A week had passed since the bar and while Levi'd called that night to apologize again, and again, and again. He'd not had the courage to call her since. She hadn't been around either, though it might have been because she had a big project that she was working on. Still, Levi figured her being scarce right then was more than coincidence. He'd probably lost any chance he might have had with her and hoped he could at least salvage their friendship.

That afternoon though, his dating woes were as far away as his mom’s cooking. They sat there round the table in a back corner study room in the library, staring at the same lines written on each of their opened pages.

Slay the dark.

It felt ominous to Levi. On his guide, beneath the lines was the unmistakable ink sketch of a rampaging ogre.

"That looks like the one from Kansas," said Alice, glancing over his shoulder. No one else said anything for a long moment.

"I think your right," said Levi.

Silence fell again.

Each was lost in the memory of that night. Levi had had countless nightmares since then, always chased by that thing. It was like the image was taken straight from his memory. Looking at the others, they each seemed to be struggling with similar thoughts.

"Hey," Levi said finally. "You guys having nightmares?"

"Of that thing? Yeah. How about you Paul?"

Paul just sat there, his normal cheerfulness gone.

"Paul?"

"I see it every night. I can't remember the last time I walked alone in the dark on purpose. You guys too?"

"Yeah."

Levi nodded before asking, "What do you think it means?"

No one answered.

Liz came up right then, breathing heavily. "Hey guys, sorry I'm late. My project’s been taking up way too... " She stopped, noticing the awkward silence. "What's going on?"

"Take a look." Levi turned his guide to show Liz.

"Ooh, that's scary, what does it mean?"

"Not sure, but that's the ogre that almost killed us."

"I thought it died."

"It did, at least I think it did."

"Yeah it did," said Paul. "We watched it burn, remember."

"I remember watching the house burn," said Alice, "I didn't see what happened afterwards. Maybe it got out?"

"No way," Levi said, shaking his head. "Hal shot it, we all saw. I don't know what's up with this, but it can't be the ogre."

"It says slay the dark," said Liz. "Does that mean anything to you guys?" Everyone shook their heads. "That's weird it says the dark, I mean that's a picture of an ogre right? Wait," she said, looking around at all of their faces,"You all look really serious for something in Levi's guide, what's wrong?"

"It's not just in Levi's," said Alice, turning her guide to show Liz.

"Ooh, that is scary. I think it looks scarier than the one in Levi's. What about you Paul?"

He held it out for her to look at.

"Huh, that's weird, that one doesn't look right at all."

"What do you mean?" asked Alice, going over to where Paul sat.

"Well, take a look, it's got huge fangs and claws. That head looks way too big too. And they don’t have tails. Is it breathing fire?"

"Hey, you're right," said Alice. "That doesn't look a thing like it."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Paul, "that's exactly how it looks every night in my dreams. What else should it look like?"

"Curious.” Alice said. "Levi, does the one in your guide look like the one you dream about?"

"Yeah, yeah it does, why?"

"Mine looks just like it did in my dreams last night."

"So?" said Paul, "why does that matter?"

"Cause that thing in Paul's guide isn't the ogre we met in Kansas, it's not even an ogre."

"What do you mean? It sure looks like what I remember."

"It's not an ogre though," Alice said, "and that's the point. So it means maybe we don’t have to kill an ogre."

"Well," said Liz, looking confused, "what does it mean then? I don't get it."

"I think the thing we have to kill is something else and the ogre represents that somehow. You catching on?"

“So what?” Said Paul. “Like there’s some shapeshifting monster that takes the form of what we’re afraid of? That’s even worse. We’d never know where it was or who it was.”

"I don’t think that’s quite it," said Levi, looking hard at Alice. "You're saying something else aren’t you, you’ve got an idea right?”

“Yeah, I think that what's on these pages is our own personal bogeyman?"

“I still don’t get it,” said Paul. “Like we’re being haunted or something?”

"No, just listen to this.” Alice’s eyes were gleaming with a bitter intensity. “The dark; it's what keeps us up at night, what makes us afraid. I know that thing is why I close the blinds at night. I'm terrified

I'll look up and see it looking back at me from outside the window."

"Wow, Alice," said Liz. "I wish I was that good at figuring things out, maybe then I'd be doing better in Algebra." She sighed, throwing herself back into a beat up armchair. "Math, that's what scares me at night."

Levi couldn't help but smile. She probably really did think of algebra the same way they thought of ogres.

