~Chapter 4 ~Chapter 4 Love and Not Alone~

~Frankfurt, Germany 1994~

After the event that happened three years ago, Bryan and Annie decided to move once again. It seemed all was well until one day. Annie got sick and tired of moving, she just wanted to live a normal life. Yea, normal right, whatever, since the monster came around there was no such thing as a normal life, and that is all Annie really wanted. It was the first day of high school for Annie. Most kids would be excited about going to school however, with Annie's night terrors and running from the monster all the time, it didn't seem like it would matter to make friends or just accept things. Besides, what would missing the last year of high school do anyways. "Welcome class! Today is a new year for you high school students." smiled the teacher. They started naming off students names until they got to Annie. "Annie...Annie..…?" she looked up in shock that she was being talked too. "Huh? Yes?" she stood up from her desk looking around at all the people laughing at her. Annie cleared her throat and said "Hello...My name is Annie Schlankward, I have lived in Germany for years and my favorite thing to do is sleep....when I'm not having night terrors" Annie replies sitting down. Students looked at her strangely but she didn't care because she would have to leave again and it would be the end of her life there. Another student stood up, clearing his throat he said

"My name is David Medley, I'm from America and my family moved here for my dad's job but I don't care about what everyone else thinks of me"

"Well it's good to see a smile on your face for once" she looked up at Bryan frowning hoping no one would notice. She blushed embarrassed about him speaking about her.

"Well, whatever it is, keep it up. I am just glad you're happy for once." smiled Bryan putting on

his lab coat. Annie nod in agreement, when she heard the door slam from Bryan leaving, she pulled out her notebook that had all the information about the monster she liked to called Mr. Shadow and opened to another page.

"Dear Diary,

Today I am not writing about something sad, or tragic for once.....I am writing about this guy

I saw today his name was David."

she stopped writing to hold the notebook in her arms, soon after writing again.

"He is a guy in my class he is so handsome, though.....am I ready to take that risk of letting someone get close to me..."

Annie stopped thinking for a moment. "I have to see him..."She continuing the rest of her day doing homework. She studied hard and without all the stress, depression and trauma., Annie actually was able to sleep for once.

A Fog of mist blew through as she seemed to be wearing a dress, oh so beautiful and pink. Out in the mist also was a man, she felt her stomach fall "H-Hello" the man turned around to see it was David, her heart skipped a beat. "I have been watching you from afar" he walked up to her and placed his hand around her waist, as they dance a beautiful dance, looking into each others eyes dancing together under the pale moonlight. Annie felt this was destiny, as they stop to look into each others eyes, she closed hers that lead into a kiss, so passionate and lustful. They fell to the ground as David laid on top of her kissing her neck and leading down to undress her, his hands trailing, in the moment of passion. Annie was happy he was her first. There breathing got more intense, leading into intimacy, she turned her head and enjoyed this moment, it felt good and it was like heaven. David's grip became more aggressive held down, Annie thought that was weird and looked up at him to see his body begining too melt over her naked body. Annie screamed as she attempted to push him off her.

"NO! NO!" She freaked as their bodies sank into a now foggy cold ground, into what

seemed to look like a freshly made hole; sinking, Annie struggled to fight off

his melting body off her, bare skin. From the top of the hole, she saw the creature laughing evilly, dirt

was thrown onto them from atop the ground baring them alive. Annie screamed for help with no one to hear her. The melted deformed body pulled her into the ground more. "NOOO

HELP ME!!!" She screamed kicking and screaming, she fought herself awake to see Oliver by her side, sweat fell down her face, she looked around checking herself of clothes and flesh.

"O-Oliver" he nod.

"Yes miss.....are you okay?" she held onto Oliver tightly as tears flooded from her eyes in this nightmare.

"I am now."

That night seemed like the rest, sleepless and terrifying. So what better way to make of her time was to study and get ahead of the chapters. Morning came as she always watched the sunrise until it was time for school. Annie made it to school without a problem but this time. She wanted to see David, she hoped nothing bad happened to him, when she accidentally bummed into him. "Oh uh, sorry I-I didn't see where I was-" she looked up, heart skipping a beat and yet terrified by the nightmare she had.

"It's okay, I didn't pay attention to where I am going. So, um, I saw you yesterday you seemed pretty cool, like you know, not caring what anyone thinks, so let's not care somewhere,sometime?" David smiled. Annie blushed. She thought. "Was it a date, he was asking?" but she

wasn't sure."Uh.....yea.....just as long as it isn't at dark.....hope you don't mind?" he chuckled a little.

