nothing 15

When the moon is absent on a dark night, everything is cast in a otherworldly bleak blackness. Streetlights seem less powerful as their light fails to cast shadows. The glow from lights within households appear dimmer than usual.

In front of one house is a different light. Bright yellow. It carries a glow a bit more in the gloom that other sources of light yet deceives the eye by coloring everything it touches yellow. A figure stands to the side of it, staring. At you?

It doesn't move, the yellow light gives a slight hint of outline of the face, contorted into a snarling grin. Frozen in a sinister smile. Staring. Yes at you.

The only movement is the small puffs of smoke that emerge from the mouth with breath as it escapes into the cold night air, invisible after just a short distance up. That and the drip, drip, drip of some liquid falling from the chin onto the chest of the figure standing before you.

Black and yellow is the world about. Hiding truth. Until.

A blast of light.

You hold a flashlight up to unveil the unknown.

The figure doesn't move, doesn't react. The snarl stays frozen as the liquid drip, drip, dripping shines red in the newfound light. Eyes if yellow burn into your soul. Fear grips your being. The figure is holding a head in its left hand, also dripping red.

The head is then dropped, long claw like nails shine red. In a lunge it leaps towards you.

All is black.

No pain.

Sound.

White noise and screaming. Then. Silence.

Exhaustion followed by hunger and thirst.

You awake. The night is not dark anymore and the smell of the world is enhanced. Crouched in a bush you see the red and blue flashing lights, figures crouched inspecting a head on the ground. You want to rush out and feast, but there are too many.

You must find one alone in the dark. There is no moon after all.

The hunt begins.