Fear crept in, like it always did when the world was black. I lay still, staring into the dark, and listened. Nothing. It was nothing.
I knew why I was scared. I could process it over and over in the broad light of day. I’d promised myself I’d get perspective, and not spend another second staring into the black, trembling with fear, waiting for something to come. But when the darkness descended, all logical thought was displaced, drowned by some subconsciously instinctive, primitive behavior I’d never entirely understood.
Something moved. Just a flicker, little more than the breath of a shadow from the corner of the room.
I bolted upright, then froze, peering into the dark. Desperately trying to bring vision to my eyes. All my senses sprang to life, my heart raced in my chest, hairs became prickles. From the layers of dark, I could just make out the window frame and the curtains hanging open. I tried to reason with myselfthat I was being silly, and the story Georgie told me had just unsettled me.
I scanned the darkness, eyes straining, ears pricked for sound. I could see nothing, hear nothing but the tunes of crickets outside and the sound of my own rapid breaths swallowing the room. Nothing moved.Nothing to worry about,the conscious part of my brain told me.
And then I saw him, standing by the window, as dark as a moonless night. Shadow Man—evil formed in the shape of a man. Full-blown panic consumed me. For what felt like an eternity, I couldn’t move, I couldn’t think; paralyzing fear disabled my limbs and shut down my brain. I was a fly in a web, waiting for slaughter. He would come, and when he did, claws would rip into my flesh. I felt the blood drain from my face and I moaned, a soft, pitiful sound.
Run.Run!
I screamed.
I lurched awake, the scream still ringing in the room and my heart pounding in my chest. I stared, goggle-eyed and bewildered, at the space only moments ago I was sure he’d been. I struggled to suck in air, willing the misty fog of the nightmare away.It was just a dream, just a dream,I repeated to myself. With trembling fingers, I reached for the light that sat on the bedside table. I clicked it on as the door swung open and Ethan rushed in.
“Amy, are you alright?” He stood by the bed wearing only black cotton boxers. His chest was broad and tanned, and sharp muscle carved his pecs and down his stomach, a V ran from inside his hips as if it was carved for eyes and fingers to follow.
I yanked my gaze up, absolutely taking no notice of the rather impressive bulge in his boxers. “It was just a stupid dream.”
“You’re as white as a ghost.” Ethan sat on the edge of the bed and brushed a thumb across my face, wiping away a tear I didn’t realize had fallen.
Embarrassed, I groaned and rubbed my hands over my tear-damp face as my whole body shook.
“Go back to bed—I’m fine, Ethan. I’m sorry I woke you.”
“It’s alright. I’m awake now. What was the dream about?” he asked softly.
I couldn’t tell him about the man who had plagued my nightmares.
“I can’t remember.”
My nightgown was damp with sweat, and I was wide awake. There would be no more sleep for me tonight, so I climbed out of bed.
“What are you doing?” he asked, standing up.
“Getting up—I’m not tired. You go back to bed.” I didn’t want to admit it, but the truth was I didn’t want to turn off the lights. I was too scared of what the darkness might bring.
I grabbed a long T-shirt out of the drawer and moved into the bathroom. I peeled off the wet gown, discarding it on the floor, and slipped on the shirt. Then I grabbed a robe off a hook on the door and put it on overtop, tying the belt around my waist as I walked out. Ethan waited for me, as if he sensed I didn’t want to be left alone, and I followed him to the door. Shock widened my eyes, and my breath jammed in my throat. His back had a crisscross of long, thin scars running over it, some deeper than others.
“Ethan, your back. What happened?” I whispered.
He froze briefly. “Let’s just say my father wouldn’t win any parent of the year awards.” His voice rang with bitterness.
The pain he must have endured wrenched my heart. “I’m so sorry.” My fingers reached out instinctively, feathering theoutline of the scars. He sucked in an audible breath and shivered all over.
“Amy, don’t do that to me.” He spoke so sharply, I jumped and snatched my hand away.
Oh god.
He thought I was trying to seduce him? Did he think that because I’d seen his near-naked body I couldn’t keep my hands off him? Admittedly it was a stunning body. But I’d meant nothing by it. Nothing sexual, at least.
My face was on fire during a long pause where neither of us knew what to say.
Finally, I mumbled, “Sorry.”
Needing to escape the awkwardness, I shouldered past him into the hallway, which was a gullet of darkness. I couldn’t see the light switch, so I halted. My mind imagined shadow man in the hallway, hidden in the deepest of shadows, lurking, hungry.Stop it.It was a dream; there wasn’t going to be a creature lurking in the hallway.