"Sure...I get it.....but don't worry I won't do anything unless you ask, pick you up after

school?" he winked walking away. After school, Annie walked out of the building to see him sitting and waiting for her with a sucker in his mouth. "Hey Annie, let's get going" She smiled, she couldn't believe she was going to have her first date with an ACTUAL guy.

"So Annie tell me about yourself? Your parents? I know mine are a pain to deal with, they don't care, they just don't.....understand how hard this life is" she stopped for a moment, just thinking about her parents made her feel empty inside. She held herself tightly. David noticing. He stopped what he was saying, and noticed she looked uncomfortable about the conversation. "Oh um, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No.....it's okay...I don't have any parents.....not anymore....." Annie crossed her arms saddened.

"Hey um.....I need to find a way to get the word out...about this nightmare, I keep having" David looked at her intrigued.

"Can I see it?" Annie held it close to her chest, embarrassed

that no one would believe her. "Come on babe.....it's okay, I won't laugh, besides, its probably just as amazing as you." she looked down blushing, Annie handed him her poem it read:

The Shadowed Man

There was a man who dwelt alone

beneath the moon in the shadow.

He sat as long as lasting stone,

and yet he had no shadow.

The owls they perched upon his head

beneath the moon of summer;

They wiped their becks and thought him dead,

who sat there dumb all summer.

There came a lady clad and gray,

beneath the moon a-shining.

One moment did she stand and stay,

her hair with flowers entwining.

He woke, as a sprung of stone,

beneath the moon in the shadow,

and clasped her fast, both flesh and bone;

and they were clad in shadow.

And never more she walked in light,

or over moonlight mountain,

but dwelt within the hill, where night

is lit but with a fountain-

save once a year when caverns yawn,

and hills are clad in shadow,

they dance together then till dawn

and cast a single shadow.

David did not understand what all this meant but in a way loved it and thought her either

crazy or inspired by something she saw. "I know a place we can go.....if you want to let

others know?" Annie couldn't believe that he wanted to help her. She just wanted to be with him even more now. Going to a cafe bar she read her poem others confused and others interested in what she had to say, but alas she was just a kid and a crazy one at that, so most thought. David watched much more interested in her than before, her beauty and her unknown reasoning he wanted her for his own. Once finished they walked outside to realize it was almost dark. She looked around in panic. "Oh shit! SHIT! SHIT!" Annie yelled starting to

hyperventilate.

"Hey! Hey! What's wrong babe?"

"I-I told you I-I can't be out at dark....." she started to freak out a little, looking around like she didn't know where to go.

"Hey okay, I'll do it on one condition, for today." Annie stopped for a moment and looked up at him paying attention for a minute.

"Let me kiss those beautiful lips." David pulled her into his chest, tilting her chin into a kiss her eyes got big, was she really kissing David. Annie closed her eyes kissing him, everything starting to get heated. She wanted him, and she wanted him bad. Pulling out from the kiss, Annie looked into his eyes. "Now let me take you home" he smiled taking her hand. Walking back home they walked near the side of the road, it was quiet, not even any cars to be seen. Annie noticed the oddness of how quiet it was in the city.

"We need to get to my house and FAST!" David was confused by her change in personality. A shadow crept by the walls of the buildings making it look ten feet tall. "W-What" freaked David to look behind him and find no man casting the shadow. "T-There's no man! RUN!" Yelled Annie grabbing onto his hand, they dashed down the streets with the shadow crawling the walls back and forth, closing in fast. He pulled her into an alleyway, as it went by. Leaning on her against the wall, they breathed heavy hoping for safety. "I-It's not safe!" Annie yelled in panic.

"Chill we lost it" says David as a shadow was cast from behind him.

"David look out!" it began to choke David by the throat taking away all his air, he fell to the ground trying to breathe for dear life. "NO! Leave him alone!" yelled Annie trying to shake him free.

"H-Help me" his eyes rolled back as he took his last breath, she cried as she held him in her arms, was there no happiness for her. It tilted its head forming a light smile from the shadow as it aimed for her neck, he was stopped once again, by a noise. It knew that if caught it wouldn't be able to kill her so it fleed. Not soon after the cop came by and found David's dead body in Annie's arms called by neighbors heard a noise and called the cops for the noise. Annie was found at the scene of the crime, Bryan though worried knew he couldn't get her out of this one. She told the judge and the cops the story and they found her to be crazy and delusional....they decided for her own good and others to send her to an insane asylum and that is how I got trapped in this mess. She coughed once again to find more blood.