"Alright, I get what you're saying," said Paul. "But so what then? How do we go about killing our fear? I mean, if I could just not be afraid of being ripped apart by an ogre, believe me I would. But I've tried everything and I still pee my pants every time it's my turn to go for a pizza run at night. And I don't mean that literally Liz, in case you were wondering." He said, seeing her shocked look.

"Oh, yeah, I knew that," she said, going red in the face.

"I think we should talk to someone." Said Levi. "You know, like Connolly."

"I've got a meeting with Beth this afternoon," said Alice. "I'll talk to her. She's usually more helpful I've noticed."

###

Even though Alice was talking to Beth, Levi tried Connolly anyway. Connolly for his part had been dry and obtuse as ever, giving Levi references to some obscure texts then sending him out so he could do... whatever he did behind closed doors. Beth on the other hand had been far more helpful, even suggesting that it was time the instructors did some instructing. kansas

According to Alice she had said that she'd have to pass this one off to a younger pair of legs, so Beth had called Reggie in instead. Something about this being more up his alley anyway.

Reggie had called Alice shortly thereafter, suggesting they all take a nighttime nature walk. At least that's how he phrased it, though he’d insisted on some training first.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“What kind of training do you need for a nature walk?” Alice had asked.

“Oh, just basic survival stuff. Nothing to intense. You’ll all be fine I’m sure.”

That weekend he gave them a crash course in wilderness survival training and they weren’t anywhere close to fine. In fact, they were all pretty hopeless, all except Levi, who'd done enough hunting and camping to even get some compliments.

“Good job all of you,” Reggie had said, following six long hours. “Work on what I’ve told you and you’ll be ready for next week.”

“What’s next week?” Alice asked.

“The nature walk of course. Friday night. Don’t worry, you’ll all do fine.”

When the night in question came Levi was so nervous he couldn’t focus. He’d given up even trying to study that day, after staring at his books for hours. He used to go camping all the time, and enjoyed nighttime walks. That is until Kansas. And all the survival training made Levi worry this was more like Kansas than one of his nighttime walks.

But that's why we're doing this isn't it? he told himself. We've got to get over this or be stuck jumping at shadows the rest of our lives.

He'd dressed warmly, wearing good hiking boots like Reggie had suggested, though he was tempted to ignore his advice and bring a flashlight along. It really would make him feel better to have some light. He sighed, leaving his mag light on the nightstand. He kept it there in case the power went out like it sometimes did. The electricity here wasn't exactly up to code.

He heard honking out front. They were right on time. Reggie was parked out front in a grey minivan. Paul and Alice were already on board.

"Wow," Levi said as he climbed in, "I didn't take you for the minivan sort."

"Oh this? It's my wife's, but we'll be on the road for a while and mine's a bit tight for space. I thought you might want the leg room. Now buckle up, I'll not have you say I put you in unneeded danger."

Levi sat down in the bucket seat behind Reggie, Paul sat across from him munching on some goldfish crackers. "Hey want some goldfish?"

"Thanks," he said, taking a few of the crackers, "I didn't think to bring any food."

"Me either."

"Then how...?"

"Oh, I found em in the cup holder. Reggie says they're probably fresh."

Levi stopped eating the crackers, "What?"

Reggie laughed, "Oh don't worry, he’s just messing with you, my wife packed them. There're some juice boxes and apples in the cooler too in case you're hungry. Sorry we don't have anything else, we usually entertain a much younger crowd."

They drove north till well past dark. After a while the city turned to suburbs, which turned to country and eventually forest. Finally Reggie slowed before turning down a dirt road. The road seemed to go on forever, winding through the nearly pitch black trail, under the leafy canopy. It was a new moon, so the only light seen was from the twin headlights before them. At last they stopped in a clearing barely big enough to turn the car around in.

"Is this it?"

"This is it m'lady"

Paul sighed, "I suppose we can't just camp out somewhere a bit more, I don't know, like a hotel."

"We could, but I doubt you’d find what you're looking for."

"Yeah, I know, just trying to keep things light. So what now?"

"Now sir, you make your way to the point marked on the map, where I will be waiting. He handed each a map and compass. It's just like we talked about. Your starting point is marked, just keep on

course."

"There's nothing dangerous out here is there?" Levi asked, looking out into the darkness.

"Not as far as I'm aware, just don't go breaking your leg in the dark, I'd rather not have to search for you in all that."

"Er yeah, I'll remember that."

"Alright, enjoy the night, it's beautiful out, best weather we've seen all year."

Then they were out, watching the tail lights fade into the darkness. Behind him Alice and Paul were talking.

"So uh, what now?" Asked Alice.

"We just follow the map of course till... oh that sucks," Said Paul.

"Too dark for the map huh?"

