The Nether Eclipse

Shadows

The alarm rang loudly, waking Elliot from sleep, he got down to the living room and his mom wasn't home.

“That's weird” he mumbled.

A letter was on the board “Your breakfast, lunch and dinner are in the freezer, heat it before eating, and I left some cash in your favorite jacket take care of yourself and be home by 7, do not compromise on this, I'M SERIOUS I'll be gone for a week, no parties, and no girls okay. I love you cupcake.”

“That's strange, anyways gotta get to class”

Meanwhile at Malcolm's residence something strange was happening.

He woke up screaming “Thank goodness it was just a nightmare” he said as he woke and walked to the living room...

“You're only waking up now?” Andrea asked.

“You're gonna be late, you might end up punished soon for this, By the way, how's Elliot?”

“Yeah mom, Elliot's fine and I just noticed.... Where's Dad?”

“Unlike his lazy son who inherited all of his traits besides punctuality, he's already gone to work, probably already there as we speak, very diligent” she added wistfully.

“I noticed you screaming late in the night, nightmares?”

“Yeah mom, it felt so real, as crazy as it sounds, I was being chased by something inhuman and it almost got my arm.... In fact it did grab my arm before I woke up.” Malcom said as he ate.

“ 'Inhuman'?” Andrea asked.

“That's the most fitting description I can think of” Malcom replied.

“Alright, I keep telling you to lay off those horror films you're addicted to. You keep paying no heed.”

“yeah, yeah”.

As he took his backpack and walked past her, she noticed something and stopped him... “Has that always been there? On your arm?” she asked and he could hear the worry in her voice.

“No.... That's strange, wasn't there last time, it's, injured and it's bleeding mom!” he screamed.

“What's happening mom” he yelled.

“Let's go to the hospital and get you checked”. She took him to the car.

“I'll call school and let them know” she said as they drove off in haste.

At school. “That's strange, Malcolm never misses school, now in gonna be alone today huh”

“Hey creep” the voice from behind surprised him and he immediately turned around.

“Don't do that Clara, I almost punched you”.

“I doubt you can even hurt a fly, punching someone is a far cry.” “Why didn't you text? I don't normally wait but I waited for your text and nothing?” she demanded.

“you didn't tell me when to text” he replied.

“Besides I just felt you were teasing me because you're a really beautiful person and most of the guys would jump at a chance to go out with you and yet you gave me your number without me asking???”

“it just felt like a prank honestly” Elliot replied.

“You have some nerve slipping in such a, compliment like that, besides everyone else considers me weird because I think outside the box, only Julia and Deena are only friends.” Clara said.

“I guess you could say I have weird taste” he said and they both laughed to the amazement of the entire class.

Mr. Jake walked in and class began.

Later that day Mr. Jake introduced them to a new transfer teacher named Andrew, a tall, built and really handsome looking man, “I guess it's one more person for the girls in class to sleep with” Elliot mumbled.

After classes he walked out to the parking spot and noticed a car come pick up Clara “I told dad this wasn't necessary, I can handle myself and come home” she snapped at the driver.

“Sorry ma'am, your dad's orders, he's just worried, they're missing persons reports all over town so he just wants you to be safe.” the driver replied.

“Oh please” she cut him off as he drove out.

“So she's rich huh, guess she's way outta my league” Elliot said to himself but after contemplating whether or not to try making friends with her he finally decided to text Clara “Wanna hangout?” he wrote after 10 minutes of contemplating he finally sent.

“Sure, Tomorrow after class, at the Cafe on bakers Street? Sound good? IT'S NOT A DATE!” she wrote back.

“Sure ma'am” he wrote.

“Now I can finally go check on Malcom” he said to himself, and as he was about to pedal off, a group of boys surrounded him.

“Hey weirdo” one of them said.

“I know that voice, ah s**t” he said in his mind.

It was Tyler, his own personal bully..

“Where you going in such a rush, gonna fap to your fantasies about Clara just coz you talked to her today” “or you wanna go draw some more creepy stuff you call art” Tyler teased and they laughed and took his backpack, pouring out his books and laughed at his drawings. “Give that back, it's mine” He said angrily.

“What you gonna do, creep?” Tyler snapped back at him.

“Hold him still, it's time to instill some more discipline on this creep” he said to his gang.

As they began hitting Tyler Mr Andrew walked by and stepped in, “Detention all of you, Are you okay My lie..Elliot?” he asked.

“Yeah, thanks Mr Andrew, you're a lifesaver, I really need to get to Malcolm's, he didn't show up today” he said as he picked up his stuff.

“if these kids ever bother you again, be sure to come to me” while Mr Andrew was speaking he noticed something, “Those drawings, are they yours” he asked with nothing short of a delighted face.

“Yes sir, I'm not that talented but perhaps I have a pretty active imagination? ” Elliot replied.

“Keep it up, you be safe okay” he said as he walked away.

Elliot got on his bike and started to pedal to Malcom, he stopped by an old widow named Mrs Jonathan to help with her errands “How was school today huh Elliot” she asked with a low voice, she was late into her 70's so she was quite fragile and Elliot being the selfless person he is doesn't miss an opportunity to help people.

“School was fun until Tyler ruined it but it's all good now”.

“Have a wonderful day ma'am” he said as he drove off.

But all through the day he'd been getting the feeling someone, or something was watching him, when he finally got to Malcolm's and knocked, the house was empty “No one's home?”, “Strange” he said, as he was about leaving, he heard footsteps inside... “Who's there!?” he screamed, he went it through the secret passage at the back that Malcom had shown him and got to the living room but found no one,he searched the entire house empty and as he was about leaving he saw something go out the door, terrified as he was, he ran out and instead bumped into Mr. Andrew.

“Woah kid, slow down, what are you doing here?” Mr. Andrew asked.

“I came to check on Malcom, he wasn't at school today which is very odd, he never misses school.”

“So did I, his mom actually called in sick so they're probably in the hospital, I thought they'd be home by now.” said Mr. Andrew.

Something felt off to Elliot and he asked “Pardon me asking but when did you get here sir?” Elliot asked as he didn't see Mr. Andrew's car anywhere.

“oh.. Oh... Uh.. I uh... I left my car, took a cab instead” Mr Andrew stuttered as he replied.

“But I didn't hear a car come in....?” Elliot asked suspiciously.

“Then I guess you're just absent minded” Mr. Andrew replied.

“I'll be heading back now, see you at school tomorrow” Mr. Andrew rushed off and into a cab.

“I could've sworn I saw something and I didn't hear a cab come in, plus the missing people reports everywhere, something is going on.”

While lost in thought his alarm went off.

“Oh s**t, it's already 7 pm I need to..”before his sentence completed he felt a presence and turned behind to see a huge humanoid figure at least 10ft tall, dark with no facial attributes besides eyes.

It began running towards him.

“What the f**k?” he yelled as he got on his bike and pedaled like his life depended on it and it did. Scary enough the streets were empty on this fateful day, another abnormal occurrence.

“Oh God, oh God, oh God, Oh God!!” he yelled repeatedly as he drove, he could feel the heavy steps behind him but he refused to look behind him, after a few minutes he finally got home and jumped off the bike and ran inside bolting the door behind him, “It's gone?” he said it relief before he heard a huge bang on the door, heavy thumps all round the house, he ran up to his room and covered his head with pillows “Please be a dream, please be a dream, please be a dream” he muttered continuously until he heard a strange language, “wrefcouttvefzgr” although it seemed familiar, he couldn't understand a word but luckily the pounding stopped and Elliot forced himself to sleep hoping it's all a nightmare or his imagination but deep down he knew there was more to it.