The Interloper

The True Horror of Late Night is not covered in hair, it is not baring fangs and claws. It does not walk on four legs or two. It does not howl, growl, snarl or drool. It does not cut thru flesh and crush bone, suck blood and steal souls.

The True Horror of the Night is a creature far more sinister than any beast, goblin or ghoul. This creature is deception, hopelessness, anguish torment and terror. This creature is reassuring, kind and comforting. A bastard son of a whore with an insatiable thirst for the pain it can cause with a single phantom scent, a tiny whisper calling from the past, a glimpse of what was and will not become. It feeds on the tears of those unfortunate enough to let it into their homes. It feeds on the anguish and suffering of those too stupid to realize they have left a window open into the deepest recesses of their hearts, where fear and uncertainty lie huddled, contained and ignored.

This creature takes hold of those fears and uncertainties, caressing and nurturing them until strength has returned to their spindly spiders legs. Then releasing them into the inner sanctums of the heart mind and soul, this creature watches as it's victim writhes and claws at the skin of their chest. They beg for mercy from the pain they are enduring.

"Answer!" they cry, "Why do you show me these things? And why do you take such joy in watching me twist and wretch with the suffering of my simple denials!?"

This creature leans close, hot and vile breath pours like liquid across the face of the oppressed. The creature's cracked and ragged lips stretch across the pale veined face. They part as blood pours from the cracks, slowly dribbling down the chin of the creature as it speaks...

"Why do you let me?" the Creature purrs, its black and oily scaled exterior gliding on blood of shame.

"Foolish man..." the Creature hisses, "Do you not understand? You beckoned me approach the canvas of that which is your heart. You welcome this nightmare You created your chains. And you will never rid of me. I, like your suffering and turmoil, uncertainty and fear... am alive eternally..."

This creature is the mind and heart of man the hopeful fool. Neither of which lay silent when the hour comes late and the black ink of eternity pours over this simple blue planet. Suffer on into the night, solitude thy curse. Thine hopes and dreams, the fuel for all thine unending pain.