Things in the Dark

	If you're reading this....I'm probably not coming back. I can't say from where, because in all honesty, I don't know where I'll be ending up. I should say we, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her, and I don't regret that. My...our "boss" is deploying us to North Africa, and then Europe as things progress...hopefully. Things might be worse than expected, provably is, given what we're up against...I almost envy the guys who aren't in the loop. They just have to fight the Wehrmacht, I have to fight all the things the Furer has drawn from the darkness to aid his ambitions. Good lord, I know better than most people when it comes to things in the dark, and that ignorance is bliss. But it'll all come out someday, perhaps sooner rather than later if everything goes wrong...but, if I could adjust to the truth I imagine a good number of folk can do it to. I won't know who you are, and I doubt I have any permission to reveal my name. Still I suppose introductions are in order, so hello Reader, you may refer to me as Anonymous Incognito.
	I imagine we have the same taste in literature, given where you found this. Truth be told, it was his works that opened my mind to the possibility of things outside comprehension. It was also my wife's idea to hide my...I want to say letter but this is more a pamphlet....there. Nobody outside those who know that this work is true would believe it to be anything other than fiction, and the work of an admiring fan. All I ask is that once you've finished, to return it to the shelf, and perhaps be a touch wary of what lurks in the dark.
	I was born in New England, to a pair of loving, but overbearing parents after the Great War. It was expected of me to go to College, and enter the family law firm...but I had a love for the sea. It was little wonder that after finding work on one of the fishing boats I'd thought I'd found my calling. My father voiced his objections, but my Uncle, a firebrand preacher, told him that I was doing honest and hard work. Captain Angus also chimed in his support, I was punctual and worked earnestly at every task he assigned, and I got along with the other crewmen quite well. Granted, I would be out at sea for several days, only to return home exhausted and smelling like fish, but it paid well.
	Whenever the ship docked, there was an old manor on a hill overlooking the harbor. I;d heard a lot of rumors about the place, mostly from the various fishermen at the docks. It had belonged to an old family that had declined and vanished, save for relatives across the sea.  After a few months of working for Angus, I decided to ask about the place, and why it had everyone so spooked. He gave me a long look, before deciding to indulge my curiosity.
	"The Herschlag Estate is either cursed or haunted. Everyone has their idea as to what went down, occult ritual, family member trying to grab the inheritance, God's wrath, and all manner of things. Started when the family patriarch died in his sleep, heart attack they said, but I heard rumor his face was twisted into terror. Then two of the youngsters kept having nightmares, their nanny suffering the same fate as their Patriarch. The wife ended up being institutionalized, and the husband committed suicide. Then the old groundskeeper died of fright a week later. Unnatural in my opinion"
	I didn't scoff, sailors might have a reputation for being superstitious, but they had good reason to be. While I had exposure to the sciences, and read up on whatever discoveries had been made, I did not discount the encounters that some of the sailors spoke of. Tales of larges creature, of monsters, out among the waves. The ocean was vast, not only in the area it covered, but the hidden depths that lay beneath the wave, where light could not reach. If, somehow, the oceans vanished, what would men find in the vast muddy plains of what once was the abyss? Photos of deep-sea creature rose to mind, and begged the question, what else, what leviathans lurked in that place?
	Angus must have noticed something about my expression, "What do you think laddie? You do have an educated upbringing, what say you?"
	"The easiest explanation? Someone created some manner of mask or stage prop and used it to scare people, a vagrant or thief most likely," I states, "Probably sick in the head if the heart attacks are any indication."
	"Easiest?"
	I shrugged, "I could say other things, but they would be hard to prove."
	I resolved to investigate the place before sunset on a day off, with a flashlight and a knife at the ready. I was convinced that every story, no matter how outlandish, started from a fact. The reason most sea stories were considered exaggerated or unbelievable is because the ones telling the story didn't have the full picture. They didn't know what they were looking at, so their brain attempted to fill the gaps as best it could. the Addition of alcohol only muddied the accuracy, not outright disproved the story. I'd heard many things, and had witnessed somethings had never seen before, but I did my best to keep an open mind.
	That being said, I wasn't about to go inside a derelict building, not without some supplies, and a bit of research first. I managed to confirm much of what Angus said, noting the family had moved here from Germany in 1890. And shortly before they'd started going crazy, a member of the family across the sea had paid them a visit. A Dr. Reinhard Dittrich, psychologist, though beyond this casual examination, I found little new evidence. Scuttlebutt would get around quickly among the sailors and fishermen that I was investigating the manor, and it would each the ears o those who might oppose such actions. I didn't want my parents, or the authorities thinking I was going to do something rash. So I spaced out my inquiries over several months of time, though I suspect Angus might have been aware my interest in the matter. He wasn't about to complain about the curiosity of a teenager, much less one who worked hard and had a level head.
