Every night I walk the streets, hidden in the shadows between the street lamps, searching for my next victim. I prey on the weak and vulnerable, those who are alone and unsuspecting. They never see me coming, and I always strike quickly, silently, and efficiently.
I never feel guilty about what I do. I am doing them a favor, really. They are better off dead than living in this cruel, heartless world. And besides, it’s not like anyone would miss them. They are nobodies, just like me. We are all nobodies.
I’ve lived this life for as long as I can remember. I was born into the darkness, and I’m only following in the footsteps of those that came before me. My elders taught me how to stalk within the silence of the streets, in the alleys, and down the deserted roads. They taught me how to prey upon those that have lost their way, and how to do so without pain. But most importantly, they taught me how to make them turn into the shadows you only see out of the corner of your eye.
I slid through the streets like a serpant, looking for my next victim. I passed parents walking their children in strollers, trying to make it home before the chill of the air took over, and a young man with his dog jogging down the middle of the side walk. All were filled with only a seed of the darkness, but nowhere close to what I usually look for.
But then something strange happened. I found myself drawn to a particular victim, a young woman with sadness in her eyes. Somehow, she was different from the others. She had a light inside her that shone so brightly, it was almost blinding. And the more I watched her, the more I realized that I didn’t want to hurt her. I wanted to protect her, to keep her safe from all the evils of this world.
But that was impossible. I was the night stalker, a monster, and she was a bright, vibrant young woman with her whole life ahead of her. I so badly craved the warmth she exuded, to have her teach me how to bring the light forward. In an instant, reality kicked in and so I resigned myself to my fate. I am nobody.
I spent several weeks following the woman with the light. Every so often I’d come close to revealing myself to her, but as she saw the squiggle in the corner of her eye and started to turn around, I’d make sure I was gone.
One night, as I was watching her from afar, I saw her being attacked by another night stalker, someone just like me. I immediately recognized him as my old friend. He was always one of the worst of us, the one who enjoyed hurting others the most.
I couldn’t just stand there and watch as he hurt her. I had to do something. And so I attacked him, fighting with all my strength, even though I knew it was hopeless. He was far too strong, and I was no match for him.
In the end, he overpowered me, and I lay on the ground bleeding and broken, nolonger able to hide within the dark. The woman with the light was left to live, but at what cost. She could now see the darkness within me, the evil I truly was. I’d never be given the chance to do the right thing.
But then, something unexpected happened. The woman came over to me and knelt down beside me. She looked at me with kind, gentle, but sad eyes, and whispered, “You’re not like them. You’re not a monster. You’re just lost. But I can help you find your way back.”
And with those words, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a chance for me. Maybe I could be redeemed.
But then, I woke up. It was all just a dream. Or was it? As I looked around, I realized that I was lying in a strange place, a place that I didn’t recognize. And then, I saw her. The woman with the light was standing in front of me, smiling. Only now her light was gone, replaced with a darkness only black holes should see.
“You’re finally awake,” she said. “Welcome to our little community. We’re here to help people just like you. People who have lost their way. People who think they deserve a second chance.”
And that’s when I realized that my nightmare was far from over. In fact, it had only just begun.