The group sat around one of Hikari’s Father’s tables in the cabin. It was a solid mahogany table, with beautiful carvings on it. They discussed the recent happenings.

“Someone was in here, and I believe they have something to hide. They left in such a hurry, I didn’t even see them.” said Takao “If it hadn’t been for the footprints in the snow, I would have never have known that they were once here…” he continued.

Hikari was crying over the destruction in her father’s cabin. “He always used to bring me here… how intrusive of someone to come to our special place and cause such destruction.”. 

She picked up the smashed photo. It was a photo of her dad, or at least, it was supposed to be… That was strange… Where was her dad? She could have sworn he was in the picture before.

“Guys… this picture… it was a picture of me and my dad, but my dad… it’s like he’s faded away, he’s not in it anymore. It’s just me and the background now..”

“What?” the others gathered around the photo... It was true. There was clearly a space where a person once was, either that or it was a terribly angled photograph. How was this possible? Who did this?

"This is strange..." said Eito, beginning to feel queasy. 

Hikari put down the photo. 

"It's getting late guys, we should probably get some sleep. We're going to have a very, very busy day tomorrow." Takao said, "And make sure all the windows and doors are locked..." he added, in a rather sinister manner.

The others agreed and Hikari showed them to the bedrooms. She was just about to finally show Takao to his room, when he interrupted; "I don't feel safe sleeping in my own room. I know what I saw, and I don't want to sleep by my self.." he started.

"Shhhh..." Hikari stopped Takao... "It's OK. You can sleep in my room tonight.". She beckoned him into her room, and told him he could sleep on the floor. She passed him a blanket and a pillow. 

The house was silent.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Takao couldn't sleep. There was just too much to take in. Too much had happened in one day. He was in shock. First the adults had disappeared, his parents, his teachers... everyone. It was insane. He was insane. Then there was that person in the cabin; who was he? What was he doing in Hikari's cabin? And then there was, finally, the photograph. What had happened to Hikari's father in the photo? Where had he gone?

Too many questions...

He fell asleep, gently.

In his sleep, he dreamt. He dreamt of many things, but most strikingly he dreamt of the person in the cabin. He was back, and he had a gun. He was aiming it at Hikari. He was about to shoot. Hikari was sleeping so softly, she was beautiful when she was asleep. So innocent, and this person, who Takao could clearly see was Male now, was about to shoot her. He sat up in his dream, and just as the man was about to shoot, the dream changed. 

This time Takao was floating, in a void. But it wasn't just him, it was him and hundreds of other kids. He recognised them; they were children from his town. 

But wait...

There was something else... 

They were floating towards a central object. The moment Takao set eyes upon it, he was scarred for life. It was the most diabolical, evil, disgusting thing Takao had ever seen. He would never be able to erase it from his memory. He could tell the moment he set eyes upon it that it was the single most evil thing in the universe. It's aim was merely total destruction, of lives and souls.

One by one, the children floated towards what Takao assumed was the creature's mouth, and one by one they were consumed by it. Takao was next. He was about to be consumed, when he awoke.

He was sweating.

He had never quite had dreams like those ever before. 

They struck fear deeper into his heart than anything else had ever before.

And they felt real...