It was getting late, and we decided to walk nearby. Lots of kids are roaming the streets tonight, and it feels busy and interesting. People are hanging out in groups, chatting and laughing, and, of course, drinking and smoking: the edgy part of the city. Feels like home for once.

We walk down the streets without a care in the world, still chatting about our common interests. I'm hugging his arms tenderly, resting my head on his shoulder as I do so. If someone asks, I'll deny it to death.

We keep talking about common interests and stuff as we walk by. It seems like Sam is also a musician of sorts, and plays the guitar a bit. It's almost as if he stepped out straight from my maiden fantasies.

- Thank you, Sam. - I say, with a warm smile - you really know how to make a goth girl have a good time.

- Oh, yeah. Man, I wish the guys back at school could see me now.

I giggle at his comment.

- Don't worry, Sam, I bet everyone will want to know who's brave enough to date the school's edgy bitch.

We laugh a bit, and then a moment of awkward silence comes. Oh no, not these. Thank god he didn't take long to break the silence:

- So... - he says, hesitantly - I don't really know how to ask that, you know...

- Oh? What is it? - I say. He definitely piqued my curiosity now.

- It's just... You're such a sweet girl, you know? Why is it that you feel you have to act so dark and stuff?

Ouch, that was really unexpected. Why did you have to ask that, Sam? Now I have no choice but to tell you...

My gaze wanders for a moment as I think about my next words. I sigh.

- I honestly don't know. It just feels right. There is something so wrong with the world and people in general, I find solace in being as different from them as I can.

We walk by slowly as my words fade out of existence.

- You must think me weird, right?

- No, not at all! - He says with an exaggerated hand gesture - I think you're right. The world truly is messed up, you know? Like, people enjoy all kinds of violence and act as if they are completely normal. You... Are kind of the opposite.

Gosh, that was so sweet. I'm speechless by his words, as I start to blush. How is it that he can read me so well? This is the cutest thing anyone ever told me.

- I'm surely glad you take me out tonight, Sam. You nailed the choice of place as well - I say, as I lower my head, smiling.

- Well, you know, I kind of suspected you'd like to come here. - he says confidently.

- Really? And why is that?

- You know, because you told me so yesterday.

- What? I did not! - I say, slapping his arm softly.

Now that I think about it, I think I kind of did tell him. Me and my big drunken mouth.

- You so did, you know? - he says laughing - you also said some other embarrassing stuff.

I gasped and looked at him in shock.

- Oh my god, what did I say?!

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- I'll tell you in a moment. I just have to, you know... - he says, as we stop by a public bathroom.

- Yeah, we did hydrate a lot tonight. Go on first, then I'll be next. - I say as I signal for him to go inside.

As Samuel goes inside, I wander nearby in wonder, staring at the starry night sky in deep thought, feeling an all-compassing sense of bliss. The night has a cool gentle breeze, and my senses go beyond the faint sound of music and chattering in the background, delving into blessed silence. A calm night in all regards, not too terrible to appreciate.

As my gaze wanders, it lies down into a lonely figure by a darkened corner across the street.

I'm not sure why, but my eyes instinctively lock on the cloaked figure, expectantly.

There is something in his face, I can't quite see what it is. I squint my eyes to try to discern the shapes, in vain. It was not until a passing car's light illuminated it that I saw what it was.

Or I thought I did, although I find it hard to believe, as I release a horrified, high-pitched scream. Let's say I no longer needed to go to the bathroom.

Samuel leaves the bathroom to find me in a horrified shock. I look at him trembling, inviting him to follow my gaze to the man by the dark corner, but no car's light would help me right now.

- What is wrong, baby? - he says, with a worried, confused expression.

Should I just tell him the truth? Should I just tell him that I just saw a man with hands protruding from his eye sockets? I didn't.

- I just saw a kid eating ice cream from the floor. Disgusting. - I lied - it's getting late, can you take me home?

He signals positively as he heads to the garage to bring his car.

I kept telling myself I had too much to drink, and/or the whole thing was a trick of light, or anything really, didn't want to pay that too much thought. Despite that, my eyes were locked on the man by the corner until the very last moment it vanished from view, as Sam took me home with his car. He stayed immobile the whole time.

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It was almost 1 AM as he dropped me home. Nice car, his brother's he says. Nice of him to lend it so his younger brother can pick up girls around.

As the car stops, he holds my hand tenderly, giving me a sad puppy stare. I could tell it was because he didn't want to let go because I didn't want either, and answered him with the same stare.

We kissed romantically, trying to futely delay the inevitable, but alas I had to go, lest I'd lose the strength to.

- You were really sweet tonight. - I say, unusually emotional - I wish I could invite you to stay, but Dad would kill me.

- Yeah, I totally understand. Another time, maybe.

We kiss one last time as we smile tenderly at each other, and I make my way out of the car. Time to get back to reality.

I remove my shoes and open the front door as slowly as I can. God knows I don't want to end this night with a scold followed by a pep talk.

Instead, I successfully sneak my way to my room and get to end this day thinking about the wonderful night I got to spend. Life unsuspectingly got good, and hope in humanity increased.

I take a good shower and put on some pajamas. I fall down in my bed, exhausted, and release a cute, satisfied sigh, moaning in comfort. I forgot to turn the bathroom light off, but I don't even care, I'll sleep just like that.

As I lay down in my bed, I started to fantasize about how much better this night could have ended. You know what I mean. I fall to sleep just like this, certain that nothing but good dreams is to come ahead.

Unfortunately, my mind had other plans for my sleep.

That night, I fell fast asleep, but something woke me up at some point. I woke up startled by some noise coming from the illuminated bathroom, only to find out I was unable to move a muscle.

I stare nervously at the door, listening for the source of the noise, when I start to see shifting shadows coming from inside it. Did a raccoon enter through the window again?

It would have to be a massive raccoon to cast that big of a shadow. And a bipedal one too.

And he would need to have hands for eyeballs.

I panic, as the shrouded figure from earlier stands at my doorstep, his face now fully visible by the bathroom's light.

Those hideous hands in his face squirmed in agony as the figure slowly got closer to me, not walking, but immobile, as if floating.

I try to scream, but a muffled moan comes out instead. My heart is pounding in my ears as I start crying, the figure just standing by my bed, staring at me with an eyeless face.

Then I'm not sure what happened, but all of a sudden he is right above me, from behind.

His hands outstretched from his eye sockets, making a disgusting squishy sound, some viscous liquid leaking out of it and into my face, into my eyes, into my mouth.

His hands reach for me and pull me closer to his gaping mouth, that stretches like a python's, and inside of it, endless eyestalks stare at me. "We will finally be as one now", he says. It's all over, I'll be consumed. A fate worse than death awaits me.

Everything goes black as my body is swallowed alive by darkness, all the while those endless eyes stare at me and laugh.