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After everything they’ve encountered over the years, he would’ve thought the dark wouldn’t phase him anymore. He would’ve thought the creaking from the floorboards or the knocking against his walls wouldn’t get under his skin. So, in this moment, he was so conflicted as to why it did. There wasn’t anything around, and, logically, he knew that. He was in the comfort of his own home, protected by the walls that he was surrounded by and swallowed in the comforter on his bed. He wasn’t locked away in the basement in the Conjuring house, or trapped in the attic of the Villisca axe murder house, or standing atop the writhing wood of Goatman’s Bridge. There wasn’t anything there. There wasn’t something to haunt him through the night or watch him with piercing eyes, and he knew that, but he just couldn’t shake the feeling away.
The hours ticked by, spinning slowly on the clock. He was so tired—eyes burning and lids drooping—but the fear he felt in the pit of his stomach kept him from sleeping, making him sick to his stomach. He wanted to try, he wanted to blur the room and just pretend for a small amount of time that he truly didn’t care. So, he closed his eyes and let the world around him become nothing more than background noise. He captured the darkness with fluttering eyes, soothing his breathing to clear his head. He let himself sink into the sheets and drown in his mattress that laid on the ebony of his headboard.
It was comfortable, but it didn’t last him long.
It had only been an hour before he was shaken back awake, sitting up quickly and looking around the empty room. No one was around, nothing could have pushed at his bed, press itself into the side of his mattress. His breathing was so out of place, choking at his throat and squeezing his lungs, suffocating. Everything, movement and sound, it was all so suffocating. With each hitch that came, a whine was quick to follow. His eyes stung, but he held it in, wishing for the tears to not spill against his cheeks. He wanted to believe he was safe, but there wasn’t anything he could do to prove that to himself—not anymore.
Looking around, the darkness had begun to take shape, building itself from nothing in his head. Then, there was a creeping feeling. A burning on the back of his neck that made his body jolt. Something that paralyzed his legs and made his mouth grow dry.
He wasn’t alone.
There was creaking in the floorboards beside Sam, something that made his arms shake and lip quiver. Tears spilled over his cheeks despite how hard he tried to hold them back, but he didn’t dare make a sound. His hands gripped at the comforter, biting the bottom of his lip as he waited—for what, he wasn’t sure.
There was a certain type of pressure at the bottom of his bed, something that made him feel caged in. It pressed at the sides of his legs, a low growl escaping from the darkness in front of him. He couldn’t move or speak, eyes watching intently at what wasn’t even there. Waiting for that nothing to push him down.
But maybe it was there. Maybe the noises that hurt his ears were real. Maybe the pain in his chest wasn’t the cause of such thin air. He wasn’t certain, and maybe he was losing his mind, but it was easier to believe it rather than push it off as a burning nothing. A coincidence that no one could truly believe.
His bed creaked when the weight shifted, a shadow forged from the darkest of sins, wrapped in the cloth of corruption as smoke rose from its skin, something evil with death gripped in its hands. Eyes made from the dullest of colors, melting into a yellow that dripped on the sheets beneath them both, smoking and sizzling at the sheet below him. This wasn’t something he could whisk away with the flick of his wrist. This was something real. This was something he could reach out and feel against the pads of his fingers, but he wouldn’t dare try it. It looked ridged, something a child could’ve conjured up, glitching as it moved. It was so out of place. Something so real, but it didn’t quite fit.
A wicked smile, something only the devil could paint on such a face. It was iniquity staring him right back in the eye. A beast that broke through the gates of hell, smelling of rotten flesh, the metal of blood radiating off the tongue as it licked its teeth. Tenebrous in its mist. This wasn’t anything his mind could’ve come up with. There was a squeeze at his throat, choking him lightly as he was pushed back against the headboard. A soft cry escapes from him, head knocking back on the wall, but he didn’t dare look away from the wretched body that only grew closer.
He whined, forcing his legs to kick, but they fell weak as it pushed itself in closer. “N-No…” was all he managed to push out, his mouth dry and voice rubbing against his throat like sandpaper. It laughed at his attempts to plead, a laugh that echoed and rattled Sam's bones.
‘It’s not real. It can’t hurt me. It’s just thin air and ghostly pressure. Nothing can touch me here.’
Empty hopes and faltering optimism.
When the droll from its mouth met with his stomach, something cold and wet that rolled down to the bed and dripped from his side, he couldn’t hold the sobs in any longer. His body was racking from each one, heart beating harshly at his chest. He couldn’t move his arms, something locking them down, falling helpless to this entity.
Or, maybe, a demon.
This wasn’t something he had handled before. This wasn’t something he had seen or investigated. He didn’t know what he was meant to do or how to get away from it—if he even could. Time was running out as it grew in closer, its hand finding its place against his neck, following the choking that had already started.
When the claws of this demon sank into his skin, a scream erupted from him. It rang through the walls and pushed against his door, seeping through the cracks and flooding the house. Sam could only pray it reached someone's ears.
