The Girl Who Loved a Monster

Chapter 2: First Night Cry

Sleep did not come easily to Gloria that night.

She lay quietly on the narrow bed in her new room, staring at the ceiling as the slow blades of the old fan turned above her. The fan made a soft clicking sound every few seconds, like it was struggling to stay awake just like her. Outside, Ajayi Town had fallen completely silent. It was the kind of silence that felt unnatural.

Back in the city where Gloria used to live, nights were never this quiet. There were always cars passing, neighbors talking, music playing somewhere, or at least the distant sound of generators humming.

But here… Nothing.

Not even a single motorcycle.

Not even a late night conversation.

It was as if the entire town had agreed to disappear after sunset.

Gloria turned to her side and looked toward the window. The curtains moved slightly as a cool breeze slipped into the room. Through the small opening, she could see the pale moon hanging in the sky. Her mind flash back again to the conversation she had with her aunt earlier. "Some say… a monster."

Aunty Peace had said the words quietly, almost like she didn’t want the walls to hear.

Gloria sighed softly and rubbed her eyes.

“A monster,” she whispered to herself.

It sounded like the kind of story people told children to stop them from wandering at night. But something about the way Aunty Peace said it made it feel… real. Gloria tried to push the thought away. She closed her eyes and pulled the blanket closer to her body.

For a few minutes, everything stayed quiet.

Then suddenly. A distant scream cut through the night. Gloria’s eyes flew open.

She sat up immediately. Her heart began pounding fast. The sound had come from far away, but it was loud enough to send chills down her spine. It didn’t sound human. It wasn’t exactly an animal either. It was something in between.

A long, painful cry that echoed across the dark sky. Gloria held her breath, listening carefully. For a moment, nothing happened. Then it came again. This time louder.

The scream rolled through the air like thunder before fading slowly into the distance. Gloria quickly swung her legs off the bed.

“What was that?” she whispered. She walked quietly to the window and pushed the curtain aside. The street outside looked exactly the same as before, empty and still.

But somewhere far behind the houses, beyond the fences and narrow roads, stood the thick forest she had noticed earlier. That was where the sound had come from. Gloria leaned closer to the glass. Her heart was beating fast now.

Suddenly, dogs began barking. Then another. Even her sister dog. Within seconds, several dogs around the town were barking wildly as if they had all heard the same frightening thing. Lights began turning on inside a few houses. Gloria noticed shadows moving behind curtains. People were awake.

But strangely… No one came outside. No one opened their gate. No one even shouted to ask what was happening.

It was like everyone already knew the answer.

And they wanted nothing to do with it.

Another sound rose from the forest.

This one wasn’t a scream.

It was more like a deep growl. Low.Heavy. Dangerous.

Gloria felt goosebumps rise across her. Her first instinct was to wake her aunt.

She rushed toward the bedroom door and opened it. “Aunty?” she called. No response.

She stepped into the dim hallway.

“Aunty Peace?”

Before she could take another step, her aunt’s door opened suddenly.

Aunty Peace stood there wearing a wrapper and holding a small torchlight.

Her expression was serious. “You heard it,” she asked.

Gloria nodded quickly. “What was that sound?” Her aunt did not answer immediately.

Instead, she walked past Gloria and checked the front door, making sure it was locked properly. Then she checked the windows.

After confirming everything was secure, she turned back to Gloria. “Go back to your room,” she said. “AuntyPeace ”

“Gloria go to your room.” She yelled at her.

Gloria hesitated. “But that sound… it came from the forest.” “I know. “So what is it?”

Aunty peace said Her shoulders looked tense.

“It’s nothing you need to worry about tonight.” But..... But what gloria Her aunt looked directly at her. Are you now disobeying my other?? “There are some things in Ajayi Town people don’t talk about after dark.”

Gloria blinked. “That doesn’t make sense.”

Aunty Peace shook her head. “You’ll understand later.”

Another distant howl echoed faintly from the forest. Both of them froze for a moment.

Gloria noticed something strange.

Her aunt looked… afraid. Not surprised. Not confused.But Afraid.

Which meant she already knew what that sound was.

Finally, Aunty peace spoke again. “Lock your window,” she said “And whatever you hear tonight…”She paused. “Don’t open it.”

Gloria stared at her. “Why?” But her aunt was already walking back into her room.

The door closed

GLOria stood alone in the hallway.

For several seconds, she didn’t move. Her curiosity had grown stronger now. She slowly returned to her bedroom and closed the door. But she didn’t go back to bed.

Instead, she sat by the window again.

Staring at moon that had climbed higher in the sky now, shining brightly over the sleeping town. The forest looked darker than before. Almost like a black ocean of trees stretching endlessly into the distance.

Gloria rested her chin on the windowsill. Her mind was racing with questions. What kind of animal makes that sound? Why was everyone in the town so afraid? And why did nobody come outside to check?

Then something else happened.She noticed movement far away..

Near the edge of the forest. Gloria squinted her eyes. For a brief moment, she thought she saw something tall moving between the trees. A shadow. Large and Fast. But before she could focus properly… It disappeared.

Gloria’s heart skipped a beat. “Maybe I’m just imagining things,” she whispered. Still, she kept watching the forest for a long time.

But nothing else moved.

Eventually, the dogs stopped barking.

The town slowly returned to silence again. After nearly an hour, Amara finally crawled back into bed. But sleep did not come easily.

Her mind kept replaying the terrifying scream. And that shadow she thought she saw.By the time she finally drifted into sleep, the It almost 5am in the morning.

Morning arrived quietly in Ajayi Town.

Sunlight poured through Gloria ’s window, warming the room gently. Birds chirped happily in the mango tree outside.

For a moment, everything felt peaceful again. So peaceful that the frightening sounds from the night before almost felt like a dream.

Almost.

Gloria stretched and sat up. She was so tired. She looked toward the window again.

The forest stood peacefully in the distance, glowing softly under the morning sun.

Nothing about it looked dangerous now.

“Maybe I really imagined it,” she murmured.

Then she stepped outside. And immediately realized something was wrong.

Voices filled the street. Not normal morning chatter. Worried voices. Angry voices. Fearful voices.

Several neighbors had gathered near the road, speaking loudly among themselves.

Gloria walked toward the gate and opened it

She could hear their conversation clearly now.

“Again?” one man shouted. “This is the third time this month!” “My goats are gone!” another man said angrily. “Four of them!”

A woman nearby shook her head. “I told my husband we should leave this town.”

Another person whispered the words Gloria had been expecting to hear.

“The monster has hunted again.”

Gloria feel sad and cold run through her body. So the scream she heard last night was real........

Stay tuned for next episode.