Long Distance Relationship

The Low Pressure Area that was heading for town must have arrived while he was asleep.

He was pacing in his darkened room, curtains drawn and listening to the sheets of rain and howling wind sweep against his window and roof, flinching every time a bolt of lightning burned through the heavy cotton and lit up his room like a spotlight.
He didn't have many plans this weekend, and all of them were swept away by the storm, one literally.
He couldn't go meet with the other club members at their houses, this much he knew.
Natsuki said her father wouldn't approve, and her house was too small for it anyway.
Yuri said her parents were the kind of people who would see their daughter reading with a boy and immediately start measuring her for a veil, so he keep their reading to the club's time, for their dignities' sake.
Monika and him were planning on reading in the park, but the television said that parts of the town were flooded, park included.
Which is why he's stuck, pacing back and forth in the dark, thinking.

He had a love hate relationship with the dark.
On the day he was shoehorned into the literature club it seemed to manifest into his mind and get burned into it like a brand.At first he thought it was just childish fear resurfacing in the halloween season, worrying about bed sheet ghosts and big plush spiders.
Until he turned the lights on.
The room was the same as it ever was, bed, desk, carpet, posters, some of them his, others recommendations.
But the first few seconds of light fill him with horror, guilt and anger, enough to leave him crying on his bedroom floor, and he couldn't even say why.
Walking into a lit room wasn't the problem. The darkness only made him uneasy, like a dreadful rise. It was the flip of the switch, always the sudden brightness, that brought with it a terrible crescendo. He asked Yuri if she ever read about anything like it, and she said it could be linked to a past trauma. A past trauma that he either forgot, or never happened.

And so, days went by. Bonds were made, and renewed. He found himself spending his spare time with Monika, a coincidence that floored him. Before he knew it, they were spending time outside the club walking around, sitting at the park, eating at cafes and talking. Talking about writing, hobbies, interests. Talking about their friends, about his recent... Phobias.
She was nice, clearly her reputation well deserved, but for some reason there was something in her eyes that made his hairs stand on end, that made the back of his skull itch.
He explained it to himself as feelings of inadequacy, of his self esteem eroding itself like a statue of salt on a beach side. After all, she was easily the most popular girl in her class, perhaps in the school, and she was the one that approached him and offered a location, a time and a ear to listen to his concerns and expectations.

But here he was, debating on what to do for the rest of the day. He could re watch the pile of movies in his living room, browse his paltry single player game library (he had a large amount of cooperative games, for reasons he couldn't fathom), cook a second breakfast or continue to wear a worn path into his carpet.
Right now the latter was winning, if only to avoid the horrible crawling feeling of the nothing behind his door.

At least, it was what he was going to do until the cheery, digital sound of ringing bells knocked both his legs and his heart out of their rhythm.
After what felt like an eternity, he slowly pushed a gap between the curtains, and peered down into his front door, wondering who could possibly be out here, at his home in this weather.
All he could glean from the figure at his door was a red umbrella, a yellow raincoat and black boots.

It couldn't be a burglar, it wasn't that kind of neighborhood, and they would have made a more startling announcement.
So why was he afraid like this person was the grim reaper itself, yet excited like his phone was ringing?
It took him realizing the kitchen table passed by his right to reach the horrible conclusion.

The excitement wasn't his.

He got distracted and he moved eight feet.
He felt like he was in a mouth that was starting to chew on him like a interesting morsel.
The couch disappeared past his left.

No.

He grew calmer, more eager, yet as his fear faded from the front it grew stronger in the background, blinding him with eyes wide open.
The front door stood in front of him, it's dark brown form visible even as his eyes blurred like he was submerged.
He barely perceived the feeling of cold brass filling his hand.

No.

The door swung open, revealing emerald eyes covered in red, veiled in yellow and standing in black.
The world is colorful smears and bone shaking presence.
Everything begins to fade to static.

No. No. No No No NoNoNONONO.

"Hi, Anon. I'm glad to see you came back. Are you ready to enjoy the weekend?"

A smile grows on my face as I embrace her, despite the soaked raincoat.
"I already am."