The man was wandering through the forest. It was night, but the moon was full and the skies were clear, so he could see what was ahead and feel that he was not alone. He drew out his sword and shouted:

"Show yourself. I can feel your presence. I've felt it for a while now. The sadness. The void inside my soul. Come out into the light!"

There was no answer. But there was a lake, and at its beach, there was a creature. Black as if a shadow had come to life. It was facing the lake.

The man held out his sword:

"I know what you are. I've heard the stories about you. You hunt for people like me, who are on a journey to find the treasure, taking from them joy and filling them with doubt, sadness, and uneasiness in return. They call you emptiness, void. You are the Hollow."

The creature was silent, staring at the lake.

"From what I've heard, you stick around the unfortunate souls for as long as you are unfulfilled. Until there's something that fills your darkness," said the man, continuing, "I am tired of the feelings you give me. The self-doubt, the inability to enjoy moments fully because I feel that there should be something more, the anxiety that I may never reach my destination and that I will be stuck with you for the rest of my life."

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

The man stopped for a moment as memories of moments long gone flooded his mind. Then he stepped closer:

"I've felt this way for far too long, and I want to be done with it. So I'm offering you a deal. Tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you. Tell me what would fulfill you, and I will get it."

The Hollow remained silent.

"Is it a partner and the sympathy and love for one another?"

The creature remained silent.

"Is it something more simple? Money? To be able to get what you want when you want it?"

It didn't speak a word. The man became irritated:

"Is it experiences? Is there something that you haven't done yet, perhaps, and you wish to do? Or is it knowledge that you seek? Something you want to know? Or to reunite with friends long gone? To be able to connect with people more?"

The Hollow stood still.

The man began to shout with anger and rage:

"Is it family connections you seek? So you wouldn't have to be the outsider when you're with your own blood? Or independence? So you wouldn't need to rely on anyone but yourself, sparing you the hurt and disappointment?! Is it a part of my own soul that I need to give you?! Answer me!" The last words came out so loudly that the birds in the nearby trees got scared and flew off.

Finally, the creature turned around to look at the man. It was like looking in a mirror, except the Hollow was crying. It finally spoke, sobbing in a cracking voice.

"I don't know."