Short Stories

The One

   “Okay,” she whispered, frightened as she stared at the screen of her phone. “Just like we planned, right?”

“Right. He disappears whenever the light is on. I’ll keep an eye on you. If he comes too close or if it’s too dangerous, I’ll turn it back on,” Ben reassured, eyes focused on the computer as he set the equipment up.

“I don’t like this…” Anne muttered, shaking minutely as any of her previous courage left her. It was easy enough planning this during the daytime, but at night? At night was when he came. She - no, they both - have lived through this nightmare for so long. She just wanted it all to be over, was that too much to ask for?

“I know this isn’t ideal, but we both know he’ll be there. We can’t keep doing this for the rest of our lives,” Ben messaged. There was a moment of silence followed by Ben’s soft typing. “All done! The lamp’s switch is automatic so I wired it to my computer. Now, go to sleep.”

“Ben-” Anne broke off whatever she was going to say with a sigh, resigning to her fate. “Okay, just… just don’t let him hurt me.”

“I promise,” he responded, eyes looking onto his screen as he watched her head to bed in her room. “I can see you, and I’ll be able to see him crystal clear.” She nodded, knowing about the camera, and got herself comfortable. With one last look around the room, she switched off the light and bundled into her covers, mouth covered so she could whisper quietly into the small microphone that connected her to Ben - her only salvation as of then. “Alright,” he whispered, his voice audible from a small earpiece she had in her ear. “He’ll be there soon. Remember, whenever he appeared and got too close, it seemed like he tried to tell us something… whisper it to us. I’ll get us that far. If he get’s too close, I’m turning on the light.” Anne hummed her acknowledgement, mind racing. What if he was there already - no, Ben would have seen him. What if he knows what they’re planning? Maybe he’s watching her from somewhere within the darkness - somewhere even Ben and his technology couldn’t see. What if -

“ANNE! ANNE?” Ben’s shouts woke her up as she hid her eyes from the blinding lights above her. She sat up and squinted, trying to see anything out of the ordinary.

“Ben? What happened? Did he appear?” she asked, once finding nothing was amiss. She could hear the sound of him typing away on the keyboard, before he finally responded.

“He did, soon after you fell asleep. He came close to you and leaned down. His mouth seemed to be moving… do you remember anything?”

“No… well, nothing of significance. I just remember feeling cold and, well, then I woke up,” she admitted, feeling helpless and sorry for not being able to provide any answers.

Ben sighed, clearly a little disappointed. “That’s okay, you were sleeping after all. It’s my turn now. Same plan. You control the light if he get’s too close.” Anne nodded. “But,” he added, clearly a change of plan having occurred.

“But?” she probed, “I’m not a mind reader you know.”

“But this time I’ll pretend to be sleeping. He will come either way, we both know that. Like that, I’ll be able to remember what he says,” he finally explained, the sound of his laptop closing was audible through the earpiece. “I sent you the link, it’ll appear on your computer.” Anne reached out for her laptop which lay on the ground next to her bed. Hauling it up, she opened it before opening Ben’s email which led her to a video screen. Ben was already laying in bed and reaching to turn off the night lamp next to him. Before switching it off, he nodded to the camera and Anne readied herself, watching as the screen turned black before refocusing on the dark surroundings.

“BEN! WAKE UP!” Ben’s eyes opened wide, having been resting closed.

“I am awake! What happened?” he asked, his voice quiet seeing that the room was still dark.

“I-I’m sorry, I just panicked. He started moving towards you…”

“Is he still there?”

“Yes, he’s by the foot of your bed.” Ben closed his eyes as he tried to erase the feeling of unease that resurfaced. “Stay put, he’s coming closer.”

“I feel it,” he muttered, eyes held shut tightly. “He’s cold.”

“He’s right near your face,” she whispered.

“He’s not saying anything!”

There was a pause. “I know.”

“What?” Ben frowned, not daring to move an inch.

“Do not look, Ben,” she whispered back.

“Why? Anne, I’m turning on the light,” he muttered as he reached into his pocket, fetching a remote which could control the room’s main lights. He tried clicking it but to no avail. “Anne, it’s not working!”

“I’m sorry Ben, I disconnected it,” she sighed, eyes glued onto the screen.

“ANNE -”

“Like you said, we can’t go on like this,” she interrupted, leaning back into the chair as she watched emotionless. “I remember what he said to me… I remember what he whispered.”

“What… what did he whisper, Anne,” she heard Ben ask with a strained tone.

“He said, ‘I only need one’.”