Eldritch [the original]

Chapter 1 ~ Don't Scream

       I grabbed my bag off the side of my bed and pulled it over my shoulder. It was full of what I considered 'requirements' for a relatively good sleepover with anyone, even though it was rare I had a bad sleepover with my best friend, Remmi. Remmi was just too ridiculously stupid to have a casually boring night with. Things could get drunken or so emotionally deep it'd make you cry. But I liked her just fine that way. "C'mon Alex," my mom muttered walking past me as I stepped into the living room. She walked past the back of the couch and into the kitchen, I followed a few feet behind her. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and texted Remmi. 'On our way.' I typed and sent the message to her as I slipped into the backseat of the car. The small screen flipped on, indicating we were backing out of the garage. My dog moved slowly out of the way as the car backed out and hit the road.

The trip wasn't long, Remmi didn't live far from where I lived, just a little ways down the highway, actually. We pulled into the cove in which her house was. "Bye, mom," I muttered, almost silently. "Bye." she returned her words as I unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the car door. My feet hit the asphalt road with a clunky noise. I turned to shut the door before heading up her driveway, walking past her parents two cars. 'I'm here.' I texted Remmi. 'Mmkay, I'll get the door.' she texted back. I waited at the door for perhaps a second or two before my friend opened the door and moved aside to let me in. "Hiiaaa!" she squealed, normal her, casual day. I walked in and she shut the door behind me. "Hey Alex!" her mother chimed. "Hi," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Remmi's cat rubbed herself against my leg and I knelt to pet her. "C'mon," Remmi whispered, I glanced up at her and she was holding the door open for me, so I got up and wandered up the stairs to her room. I could hear her close the door and her feet as they trampled up the stairs behind me, we both turned the corner at the same time. I sat my stuff down next to her bed and kicked my shoes off. She collectively gathered them and placed them next to my stuff. I don't know why she does that. I don't know why she does a lot of things. Then again I don't know why I do a lot of things. Heh. A long night laid out ahead of us, and while there was plenty of time, the time was limited. We were already pondering what to do, but when we both enjoy a lot of the same things, it wasn't to incredibly hard to get caught up in something. Like writing, or perhaps drawing. Maybe even reading.

I don't know why she enjoyed this. Her room was pitch black, not a thing could be seen except for the orange 'Vizio' label on her tv that wasn't even really lit, but it was visible. She liked it this way. She liked it silent, she liked it dark, it was like a ritual she performed whenever she had a sleepover, she'd sit and talk to the person she was with, in the dead silence of the night, and she found it pleasurable. I don't know why she enjoyed this. I hated it. But she'd always say something interesting when she did do this. It would bring out the truth in anyone, it was like your words were disappearing in the darkness, like talking to a shadow, but you get a response. Maybe that's why she liked it. "Alex," she whispered. "Yeah?" I'd respond. "I hear voices in my head." she quoted. This wasn't the first time she'd told me. She said it like a reminder, as if I would forget, but who'd forget it when they're friend said they heard voices other people didn't? I'm not sure. Someone who isn't an actual friend. "I know," I replied. "I still like Vincecho," she muttered. "I know," I said once more. She always liked him, she'd told me before, she'd told me she liked Echo, a tall six armed male with a rotary phone for a head, and she said she'd liked Vincent, a still, relatively tall male with purple skin and soulless eyes. And then there was Vincecho, slightly shorter than Echo, six arms, had about 75% of the powers Echo had, purple skin, golden pupils....He sounded like a charmer, but I never really took the interest in any of them. I liked my characters fine, and she liked hers. I wish I could hear they're voices. She always tells me about them, bothering her in class, helping her with tests, talking with her when she's lonely, comforting her when she's sad, or maybe...telling her to hurt people. especially when someone angers her. That's just our way, though, mess with the bull you get the horns right? "Remmi...?" I whispered into the darkness, but I got no response. I was talking to a shadow. I guess in the time I was thinking she fell asleep. "Hmm." I hummed to myself.

Hours past, hours and hours went by in the darkness, the dead silence of the night. And somehow, I was okay with it. The only noise was Remmi's breathing. I took a long inhale before sighing. I closed my eyes, though I wasn't tired. I just wanted to relax for a minute. Not like the dark room could offer anything more than what my closed eyes could. Then I heard a noise, and not like the casual click of the air conditioning snapping on or off, like a knock or a scratch, like if someone went to grab something to support them but fell short and slipped. I tensed. I don't know why but my brain's logic was- if I'm under the covers and refusing to move than whatever it is it won't see or notice me. "R-Remmi...." I whispered, nudging her. The window snapped open. "Remmi...!" I was desperate, but my voice was still a hush. I watched as a tall figure slipped through the window, I could only see their silhouette, lit dimly by the moon's light. "Shhhh....don't wake her." another voice, what I presumed to be the person, whispered from the darkness. I opened my mouth to scream but a hand clasped around my mouth. I strained to remove it but more hands held me down. Hands, hands, hands...."We can't wake her up, please, I need you to be quiet. Now...I'll let go but I need you to be as silent as you can, okay?" the voice whispered, it was obviously a male, a tad raspy but soothing and clear at the same time. I nodded. "Don't scream?" not a statement, definitely a question. I nodded again. He let go of me, slowly, cautiously. "Get up, dear," he said, his voice a hush. "O...okay" I muttered in response. I pushed the covers away but I couldn't see anything. "Oh, I'm sorry I forgot, you can't see in the gloom of the daytime's after hours, can you?" he mumbled. "No," I replied simply. "Take my hand," he said, but I'm not sure I can trust him. It took me a moment but hesitantly I put my hand out to find his, but he found mine before I could find his, and not to mention his hand was much larger than mine. I don't suppose I mind, though. He laughed under his breath. "You have soft hands," he whispered afterward. Okay then, I don't know how to take that, but okay....He helped me up and guided me into the next room, I listened as he closed the door. "Okay, I'm going to turn on a light, and I trust you not to scream. Is this a reliable thought?" he asked tension and concern in his voice. "Yeah, promise," I whispered in return. My heart was racing. All I know is that it was dark, I was alone with my sleeping friend, this guy came through the window, and he took me to a separate room, away from my dozed off friend and he's got my hand in his as well. "Don't scream." he reminded me, before turning the light on.