BE NIGHT

My best friend died the night before and I know that the culprit was this thing. The first time he spoke to me about it was about two weeks ago, when he dreamed it for the first time. In his dream, he told me that he had seen an androgynous figure, tall and with a multitude of elongated limbs; and that instead of feet he only had hands.

The thing was naked and with skin that seemed to fall like that of a snake moving.

He had no eyes, only a mouth that stretched as long as he wanted.
I remember the terror he expressed when he told me everything about him, especially the terror in his eyes when he remembered that for a moment in the dream the creature showed how fast it was, as if the thing wanted to tell him that he could not escape from it, no matter how much. Quick it out.

I remember how he began to trust me that I began to see him more and more often, not only in his dreams but in all the places he went to; as it would always appear with this annoying smile and how it would disappear later, appearing closer and closer with each occasion.

So yesterday I decided to spend the night with him so he would not be so terrified while his parents went out for a walk, hoping that maybe I could comfort him and tell him that everything would be fine, that maybe this thing that he thought was following him was not real.

It was midnight when I woke up and my friend was holding my hand.

"I know what he wants."

I remember how he spoke softly, with fear in his words.
I turned to see him, thinking he would be looking at me; but instead his eyes were fixed on the ceiling. So I did the worst possible thing: I looked up and finally saw it by myself, and knew what I wanted.

The monstrosity was stuck to the ceiling, smiling, with its needle-sharp fangs gleaming in the darkness. The creature had 'patches' of skin of various colors and each had a different range of 'freshness'. The thing skinned its victims, provoking and annoying them before taking their skin. I watched as the creature flopped down on the bed, ignoring me and giving my full attention to my friend, who screamed in terror. I closed my eyes as hard as I could, but I could still hear what was happening.

I could hear the cries of my friend as the creature dragged him from the bed into the corridor beyond the door.

Maybe I could have helped my friend, but I think that does not matter anymore; because two weeks have passed and this thing is outside my window, with that same smile.

And I know what he wants ...