Short story for Halloween.

暗所恐怖症 (Anshokyoufushou)

My name – Yamiyo (

Yamiyo/闇夜)

It doesn't suit my life at all. Our family has always given our children names with dark meanings due to rituals that have been passed down through the generations. Even my mother had to change her name. Who knew that a young man named Dark Night like me would be so afraid of the dark?

Actually, my fear of the dark isn't that serious. Until the day my parents died because of it. They both ended their lives because of a mysterious entity beneath the darkness – the vengeful spirit of the dark shadow (

Honei no Yuurei/本影の幽霊)

Everything happened because of a mistake in the night god's worship ceremony on the night of the lunar eclipse. My grandfather made such a grave mistake that the contents of that chest came out of ancient bonds. It chased and killed almost everyone in the ceremony. I still remember the stench of red blood and the screams of my family well.

“Yamiyo! Yoiyami! Gyo-an! Run away!”

Those were Grandfather's last words before he breathed his last. The three of us, parents and children, all ran to our deaths from the Lunar Eclipse Forest of Blue Sun Island where there had been a massacre by the Myriad Eyes and Myriad Stars. In our hands, we held tight the lantern that provided light because it was the only thing that could save me and my parents from the vengeful spirit of the dark shadow.

The lifeless condition of everyone was extremely horrifying. Grandma and Uncle's necks were squeezed by both hands filled with her enormous strength, leaving dark purple marks. Their mouths poured out crimson blood, staining the ground. Both eyes fell out of their sockets. But the image I remember most is the condition of Grandfather's corpse which was different from the others because she strangled him until his head and body separated.

From then on, we wandered around, trying to avoid the dark place as much as possible because everyone had already been cursed. No matter where you are The vengeful spirit of the dark shadow will find us if there is darkness as its favor.

My house is decorated with many light bulbs and lamps. Whether it's a bathroom, bedroom, living room, attic, basement, drawers, closets, everything, every nook and cranny, every place must have light. Because otherwise she would come and take my life...just like she had done with my parents. That's not enough.

I could no longer leave the house at night because I knew that the power of the dark curse was becoming more and more powerful every day.

Even though I have to live with fear But I still have to study like any other teenager. Right now I'm sitting doing my homework in my favorite chair next to my plain white bed. Of course, there was a lamp on the desk that provided light. In my bedroom there are more than fifty lamps and light bulbs.

“What is the answer to this?”

I mentally muttered to myself, biting my lip in stress. But suddenly something happened that made me more stressed than not being able to do a math problem: the bedroom light bulb was about to go out.

“So...bad luck.”

My heart was filled with terror because of the eerie experiences of the past. The reason my parents died was because a light bulb went out like this. It was then that I walked into my parents' bedroom and found that... the two of them had been killed by the vengeful spirit of the Black Shadow.

The death faces of the two revealed the utmost terror. The eyes turned bloodshot from the blood that flowed out. Her neck was squeezed until its shape was distorted. I was so frightened that I peed. And even though I told someone about this, they couldn't help me. Moreover, people thought I was crazy. So I was forced to accept my fate.

This time, I will never make the same mistake as my parents. Because otherwise...it might mean the end of my life.

I hurriedly got up from my chair and opened the drawer to grab a spare light bulb that I had prepared for emergency situations like this. I had to do everything quickly before it was too late, because now I could feel her trademark chill of darkness.

"Yamiyo-kun, come stay with us."

Her whispers tried to entice me to join her. If I had believed that it was my parents' voice, I would have gone to the hereafter. I tried very hard to climb the ladder to change the light bulb because right now...I was so scared. I'm afraid of the dark Both legs were shaking in fear.

If I make a mistake, I may fall and get injured. In addition to having to be careful of her, I also have to be careful of accidents that may occur due to negligence.

“Come find us in the World of Darkness.” The whispers of the Black Shadow's vengeful spirit were getting closer and closer. My time was running out. I need to change the light bulb sooner.

“Tid Siwa!” His heart beat faster and faster with excitement. My bulb didn't seem to turn on so I took it out and put it back in again.

“Your time is coming.”

Dark Yurey laughed in satisfaction as if she was mocking me. The temperature in the room slowly dropped until I felt cold all over. Now I began to feel that she was getting closer and closer to me. Those raven black hair and white hands with sharp claws...she was about to kill me.

“I'm addicted!”

Fortunately, fate is still on my side. The newly replaced light bulb finally worked. I heaved a sigh of relief before slowly walking down the stairs and putting it back in its original place next to the closet. Today, I had already escaped her.

“Fuu Yamiyo, you survived.”

I sat and did my homework for a while longer before deciding to go to sleep. Of course I had to keep the lights on at all times. I put the notebook and stationery into my school bag and unzipped it. My daily routine is complete. This time I will be able to sleep happily.

"good night"

I slowly closed my eyes sleepily until the whole world turned completely black. Suddenly, the image in front of me appeared as the face of a woman with pale skin. That raven black hair looked very familiar. Clothes that were once white were now stained with crimson blood stains.

White eyes filled with hatred towards my family, she slowly walked towards me, smiling in satisfaction.

“I...that's not true. Why did it become like this!?”

I tried to open my eyes to escape the darkness, but now I could no longer control my body. My body was cursed to not be able to move. All around me was filled with endless darkness. The evil spirit of the dark shadow is coming to take my life. Am I going to die?

“How did I tell you that your time is coming? You can never escape eternal darkness.”

That was the last thing I heard before my throat dropped from my shoulders.

END