MONSTER!! - A Tale Of Darkness

Statue

He struggled to stand out of sheer horror, but he knew he had to.

L stumbled out the door, rubbing the scar tissue around where his missing eye would be. He frowned, feeling so... off.
"Rough night?" Mario said, a look of concern over his face.
"Not until I woke up... it was the weirdest thing..."
"What happened?"

L fidgeted, "Well, I..."
He cleared his throat.
"I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. I was barely sure which one of us was in control, I wasn't even sure if any of us were at all. It was really hard to breathe... like something was pushing down on my... or I guess our, chest, trying to cut off our air or... or something."
Mario frowned.

"Sounds like sleep paralysis."
"Huh?"
"No, really, I'd know..."
He paused, for a second, and continued,
"You don't remember it, but I do. You used to get it a lot. Always got me so worried, and it scared the hell out of you every single time. I never could figure out what to do. It was just so... strange, I could always find information on WHAT it is but no matter how much I look, I just couldn't find anything on what I'm supposed to do to help or anything. Maybe I just keep finding the least helpful sites? I dunno..."

L sighed, and sat with him. "I guess that would be why... not like I'd know." He chuckled at the little joke he had made, but not for long.
"Well, anyway, now what's going on with you?"
Mario shrugs, "Eh, nothing too special. Apparently this afternoon, an improved version of an old statue of the Princess will be going up and, well, everyone wants me to be there."
"Oh, that... actually sounds pretty special..."
Mario chuckled, "Trust me on this one, this stuff happens all the time... I actually wanted to bring you and Daisy along, too, though I dunno how she'll be able to come along with the whole... ghosts and sunlight thing... I mean, some end up okay and some just disintegrate and I don't want to take any chances, you know?"
"Yeah. I get it," L said, "Maybe we can give her something to use for shade? That should work, right?"

"That's a pretty good idea..."
Mario grinned.
"Just as smart as you've always been, bro!"
L laughed quietly.
"Aww..."
They continued to talk for a while, all was well, as the terror of what happened mere minutes before withered away.