He couldn’t watch it anymore, he didn’t want to trap his eyes to the monster before him. He squeezed them shut, turning his head away with soft pleas on his lips. He wanted to fall into the wall behind him, hide within the foundations of the house, block his soul and mind from whatever was there. His airways closed and he could feel the palm of its hand begin to crush at his neck. His eyes shot open and it smiled back at him.
‘It’s real. This is real. This is fucking real and it’s going to kill me.’
It was a smile that pushed back through flesh, ripping open the creases around its mouth, skin of burnt ash breaking apart. Its lips parted, eyes rolling back in its head as its mouth expanded. The closer it got, the more Sam could feel its breath against his face. He couldn’t fight it, couldn’t move from where he sat, vision going blurry with black splotches in his way. The bottom of its teeth sat against his chin, tongue licking at Sam's face and tasting the salt of his tears.
But, before he could bite down, the door knob twisted. And, just as it appeared, it was gone, vanishing into the dark and leaving Sam to gasp through a shaking chest, ridged and uneven. He was able to move his arms again as his hands grasped at his neck, still feeling like something was holding it. A phantom squeeze in a cursed room. He couldn’t register anything amongst his panic, a loud ringing in his ears as he just stared out into the dark as it pointed to mock him.
‘It’s going to kill me. It’ll be back. It’ll tear me to shreds.’
His thoughts were screaming, pushing into the swirling lights of his headache and making him nauseous. His hand shook against his collar bones as his arms went heavy, slowly falling away. When something touched his shoulder, he screamed. Kicking himself away until he had fallen from the bed to the wooden floors, his back was against the wall.
“Sam!” A voice, something he recognized. It was his only comfort in midnight horrors.
Then, there was a light. Something that tore the darkness apart and let him see into the abyss that once surrounded him. It was gone, disappearing into the night, but still dancing in the air he breathed. Perhaps, it was never even there, but he couldn’t be sure.
He looked up swiftly at the small creak, a silhouette that slowly became focused. A man stood before him, bangs grazing his eyes as he stared through Sam’s soul, nothing but worry written within them. He was breathing almost as heavily as Sam, unsure of what to do or say, and Sam could read him. He knew this fear wasn’t the same one he was feeling.
There was the slightest knock from beside him on the wall, and maybe it really was the house settling from the wind that brushed against it, but Sam wasn’t convinced. He jumped, looking at the man with desperation. “Colby…” He spoke through a shaking breath, voice hoarse and eyes unfocused, searching for that demon. He didn’t want to be in this room anymore. He didn’t want to be surrounded by the dark ever again.
Colby moved in closer, climbing over the bed until he reached Sam, slowly sitting on his knees before him. “Sam, wha-” He cut himself off when his eyes met with Sam's neck. A red ring that circled around his throat, a small cut near his shoulder that was dripping beads of blood to his shirt. It would surely bruise, but Colby was more worried about what had caused this. “Holy shit- What happened?! Why were you- How did- fuck!”
Sam flinched away from the noise, his body shaking as he whined, small sobs following through his lips. Everything was growing to be too much, and as he squeezed his eyes shut to hide himself away, he was only met with its face. Those eyes staring and the laugh that pushed its breath against his face. He was scared to look, but even more afraid to open them again. He needed to keep watch, needed to study its every move. It was all to protect himself, to project Colby.
He cried, hands over his ears with his head pushed between his knees. He wanted to hide beneath the floorboards until the sun rose over the horizon, because, suddenly, he didn’t like the feeling of being alone in the dark. Or, rather, the unknown within it.
And Colby was stuck, watching as his best friend fell apart, fingers moving to grip his hair as he tried to think of what he could do for him. This was so out of place. Sam had been scared to tears before, hiding himself in Colby's arms for a moment until the chill washed away. But this was so much more, so different. Instead of clinging to him, Sam pushed himself away. He didn’t ramble about what he saw, he didn’t try to laugh it off to be nothing. It was wrong. This was so wrong.
It was when Sam started coughing, gagging on nothing with a hand over his throat that Colby shook himself away from his concerns, “No- No, don’t do that, you’ll choke.” Colby kept his voice low, trying to hide the shake within each word as he reached his hand over, grabbing hold of Sam's wrist and pulling it away from his throat. Sam didn’t fight him, too weak to push back, too scared to try.
Colby worked cautiously, hand rubbing at Sam's shoulder, studying him and trying to read for signs of discomfort. When he wasn’t given any, he pushed Sam at his shoulders so he could sit up, moving his hands to the back of his neck, locking his fingers in place. “Sam, Imma need you to open your eyes, okay? Can you do that for me?”
Sam shook his head in response, gasping harshly for a moment as his hands found Colby's shirt, gripping it to ground himself better, “C-Can’t-”
“Okay, it’s okay. T-Try not to speak.” Sam nodded and Colby wiped the tears that drenched his cheeks, “Good. Let's focus on your breathing, yeah?”