"Yeah."

"I guess we're here for the night then."

"We'll this'll be fun."

They found a large tree without too many low hanging branches and tried to get comfortable, propped up with their backs against it. Alice wanted to try it in the dark anyway, but Levi spoke up.

"If we start now, by morning we won't know where we are. The map won't help if we don't know that. If we stick the night out here we'll be able to get out of here way faster than if we go get lost."

"So, when'd you get all outdoorsy?" Asked Paul.

"We had mountains practically in my backyard, We were out in them a lot."

"Really?" said Paul, "So like we're you a boy scout and all that?"

"Yeah, for a while, but mostly me and my brothers just liked camping. My dad took us out a lot when we were younger. He's the one who taught us about maps and stuff. Then when we got old enough we'd go out on our own."

"That's way cool, my dad never taught me anything like that. But I can't see him lasting more than an hour our away from his gadgets, he's not really the roughing it type."

"Still, it sounds like you guys still have tons of fun. That's what matters anyway. How about you Alice? You do much with your dad growing up?"

"Huh? No, he wasn't around, not much anyway."

"Oh, he work a lot?"

"No, he just wasn't around ok."

"Oh sorry."

They sat in silence for a while with their backs against the tree but it was cold and the ground was damp.

Levi wrapped his coat tightly about himself, glad he'd brought it. In the dark, the world was a colder and lonelier place; at least he had the others. Staring out into the night, he tried to suppress the feeling that something out there was watching him. The longer he stared the more sinister the shadows became. The darkness seemed to coalesce into figures which flitted around the edges of his vision. He waited through the agonizing hours, hoping for light to return.

Light did come, just not as expected. It was Alice who saw it first, Paul had the better view, but he'd pulled his hood down, clenching his eyes shut to block out the night.

"What's that?" she said. The others started, surprised by the interruption of their dark thoughts.

"What's what? Is it an ogre?" Paul whispered, "I'm sure I saw one out there."

"It's not an ogre silly, or I don't think it is. Look, the light over there." A flickering yellow light shone faintly a ways off into the forest.

"It could be an ogre," muttered Levi. "This is the sort of place I’d expect one."

"Really Levi? Now you sound like Paul. Reggie said these woods were safe, remember? It's probably just some campers."

"Campers huh, you think they'd let us hang out with them for a while?"

"Seriously Paul, like we're just gonna walk up and say, hey, we're wandering around out here in the dark in the middle of the forest for fun and we noticed you've got a fire, mind letting us hang out here for a while?"

"Yeah, works for me, how about you Levi, you in?"

"Hold on," Alice said, "what about getting over our fear of the dark, how're we supposed to do that if we're sitting around a campfire?"

"Well, how are we supposed to do that here?" Paul shot back, "It's not like we're doing anything but sitting around trying not to freeze. I'm cold, scared, I’m sitting on tree roots, and I’m sure a spider or something is just climbed over my hand. Hanging out here isn't going to help me any. Besides, we can go say hi, warm up, and then come back and fight our inner demons. Levi?"

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to go say hi, it'd force us to go out in the dark without getting to far away. Besides, my legs are getting numb, I didn't realize it would get so cold this time of year."

Alice sighed, getting up. "Fine, we'll go, but seriously, you boys are a couple pansies. Well, come on." She sounded tough, but there was a quaver in her voice, and Levi noticed that she stayed pressed in close to the tree.

Paul was right though, there was no way they’d learn anything here. Rising, Levi almost fell, as he tried to use legs that were stiff from the cold. He rubbed them vigorously till they worked again while the others did the same. Like a row of blind beggars, they set off toward the fire, stumbling through the uneven terrain at a snail's pace.

Levi was at the back as they picked their way through the underbrush. It was embarrassing to be like this, feeling like any moment something might jump out of the shadows. It took a great deal of will power to start moving forward, but once he started he wouldn’t have stopped for anything, not if it meant getting separated from the others. Some hunter I am, he thought as he flinched at a snapped twig. If I didn’t think so before, now I’m sure Connolly picked the wrong kid for this.

With only the starlight, hidden by the canopy, all they could see were faint shades of grey and black. Surprisingly, Paul didn’t seem to have any trouble finding his way, saving them from ditches and low hanging branches.

"Alright," Levi whispered, as they got close, "I know you're probably right and it's not ogres, but at least let's check things out before we stroll in. I really don't want to end up as someone's dinner."

"Sounds good to me," said Alice. "Paul, you go ahead." She'd lost her bravado after stumbling into a bush early on. She'd screamed, and the others panicked. Once they’d gotten over their fright,

they'd found her hiding under a bramble bush, scratched but no worse off.

