Voice

I wrote a letter for Kai. Having nothing else to do, I decided to retire for the night after. Having no idea that that night will traumatize me from sleeping soundlessly ever again.

Since I used my blanket for wrapping the chest, I used the one that was stored in the drawer. A little dusty but it was better than nothing.

That was probably around ten in the evening when I heard a noise that roused me from sleep. I can't quite figure out where the sound was coming from. At first, I thought I should ignore it. But it didn't take long before it has come to a point where I can no longer ignore it.

I sat on the bed — clutching the blanket near my chest. The room was dim with only the moonlight passing through the slits of the window as the light source.

The sound that seemed to come from far away earlier felt like they were just behind my ears now. An unsteady clanging of metal accompanied by the ringing of a bell every so often. The sound felt like it was coming from the depth of the earth — echoing.

It was only a sound at first. Until a breathy voice that I can't quite tell whether it belonged to a woman or a man began whispering in either of my ears. The voice was muttering some incoherent words. Leaving a lingering sense of hopelessness every second that I spent listening to it.

Something I wouldn't want to experience. It's disgusting. I jerked my head across the room. I found nothing. The room was still the same as it was before I went to bed. But the sound was undoubtedly there. Echoing in every corner of my head.

"A-Anyone there?" I asked. Can't help my voice from shaking in the end. There was no reply except for the breathy voice that seems to want to penetrate into my skull. It's maddening.

I hastily sprung from the position that I was in. Pulled the cord switch turning the light bulb on. The room was now lit but the sound didn't vanish. If anything, it's becoming louder. The incoherent mutterings became more pronounced.

I clutched my head with both of my hands. Desperate to drive the voice away. Of course, it didn't work. It's getting louder and louder. It's driving me nuts. Driving me crazy.

With utmost effort, I raised my head. And by my front, I saw a figure. A dark shadowy figure. A foul smell emanated from it. It smelt like a rotting body.

It was in the shape of a human but I was certain it wasn't. Its body was made of semi-transparent dark shadowy smoke. Its eyes are hollow. It didn't have a nose but its lips are wide — very wide.

I choked. I've long forgotten what I was about to say. I seem to have swallowed my words the moment I met its eyes as if it was sucking the little courage I have left. Though they're hollow and literally nothing was in there, I know that it was staring at me. I just know.

It bent its body bringing its face nearer to mine as I stumbled backward and fell on my butt.

I know exactly what I needed to do. That is to get away from whatever this creature was. But I seem to have lost control over my body as I just sat there — staring at it with my lips shut tight into a thin line.

It drew closer and closer. Some of the smoke that was hovering rather freely around its body drifted towards me. I can see some of the smoke enter my skin. That was the most disgusting sensation I ever felt in my life. And soon enough, something inside me squirmed as if being sucked and pulled.

As unpleasant as it was, I cannot move. My insides are twisting funnily as a chill slowly crept into every inch of my body. The temperature was dropping at an alarming state.

No, please don't.

The dark creature continued to move closer to me until we were literally an inch away. And from there, it extended its arms to hold my cheeks. Its hands were icy cold. I don't know how exactly but at that moment, I was certain it went inside my body. The room slowly turned dim. The bulb flickered until everything went black.

***

"I was only gone for a while and you now thought that the floor is better than the bed? Goodness, Mr. Jack!" said the familiar voice. That person was currently knocking on my forehead.

Although heavy, I forced my lids to open. Immediately regretted it as soon as the light assaulted my eyes.

In front of me was a white-haired young man. He was none other than Ethan.

"You haven't gone mad, have you?" he asked. "For whatever reason, you decided to lie flat in the middle of the room with the window wide open. Just making sure. You're still sane, are you?"