Sam whined and Colby shushed him, letting him lean back against the wall. He let his hands hold Sam's face, trying to keep his head up and cleaning what spilled from his eyes with his thumbs. He frowned at how hard Sam was squeezing his eyes, at how much his body shook and with how hesitant he was to follow instruction.
“Breathe in with me and hold until I say so, okay?” Sam let out a sob and Colby leaned in closer, as if he was ready to listen in on what secrets he was ready to whisper, “Sam?”
“I-I,” There was a painful gasp that cut him off, a whine coming in behind it, “I can’t- I don’t-”
“Yes, you can, Sam. You can and you will. Just try.” After a moment, Sam nodded and Colby felt a bit of relief wash over his shoulders, “Okay, come on, breathe in and hold it.”
Sam did as he was told, following Colby as he slowly sucked in a breath. It was ridged, uneven, and it hurt his chest, but he did it. And he sat with his eyes closed, running from that demon in his mind until Colby finally told him to release the breath he took.
They sat like that for a while, breathing slowly together until Sam wasn’t shaking anymore and he could do it on his own. The tears had slowed and Sam relaxed his face, grip loosening.
There was silence for a while, no one saying anything, and it was deafening. Sam hated the silence. He let his body fall forward, his head landing in Colby's chest, chuckling softly when Colby grunted, letting his hands fall into his lap as Colby wrapped his arms around him.
“Are you okay?”
“I-I… I think so.” He coughed, throat still dry and voice weak.
Colby hummed, “Okay. I’m gonna go grab you some water and-”
“No!” Colby froze and Sam pulled away quickly, finally opening his eyes and looking at Colby with fear, gripping at his arms, “D-Don’t go! Please don’t go! It-It’ll come back, and I can’t- I don’t-”
“Okay!” Colby stopped him, “Okay, Sam, I’m not going anywhere! I’ll stay right here with you, just keep breathing.” Colby panicked, not needing Sam to lose his progress after all that time.
Sam whined, shaking his head, “I don’t wanna be in here anymore, I can’t…” It was a broken whisper, something that painted his lips in a sorrowful tone.
“Then lets go,” Colby offered, “Lets go to my room and just talk, alright?”
“Yeah, okay, l-lets go…” Sam agreed with a nod, not an ounce of hesitation in his voice.
Colby moved his hands to grab Sam’s forearms, leaning back from his knees, “Alright, up we go.” Colby grunted, helping Sam to stand up on his feet.
He watched as Sam looked around the room, staring at every dark corner with gritted teeth, trying to find something that wasn’t there. He wanted nothing more than to help, to find what caused him to panic and put it in the ground, but Sam needed him at his side right now.
Sam shuffled his feet before he took a step, legs wobbling and knees buckling beneath him. He was ready to hit the ground, but Colby found his grip around his torso, holding him up against his body.
“I got you.” He mumbled, helping to his feet. He walked with him, arm around his waist as Sam leaned against him.
Once Sam took that last step out of his room, the air felt cleaner. The hair on the back of his neck didn’t stand and he didn’t feel the need to search through the dark for whatever had choked him. It was freeing.
They moved slowly through the hall and to Colby's bedroom, walking side by side until Colby sat them down on his bed. Sam leaned his head against his chest, bringing his knees up to his own as he fiddled with his pants. “Wanna tell me what happened?” Colby was softer now, running his fingers through Sam's hair, massaging his scalp to help keep him calm.
“It almost got me.” Sam started with a humorless chuckle, staring out into nothing, “It almost got me and I just sat there like it was nothing.”
“What did?”
Sam swallowed, something thick in his throat, “I’m not sure… N-Nothing I’ve ever seen, nothing we’ve ever, uhm, ever encountered.”
Colby didn’t say anything for a while, waiting for Sam to continue, fearing that he never would. But he found patience. He knew pushing Sam would get them nowhere, so he did what he could to make him feel safe.
When an hour passed by, Colby sighed, moving them so they were laying under the covers. He was still brushing through Sam's hair as Sam hid his face in Colby's chest.
‘Safe. I’m safe. It’s not here. It can’t hurt me while I’m here.’
“It was dark.” Sam's voice startled them both, not ready to talk, but needing to get it out before it drowned him in unwanted fears.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah… I-I could feel something there, but I couldn’t see it for a while. And, wh-when I did, I couldn’t tell if it was my mind o-or if it was real. It gripped my throat and opened its mouth…” Sam trailed off, voice wavering as he sunk himself deeper in the sheets and tried to hide himself away, “I’m scared, Colby, I-I don’t wanna be stuck in the dark.”
Colby squeezed him in closer, putting his chin on top of Sam's head, “Then we’ll keep the light on until we figure this out, okay?” Sam sniffled, nodding his head, but Colby wasn’t done, “And we will. We are going to figure this out.” Colby insisted, holding Sam's head and forcing him to look at him.
Sam looked him in the eye, scrunching his nose up quickly and whispered, almost afraid, “Promise?”
“I Promise.”
Sam shoved his face in the crook of Colby's neck, tangling his legs in with his arms grabbing at the back of his shirt. “Thank you.”