u/EmilyKeenWrites

At only ten, James couldn’t fully appreciate how hard his Mom worked to move them to their own home in the countryside. He just knew that he felt comfortable in their new-to-them cottage and loved that the big window in his bedroom overlooked a sprawling meadow. He even saw a rabbit out there the first evening in the house. 

As they eased into their new routine, it had become standard for his Mom to place an after-school treat on the kitchen counter to take the sting out of sitting down to complete homework. 

On this particular day, a day that was otherwise a nearly identical version of the days prior, the kitchen counter held a small, ivory-colored porcelain dish. And inside the dish sat shiny pieces of black licorice. 

James was partial to treats of the chocolate kind. But, teasing him ever-so-gently, Johnathan convinced him to try it by suggesting the black licorice could give him super powers. 

That night, James had the most bizarre dream. He dreamt that he awoke to see a rabbit calling to him under the bright full moon. Out to the meadow he went. 

Once he reached the rabbit, he noticed the ground underneath was disturbed. The soil looked as though someone, maybe the rabbit, had been digging. Upon closer inspection, James saw something glossy out of the corner of his eye. Sticking out of the soil was a small piece of shiny black licorice, glistening in the moonlight. Holding the piece of candy were two small fingers that were barely resting above the soil. 

Instead of panicking, a curious and brave James started to sweep and push the dirt away until more pale flesh could be seen. Now he could see a head. A face! Eyes suddenly opened and a smile grew wide. Dirt peppered the teeth and blood ran from the eyes that stared back at a shocked James. 

The next morning, James awoke in a haze. He found his Mom in the kitchen and lamented that the licorice treats she left out for him the day before gave him horrible dreams. And that he wasn’t going to eat any of the candy but Johnathan pressured him to. His Mom, looking confused, remarked that she was so busy the day prior she had forgotten to leave out an afternoon treat at all and asked who Johnathan was. James replied that Johnathon is the boy who used to live in their house and who he saw buried in the meadow in his nightmare. 

James and his Mom briskly walked out to where he had claimed to have seen the rabbit and buried boy  in his dream. There, they saw a rabbit sitting atop disturbed soil. And in the rabbit’s mouth, a piece of shiny black licorice. 

Two children were outside, catching fireflies. 
How the small bugs brought the forest aglow always amazed their eyes. 

One of the children saw an extra-bright flash. 
He was startled by the sight and took off in a mad dash. 

His friend laughed and laughed at how the scaredy cat ran away. 
The remaining child didn’t yet know he was next in line to play. 

The laughing boy started his short walk back. 
A bright light blinded him intensely as if to attack. 

The light enveloped him while he hid his face. 
Then the light grew dimmer like it was pulled into space. 

The boy raised his head and was terrified to see a large, strange face staring at him with glee. 

Large hands reached down and grabbed the boy, flung him around as if he was a prized toy. 

The scared boy heard voices talking away when the loudest voice joined in the convo to say: 

“I caught one!” 

I was studying the retired lighthouse’s long history. 
I asked to stay overnight, they handed me the key. 

The old keeper’s cottage was a bit worse for the wear.
That didn’t matter to me. 
I felt lucky to be there. 

The windows opened up to palm trees and ocean. 
Little did I know what my presence would set in motion. 

I explored the property and took lots of notes. 
I thanked the lighthouse for helping so many boats.

At dusk, in the cottage, I continued to write. 
Once my eyes started to blur, I called it a night. 

Heavy eyes made me feel certain sleep was on its way but then I suddenly heard a soft voice say: 

“The ships are coming. Heading your way. 
Best wake up or there’ll be a price to pay.”

Frozen in fear, too scared to open my eyes. 
I questioned if the rum had filled my ears with lies.

Every moment I kept my eyes tightly closed, the voice grew louder and louder. I became discomposed. 

I leapt out of bed and ran for the door. 
With the lighthouse retired, it lit aglow no more.

Stumbling around in the hot, haunting dark
The thought went off in my head like a spark.

The voice was telling me to turn the lighthouse on. 
But the lighthouse’s nights of guiding ships were long gone. 

Isolated with no cell service, power, or car, it felt unsafe to venture off very far. 

The creepy voice, continued to shout:

“The ships are coming. Heading your way. 
Best wake up or there’ll be a price to pay.”

I tried to think of a safe way out. 

Catching my breath along the shore, I heard what sounded like legs lifting through the water before feet pounded the seafloor. 

Clouds revealed the moon in time for my eyes to see the crew of people making their way from the sea to me.

From the ocean they came, more bones than skin. 
Tattered clothing, unnerving moaning, not a single grin. 

They stunk like seaweed and salty death.
A putrid, fishy smell that made me hold my breath. 

Merely feet away, they began to say:

“No light in sight, we ran aground. 
You failed the job to which you were bound. 

We have come for you, a debt is owed.
Your soul is now worth a whole shipload.”

The next thing I knew, a fog swept over me.
I then awoke smelling like the sea. 

Forever doomed to roam the shore. 
Sleep would come for me no more. 

He raked and raked and raked the leaves. Time stole warm months like the cruelest of thieves.

Winter was hard, harder since his wife passed. He was burdened by loneliness, felt like an outcast.

One cold morning, he heard a knock at his door. He found a large feather and nothing more.

An hour or so later, he again heard a knock. It was a woman with a kind face, wanting to talk.

He stared at her face and couldn’t believe his eyes. She looked like his wife before she met her demise.

As he welcomed her in, she wore the biggest smile. He so badly hoped that she’d stay for a while.

The gracious host presented offerings of cakes and teas. He then felt a feather tickle the back of his knees.

He turned ‘round to check on his smiley guest. To his surprise, she was no longer looking her best.

There was nothing kind or beautiful about what he saw. Just huge eyes, a sharp beak, and a disgusting claw.

Out from him came a guttural scream as his eyes got plucked out by the strange, feathered fiend.

She gulped his eyes down and grabbed the man by his shirt. She was saving his tongue for her favorite dessert.

Off the creature flew with the man in her claw. Soon back at her nest, she made a loud caw.

Before her appeared her ravenous hatchlings. They dug into the man and feasted like kings.

Thank goodness they filled their rumbling bellies before bed. For it would be a long, dark winter ahead. 

It’s alright that the lamp’s only dimly lit.

Lights on or off don’t matter one bit.

It’s said lights help ward off unwanted sights.

But dark corners aren’t required for such scary frights. 

For there’s no need for monsters to hide under your bed when so many already live comfortably in your head.