Chereads / ClearBound: Monster Caller / Chapter 2 - Light in the Nox

Chapter 2 - Light in the Nox

FOOSH! SMASH! The noise of shattering glass echoed as shards hit the wooden floor.

"DAMN IT, ESTP! WHAT THE HELL? YOU MISSED THE PASS LIKE A BLIND FOOL! THAT WAS MY BALL, YOU DI—" The frantic boy was abruptly cut off.

"Shhhhhhh," another boy's voice came, relaxed but with a hint of annoyance. "You're making too much noise."

"Did the ball go inside the house, N—?"

"YES, YOU IDIOT!" the frantic boy exclaimed.

"Oh... it's the tourists' home, right?"

"YEAH, SO—"

"SO I'M STILL RIGHT. SHUT UP AND HELP ME GET IT." The calmer boy started walking toward the cabin, shrouded by trees. The other boy followed begrudgingly, crunching dry leaves underfoot as they approached the dark brown cabin.

Inside, the crunching of leaves reached my ears, along with the red light from the setting sun. Through the narrow slits in the blinds, I could just make out the two of them. Idiots... must've been playing ball and kicked it too hard, shattering the window... I started to brush it off—until the sound of something rolling across the wooden floor stopped me in my tracks.

I glanced out of the corner of my eye but couldn't make out what it was. Damn it, I can't see. Frozen, I stood in a tense posture, the kind you take when bracing for a fall. Then, a warmth pulsed against my leg.

Huh... is that Spera?

A glowing ball of light drifted up toward my face, pulsing with waves of light like gentle bird flaps.

"Nox…" it chirped softly, dimming slightly with a pinkish glow.

Before I could respond, Spera nudged me, and I found myself face-to-face with a boy holding a ball, staring directly at me.

"Hi," Spera tweeted cheerfully.

"AAAAAGHHHHHH!" The boy screamed in terror. "DEMON!" He grabbed a nearby lantern and threw it at me and Spera, completely missing.

"HA! YOU SUCK!" Spera chuckled.

Then, a bright light flickered behind us. Spera turned, his laughter fading.

"Hahaha… oh." He whipped me around to face the source.

My eyes widened in horror as I saw my bookshelf fully engulfed in flames.

NOOOOOOO! I screamed internally as the boy ran off, shouting, "DIE, SATAN!"

Spera, still chuckling, muttered, "Wait… but if demons come from hellfire, wouldn't flames just make us stronger?"

NO TIME, Spera! Let's get out of here! If anyone could read my mind, they'd feel the panic .

"…Oops," Spera said, clearing his throat, his glow dimming sheepishly.