The monster continued on taking sleeps after that.
She never thought of Johan ever again.
It was a hindrance for her hibernation.
And then the time came.
Her hibernation started.
Johan, you see, is also a very talented artist for his age.
To keep his memory of the monster, he drew her.
The first drawing was pretty accurate. It sure looked like the monster.
For the next 20 years, he kept on doing this.
Drawing the monster. With different styles. With different brushes. With different perspectives.
She was always Johan's subject.
And Johan never got tired of her face.
People began to notice and people began to wonder.
"Who is this girl, Johan?" they kept asking him.
Johan can't answer, of course.
For he also didn't know.
He was still willing to know, though.
He does not believe the monster doesn't have any name.
And again the time came.
The monster awakens.
And Johan felt this.
He felt that she had returned.
And so that night, Johan waited.
And he was not disappointed.
The monster came.
The monster, on the other hand, did not realize this.
Her feet carried her here.
And she was shocked to see pale-faced Johan all smiling.
"You came back."
said Johan who can't stop smiling.
"I did." answered the confused monster.
"Why are you smiling?" asked the still confused monster.
"Because I saw you again."
The monster can't believe it but she knew that she also missed Johan.
And she was so happy to see him again.
Then she happened to notice her portraits on Johan's board
"You drew me?"
"I didn't want to forget you." The monster blushed.
"You're a good artist, Johan Davidson."
Johan was shocked that the monster remembered his name.
"Thank you."
Silence.
"So after waiting for 20 years, can I now know your name?"
"I told you, Johan Davidson. I do not have a name."
"Well then give yourself a name."
"I can't think of any. Why don't you do it?"
"I can't think of any, either."
"See? Maybe that's why I don't have a name. Names don't fit me."
"That's not true."
"Prove it then."
Johan thought very quickly. Very hard.
He thought of how the monster only comes when the sun is out.
Then he knew it.
"Nightmare. Nightmare's good."
"Nightmare. I like the sound of that."
"Then it's official. Your name will be Nightmare from now on."
And for the first time, Nightmare had a geniune smile.
"Thank you, Johan Davidson."
"No problem, Nightmare."
Silence again.
This time, it's not awkward and uncomfortable.
It's peaceful.
And after that night, they started hanging out every night.
And every night, Johan's love for Nightmare grew and grew.
Johan didn't know, of course.
That a monster and a human can't be together.
Johan didn't know a thing.
He did not know the reason why she left for a couple of decades.
He did not know Nightmare is not human, but a monster.
He only knew one thing.
He loves her.
But Nightmare knew.
And Nightmare had no plans on telling him.
It was unfair.
But Nightmare was afraid.
Afraid of letting Johan go.
Nightmare didn't know what to do.
She was being unfair to Johan.
She knew that Johan loved her.
And she loved Johan too.
But a monster and a human
just cannot be.
So Nightmare did something that seemed impossible for her.
She left Johan for good.
There were so many reasonable reasons.
Things that seem impossible to tell at one night.
She tried thinking of these reasons.
But her love for Johan kept on bugging her.
But she was stubborn.
And at the end, she was successful of leaving Johan.
Johan, on the other hand, realized this.
Nightmare left him for good.
But he still kept on waiting.
He wondered when Nightmare is coming back.
He wondered why Nightmare left him again.
He waited
And waited.
And waited.
He never got tired.
His love for Nightmare fueled him.
But then, he finally met Nightmare's cousin.
Death.
And one sleepless night.
Became a thousand.
Not because of a monster.
But because of love.
