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"Yes, Charles, how are you today?"
"Thank you, doctor. Nice to meet you. I'm a little nervous.'' Charles replied as he leaned back in the brown leather sofa. ''I've never spoken to a psychologist before.''
''I understand. Don't worry, I'm not here to judge you and I'm not a cop. I'm just here to understand how what you've been through has affected you.''
"Can I have a coffee, Dr. Harley? "
''Sure.'' the doctor said, picking up the phone on the edge of his desk, talking to someone and ordering two filter coffees.
"Where do you want to start?" he asked. Charles realized that the room suddenly felt small when he was asked about the incident. As if the shadows were fighting to reach him. But he felt safe, thanks to the standing lamp on the edge of the brown leather sofa he was lying on. At least he could feel the yellow light on his skin. He cleared his throat before speaking. The rain outside seemed to help him clear his throat. Every drop of rain felt like a refreshing glass of water.
"As a matter of fact... I don't think you'll believe me, because no policeman ever did. But I'll tell you anyway. I met up with my friends for a chat as usual. We were going to have a couple of beers and some snacks and tell each other what was going on in our lives. You know, standard guy talk. But when I got on my bike and started heading towards my friend James' house, I heard a noise behind me. It sounded like someone was running behind me. But when I turned around, I didn't see anyone…
Then I kept pedaling my bike. It was dark, so I was going to the lights under the street lamps. I usually ride my bike from one light to another for fun. Again, to amuse myself, I was pedaling my bicycle from one street light to another, but I kept hearing this running sound. When I got to the light and stopped, I turned around and looked again.
But I couldn't see anyone.
The sound had stopped.
There was no one running towards me. No one was following me from behind.
So I started riding my bicycle towards my next stop, which was illuminated by the light of the next street lamp. Just as my wheel touched the darkness at the edge of the shadow, I realized that a black hand was reaching for the wheel of the bicycle.''
There is a knock on the door?
''Your coffees are here, sorry to bother you.''
The female secretary who entered was wearing tight black pants. She was wearing a well ironed white shirt and a gold necklace around her neck with the initials "D.Y.''
"Thanks for the coffee," Charles said, looking at the secretary's face. Her back was to the psychologist and she looked into his eyes for a second longer. It was as if she was smiling, inside.
"You're welcome, Mr. Charleees. ''
Is she grinning?
"Yes, you can go on," added Harley, the psychologist. "I'm sorry your story got interrupted. You said your bicycle tire got caught on something? "
''Not on something, doctor...''
The door. The secretary is no longer in the room. I'm alone with the psychologist again. I'm safe…
''I was saying... A hand, a black hand made of shadow, grabbed the wheel of my bicycle. So I pulled it backwards and I heard the sound of running again. When I looked around, I realized that some of the lights on the road behind me and in the distance had gone out. Like gone gone. Not working anymore ad total darkness. The light right behind me was blinking. It was blinking!. As if it was about to die as well.
I was scared for a moment. I have been afraid of the dark since I was little. Immediately I started pedaling fast and I started moving very fast along the street. When I got to the other light I didn't even look back anymore and at that moment I saw two men on the sidewalk on the right side. I rode my bike quickly to warn them and I started shouting. I shouted, "Run away from here. A creature is coming in the dark!"
But the men were playing cards on the sidewalk and I feel stupid for not questioning it in the middle of the night. That's when I remembered the gun in my waistband.''
''Where did you get your gun?"
''From a local dealer. But does it matter?
"Not to me, but the cops will ask, Charles. "
''I'll tell them the truth. What was I saying? I remembered I had a gun in my waistband. Then I stood between the men and whatever dark creature was running very fast behind me, and I turned my gun. That's when I realized that the creature had killed the light closest to us. The street light was no longer on. I turned to the men and told them to calm down, I told them I would protect them, but when I looked at their faces they were grinning very broadly."
''I understand, Charles, it's really sad, but where is your gun now? "
''Afterwards, I was a little disturbed by the men's… grin?. Their eyes were white and their teeth were huge. Both of them. I even feel my stomach hurting now when I remember... Anyway. These creatures, which I thought were men, rushed at me and I fired my gun to protect myself. When I pressed the trigger, there was a flash of explosion and the faces of the man looked like normal human faces again, but as soon as the trigger light disappeared, they looked like a dark, grinning creature with big teeth. So I fired around the two of them to protect them. I emptied the whole gun.''
''And what did you do with the gun?"
''Then the cops suddenly started surrounding me. The darkness dissipated quickly and I honestly didn't expect the cops to come so fast. Then they took me to the police station and here I am now, doctor. I swear to you I didn't kill the men. The darkness did.''
Dr. Harley slowly rose from his chair. The sound of his footsteps could be heard on the parquet floor. He approached the standing lamp at Charles' bedside and touched the cord with his slender fingers. Nails polished… Then another hand from the darkness came over Dr. Harley's hand and began to hold the string with it. A dark, pure black hand made out of darkness…
''Charles. Where did you put the gun?" as if threatening to turn off the light.
Charles started to sweat.
''I DON'T REMEMBER!''
''All right, Charles...'' he said and pulled the string on the light.
Darkness.
Voices.
The whole room was suddenly dominated by darkness.
Footsteps.
Like an old dog breathing.
Charles felt his own breath.
He felt someone touch his shoulder. A deep, guttural voice began to speak.
"Where's the gun, Charles? "
Thank you so much for reading this story is inspired by and written for: The Ink Well Prompt #107 The things that go bump in the night.