Chereads / The Reaper's Aura / Chapter 4 - The Nightmare

Chapter 4 - The Nightmare

Erin stirred, the rough ground beneath him uncomfortable as he slowly blinked his eyes open. The soft light of early morning filtered through the park's trees, casting dappled shadows across the grassy expanse. The world around him was peaceful, the chirping of birds in the distance a stark contrast to the turmoil in his mind.

'Well, I guess I better get up. It's already getting late,' Erin thought, though he was in no hurry. He sat up, brushing the dirt from his worn-out clothes. The fabric was frayed and torn in several places, a testament to the hard life he had lived. Erin was a rare sight in the park, his ragged appearance standing out among the well-dressed morning joggers and leisurely strollers.

The park was a quiet refuge in the bustling city, a place where people came to escape the noise and chaos of urban life. The paths were lined with tall trees, their branches swaying gently in the breeze.

Benches were scattered here and there, offering a place to rest and enjoy the view of the small pond at the park's center, where ducks swam lazily in the clear water. Yet, despite the serene surroundings, Erin felt out of place, like a smudge on a pristine painting.

Shaking off his thoughts, Erin pushed himself to his feet and began the walk back to the abandoned building where he had hidden his few belongings. The building was a decaying structure, half-finished and forgotten by time. Its walls were made of crumbling concrete, and the roof was incomplete, with jagged edges and missing tiles that let the weather in. The floor was covered in a thick layer of dust, disturbed only by Erin's footprints and the occasional scurrying of rats.

'This is going to be my new home until I leave the city,' Erin thought with a sigh. The building was cold and unwelcoming, but it was better than sleeping on the streets. At least here, he had a roof over his head, however incomplete it was.

As he reached the building, Erin glanced around to make sure he wasn't being followed. The streets were empty, save for the occasional car passing by. He slipped inside through a gap in the wall and made his way to the corner where he had stashed his belongings. There wasn't much—a tattered blanket, a few cans of food, and a small knife for protection. He sat down on the cold, hard floor, leaning against the wall as he tried to gather his thoughts.

'Once I leave this place, I'm going to live a normal life,' he promised himself. 'No more trouble, no more danger. Maybe I'll even get a family.'

It was a simple dream, one that seemed almost impossible given his current situation. But it was all Erin wanted—a quiet, uneventful life where he could forget the pain and suffering of his past. He closed his eyes, imagining a small house in the countryside, with a garden and a family to care for. It was a comforting thought, one that lulled him into a fitful sleep.

But that night, Erin's sleep was anything but peaceful. As soon as he drifted off, he found himself surrounded by complete darkness. It wasn't the usual kind of darkness that came with sleep—it was a deep, oppressive void that seemed to stretch on forever. There were no stars, no moon, nothing to break the endless black. The silence was suffocating, yet Erin could hear the faintest whispers echoing in the distance.

As he strained to listen, he realized that the whispers were voices—human voices, crying out in desperation. The more he listened, the clearer they became, until he could make out the words.

"Help us… Please, we're begging you…"

The voices were filled with such pain and hopelessness that Erin felt a chill run down his spine. He wanted to wake up, to escape this nightmare, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't open his eyes.

'Wait, am I even supposed to know I'm dreaming?' he thought, panic rising in his chest. This wasn't normal. Dreams weren't supposed to feel this real.

Desperately, he pinched himself, hoping the pain would jolt him awake. But nothing happened. He was still trapped in the darkness, with no way out. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked around, searching for any sign of light, any indication that this nightmare would end.

But there was nothing—just the endless void and the haunting cries of the people trapped within it.

With no other options, Erin decided to start walking. He picked a random direction and began moving, his footsteps echoing eerily in the silence. The ground beneath him was solid, but it felt wrong somehow, like he was walking on something that wasn't really there. The voices followed him, growing louder and more desperate with each step.

'Where does this place end?' he wondered, his fear growing with every passing moment. He had been walking for what felt like hours, but the scenery never changed. It was just darkness, stretching on forever, with no end in sight.

The only company he had were the shadows—vague, indistinct shapes that seemed to move at the edge of his vision. They were human-like in form, but there was something off about them. They flickered and shifted, never staying in one place for long, and whenever Erin tried to focus on them, they would disappear.

'Why does this place feel so familiar?' he thought, a sense of deja vu washing over him. It was as if he had been here before, but he couldn't recall when or how. The feeling was unsettling, and it only added to the terror he felt.

The shadows continued to move, their presence growing more oppressive with each passing minute. Erin felt like they were watching him, waiting for the right moment to strike. He tried to shake the feeling off, but it clung to him like a second skin, making it impossible to relax.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Erin saw something in the distance. It was a faint shape, barely visible against the darkness, but it was the first sign of anything other than the void.

'What's that?' he thought, hope flaring in his chest. Without hesitation, he began to run toward it, desperate for any way out of this nightmare.

As he got closer, the shape became clearer. It was a figure—tall and imposing, with broad shoulders and long limbs. The figure was cloaked in a black robe that seemed to blend seamlessly with the darkness around it. It was almost as if the robe was made of the void itself, shifting and moving like smoke.

In its hands, the figure held a massive scythe, its blade curved and wickedly sharp. The scythe was almost as tall as the figure itself, and it had a faint purple hue that contrasted with the otherwise pitch-black surroundings. At the tip of the scythe, just before the blade, was something that resembled a skull, its empty eye sockets staring out into the darkness.

The figure moved slowly, almost as if it was lost, just like Erin. It seemed to be wandering aimlessly, its head turning this way and that as if searching for something.

Erin hesitated, unsure of what to do. The figure was intimidating, to say the least, and he had no idea if it was friendly or hostile. But he also didn't know how to escape from this place, and the figure might be his only chance.

After a moment's hesitation, Erin decided to take the risk. He started walking toward the figure, trying to be as quiet as possible. He would have run, but he wasn't sure if the figure would hear him, and he didn't want to draw attention to himself just yet.

As he got closer, Erin could see more details. The figure's robe was tattered and torn, much like his own clothes, but it seemed to be made of something far more sinister. The fabric was pitch black, absorbing all light, and it moved as if it had a life of its own. The scythe, too, was unlike anything Erin had ever seen. The blade was dark and twisted, and the skull at the tip seemed to be grinning at him, its hollow eyes following his every move.

Finally, he was close enough to see the figure's face—or rather, the lack of one. Where a face should have been, there was only darkness, deeper and more terrifying than the void around them. It was as if the figure's head was a black hole, sucking in all light and life.

As Erin stared into the void, he felt a wave of terror wash over him. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. The fear was so intense that it made his skin crawl, and his heart raced in his chest. He wanted to look away, but he couldn't. The darkness was mesmerizing, pulling him in, making him feel like he was about to be swallowed whole.

'What kind of monstrosity are you?'

As Erin thought this his mind was racing with fear. He had faced danger before, but this was something else entirely. This was pure, unadulterated terror, the kind that made you want to run and never look back.

As he stared into the darkness, it felt like it was staring back at him. The void seemed to come alive, the shadows shifting and swirling around him. He could feel sweat dripping down his face, his body trembling with fear. He was completely at the mercy of this creature, and he knew it.

Then, to his horror, the figure spoke. Its voice was deep and powerful, reverberating through the darkness like a thunderclap. The words were simple, but they filled Erin with a dread he had never known.

"So, you're finally awake."