"Alright, I'll do it," said Paul, "but you guys'll feel dumb when it turns out to just be some campers."

"Wait, here, take this," Levi whispered, handing Paul his adder stone. "Even if they look normal, check with this first.

They waited silently as Paul crept the last fifty feet or so toward the light. He was gone longer than they expected, and Levi's legs were getting stiff again, it really was cold out.

All of a sudden wild cries were heard from the fire, a hundred feral voices screaming in rage, or was it excitement? Levi tensed, not sure whether to run, but sure something terrible was happening.

"Where's Paul?" Alice whispered. It was hard to tell in the dark, but she looked ready to run.

Before Levi could answer there was a rustle from in front of them, and Pauls dark shape burst through. "It's not campers, definitely not campers. Let's get out of here."

Then he was past them, disappearing into the dark. Levi looked back toward the fire. It had flared up, lighting the surrounding woods. And there, leaping toward them were dozens of small dark shapes, silhouetted by the blaze. They were up in the trees too, climbing the trunks, some already running along the branches. Most carried blazing torches which lit up the night.

Alice stifled a scream, hesitating only a moment before running after Paul. Levi paused, momentarily frozen by indecision. A high pitched scream, louder than the others shocked him into action and he too turned, fleeing into the darkness.

###

Levi held his breath as the flickering torchlight fell across the bushes where he hid. He covered his eyes, protecting his night vision. The creatures chasing him were small but fierce looking, reminding him of gremlins. Not the fuzzy cute ones, the green ones with sharp teeth. At first he'd been terrified, crashing through the darkened forest with little regard for where he was. He'd have kept going too, but he'd tripped, tumbling down the hillside till his fall was stopped hard by a large tree.

He'd laid there dazed, gasping for breath that wouldn't come. The cries of the pursuers grew louder, yet his body wouldn't respond. It was as if some force had paralyzed him, holding him down, despite his panicked struggles to move. A faint flicker from torches carried by the gremlins, or whatever they were, passed over where he lay. As it did so the eyes of the adjutor gleamed red. The creatures were on him now, passing over him in the branches and around him in the dark. He was sure he'd be seen but they missed him somehow; passing on further into the woods.

After they passed, the gleam from his adjutor's remained, fading slowly till it too went out, leaving him again in the dark. As darkness returned, so did his strength. He looked suspiciously at the darkened outline of his arm.

"Did you do that to me?" he whispered, the adjutor remained dark. "I could have been killed laying there," he muttered, as he stood, brushing himself off.

It took a moment for him to rise as he hurt everywhere, he'd taken quite a tumble. It was only as he tried to set off again that he stopped, had it just gotten darker? Then realization dawned. He'd looked at the torches as they past, ruining his night vision. That was it, he thought, that's why they couldn't see me, they're carrying those torches so they can't see anything unless they're right on top of it. I was safe on the ground, but if I'd run they'd have seen me for sure.

He looked down again at the adjutor. "Sorry for doubting you, I guess you saved me again." Two red pinpoints glowed briefly in response.

Since then, he'd remained mindful of the dark, using it to hide from the roving gremlins. His confidence grew with each evasion, soon forgetting that he ever was afraid of the dark. Slipping through the shadows, a shade among shades, he tried to find the others, but soon gave up.

Not like I can see anything anyway, but then I guess that's a good thing tonight.

Even though he was worried about the others, he was excited by his newfound anonymity. His newfound invisibility, mixed with the thrill of danger, pushed him to take chances he might not have otherwise. Once even, the creatures passed so close to the bush under which he was hiding that, had he been foolish enough, he might have reached out, plucking the very torch from its bearer. I’m not quite that stupid, he thought, even though he was tempted. It was just like capture the flag in the dark, a game he’d played tons of times. How was I ever scared?

His newfound game came to a halt soon enough. He was stalking a band of these creatures through the darkness thinking how funny it was that here they were trying to find him while all the while he was right behind him. All of a sudden he stepped on something which shrieked under his foot. One of the monsters, seemingly lazier than most, had decided to sneak off to catch some sleep. In the dark it too was invisible, and blissfully dreaming till Levi's shoe interrupted all that.

Levi ran. The gremilin ran. The gremlins he was following however heard the noise and came after him, crying their war cries. Stupid, stupid, stupid, why’d I have to be so stupid. They were behind him and closing fast. Remembering his lesson from before he threw himself into the deepest shadows, hoping for the best.

CRACK!

Sparks flew as his head hit a jutting tree root. Then there was true blackness.