide, empty space around her. Empty, except for me. I was a little surprised at how quickly I followed her. Rosanna's hand was shaking, and it took her a moment to touch the pushbar. You've got my back? She whispered without looking. Always.

I said, barely fighting off the urge to wet my pants and run. Rosanna took a breath and opened the door. The sound of the wind instantly went from a whistle to a shriek. I hardly noticed due to the smell, though. It was vicious, a wet animal odor that made my eyes water. and throat-tighten. Someone behind me threw up. The scent was part fungal rot, part waste, thick and invasive. I'd smelled it before when I'd gotten caught out in an early west wind, but the odor was never as strong as it was then. Bent over, almost in half, gagging, I reached out to close the door.

I stopped. Rosanna was already two steps outside. She pulled her apron up to cover her nose and mouth. The wind whipped the bottom of it, her hair, and tried to knock her over as she crossed the parking lot, but Rosanna kept moving. Okay, shit, okay? I said, following her out into the storm. The wind was so much colder than I'd expected. God damn near Arctic. It bit and tore away any body heat. By the time I caught up to Rosanna, I was shivering and numb. The old couple was still standing next to their car, looking out towards the park. Nearby trees were bending so far in the gale I thought some might snap.

Leaves blew away in green bursts. Hey! Rosanna shouted towards the strangers. It's not safe out here! You need to come with us! We were halfway across the parking lot, maybe a hundred feet from the couple. They didn't hear Rosanna, or they ignored her. A vein of purple lightning shot through the cloud cover.

There was a croak of thunder, but it sounded warped, like someone had recorded. It, and played it in reverse. Still, no rain. Rosanna and I kept moving forward, hunched over and taking slow steps. Both of us were breathing hard by the time we crossed the parking lot. The wind had a way of ripping the air right out of your lungs. The rancid odor made it impossible for me to inhale through my nose, making everything even more miserable.

Another bolt of violet lightning lit up the parking lot. Rosanna and I both stopped. cast by the flash lingered on the ground long after the light faded. They looked like they were cast from about a dozen people gathered in a circle around us. Rosie? I whispered. I see them. The shadows were still. Rosanna and I shared a glance. I don't think either of us

was eager to try to walk around them. Lightning went off again and the shadows evaporated for a moment, then returned much closer. Instead of a dozen shapes, there were now too many to count. Fuck this! Rosanna said. She ran. I followed. We went over the shadows at the same time.

It was like running through a mix of sand and oil. The cold from the wind was drowned out by a terrible heat for a few seconds. So intense, I gasped. Once I was past the shadows, the temperature dropped like a bird with a broken wing. I was shaking again, not just from the cold. More of the strange thunder, more lightning. The West Wind was nearly knocking me off my feet. We have to go back!

I yelled to Rosanna. She shook her head, dark hair flying in the wind. We're close. They're coming back with us. The couple hadn't moved from their position on either side of the car. They were both staring out for something in the park exactly as they'd been for several minutes now. In fact, neither seemed to have shifted at all. Same body language, same everything.

Something's wrong. I said, stopping. Rosanna was pressing forward. What? We need to. The rest of my words were lost in the rush of water. It was finally raining. We were out of time.

Come on! I yelled, reaching out for Rosanna. She was too far away and still moving towards the couple. I had never been caught in the rain during a west wind storm before. It's not an experience I ever want to repeat. The drops came down cold and oily. There was a tingle, nearly a burn when the water, touched any skin, and the rotting smell got so much worse. I could barely see through the downpour,

and I bumped into Rosanna's back. She was shaking. Are you cold? I asked. She shook her head. I looked past her and understood. The couple had moved. Now they were standing at the edge of the parking lot between the diner and the park facing us. Everything about their features was off. No lines on their faces at all. All smooth, artificial. Even in the rain, I could see that their eyes, nose, and lips were all horribly perfect and so similar, like dolls. It was a trick. Rosanna whispered. Something tugged on my leg.

I looked down. Nothing. Not just nothing, but an absence. An empty pocket of air in the shape of a crawling human outlined in the rain. Rosanna made a sound like a whimper. There were dozens of invisible shapes all around us, dragging, limping, clinging, clinging. closing in slowly. Rosie!

I said, reaching for her hand. We have to go! I pulled, but she didn't move. Rosanna began making a choking sound. Rose? I stepped forward and saw it. One of the outlines had her by the throat and was forcing her jaw open. Another invisible thing was wrapping around her leg.

I tried to kick at it and felt no resistance. My foot passed through the rain into a dry spot, then back into the water. The same effect happened. when I attempted to push the entity choking Rosanna back. It was like the creatures were only physically present when they wanted to be. Not having any other options, I picked Rosanna up. She was small, light, and still choking. I ran all of about eight feet before a grip clamped down on my leg.

My calf lit up with electric agony as something bit into the meat. I screamed and the wind stole the sound. More invisible teeth punctured my arms, my back, even my eye. was convulsing, and it was all I could do to keep standing. Then a horrible pressure took my jaw, and I felt my mouth being forced open. I knew I was going to die. I hoped it would be just death. Everything in me was ripping, breaking, screaming, and some outside force was making its

way in. Thoughts that weren't my own started to drip down behind my eyes. Violent thoughts, hungry dreams. Strong hands on me again. Not hurting, though. Lifting, through blurry eyes and rain, I turned and saw a man next to Rosanna and me. Tony. Fucking run!

He said, picking up Rosie over one shoulder, using his free arm to support me. The biting got worse and the rain pushed me back, but I ran, tripping and shaking loose from invisible fingers. I moved as fast as I could. It seemed like it took a year to cross the parking lot, and then all three of us were back inside the diner. The moment the door closed behind me, all of the pain and pressure was cut. gone. The wind roared outside, but couldn't get in. Tony was pale and wheezing, but otherwise

fine. He'd put Rosanna in one of the booths. She was curled up, small. I staggered over to her and touched her arm. Rosie? She looked up at me with the brightest green eyes. The storm should be over soon. Rosanna said. Her voice buzzed for a moment, like a room speaking all at once. By the time Rosie said her last word, she sounded normal again. It might have just been my imagination.