	I wonder what he'd say now, with how everything turned out....
	About five months after my initial inquiry, I was finishing up one of Lovecraft's works in the library when I figured I'd go and examine the manor in the coming days. My family was used to me spending my day's off at the library in town, they wouldn't be too bothered by an absence of a few hours. I could disguise it as though I were going on a picnic easily, and they wouldn't bat an eye. I found it somewhat odd that I feared the Disapproval of Angus more than that of my parents, but this wasn't an excuse to prove my bravado. It would be a quick look around the manor to see id there was anything present that would explain what happened. If I found nothing, I'd drop the matter, as there was no need to risk my life exploring an abandoned building.
	That morning, I started out after breakfast, my mother not questioning the contents of my knapsack or my motivations for going out. It was a long walk, and clouds began to gather, the storm's rapid onset an unplanned difficulty to my day. Still, if teenagers could get inside the abandoned manor, I could take shelter, at least until the rain passed. Upon reaching the grounds, I came to the conclusion the Herschlags chose the location for its view of the harbor, and the dark clouds that were just offshore. Already, raindrops began to fall, as I passed inside the wrought iron gate, the chain holding it shut long since gone. Passing through the grounds as the wind began to howl, I felt that something was out of place, yet I could not put my finger on it. Gazing at the Gothic building before me, I determined it was more akin to a mansion than an actual manor.
	I'll admit, the idea of exploring an abandoned building would make anyone nervous, I had expected it. But, every step closer to the massive double doors, filled me with chills and dread, as though my presence was unwanted, unwelcome. But given the thunderstorm bearing down, I'd be better of inside, if someone had left the doors unlocked. If not, the overhang above them would have to work, but the way luck was going that day, I'd be soaked for a few hours. At the very east, I had some food, a canteen, paper, a pencil, matches, candles, a flashlight and a Bowie knife for company. Rain began pouring forth in sheets, reminding me of the rare occasion I'd been at sea on the fishing boat, an unpleasant experience.
	Upon trying the door-handle, I was slightly startled by the creek of poorly lubricated brass mechanisms as it swung open. A wave of musty, stale air washed over me, and I shuddered as immaterial chills rain down my spine. I'd gone that far, what was a few steps more? I fasten the sheath of the knife to my belt, gripped my flashlight and ventured inside with my breath held. A cone of light pierced the darkness of the foyer, sundering shadows with its glow and revealing the contents of the room. Again, I was stuck by an odd sensation, but now I understood what nagged at my mind.
	I knew that any domicile left alone for an extended period would accumulate dust and cobwebs, and yet, this place was remarkably clean. Not a single cobweb, an the floor appeared as though it had been swept a short time ago, but by whom? My grip tightened on the knife's hilt, as I swept the place with the flashlight, searching for any vagrant or bugler. Angus had told me the old groundskeeper had died of fright, and nobody wanted to enter the building after that. That, and a bunch of teenagers looking for a thrill wouldn't bother cleaning up the place...unless they were a cult. Ice settled deep in my gut, as I began moving deeper into the first floor, looking for whatever secrets might lurk.
	I made sure I could open and close the main doors, shutting them and keeping the storm out. I passed by cloth draped furniture and windows with thick drapes, built as though to block out all light. My examinations of the ceiling showed no water damage, another oddity of this abandoned place. There was no symbolism on walls or floors, it was as though the family had left for another temporary residence, and not gone
mad. Still, I had a feeling that something was watching me, or, at the very least, aware of my intrusion. It was
only when I entered the ballroom, marveling at the checkered floor, and the opulence carved into the walls. The hair on the back of my neck stood straight, and the primitive parts of my brain warned me of some dark presence. Slowly, I began turning, and froze, gazing at the top of the stairs leading to the second story.
	It stood there looking back at me.
	Whenever anyone sees a predator, a snake, or even a large insect, these's a moment of shock, the body freezing with a sharp, sudden inhale. Stopping, assessing, flight or fight response coded deep withing our more primitive mind. I was not immune to this, but I had the forethought not to bolt from the room, inciting the...creature, to chase. After a few controlled breaths, I began to weigh risking the storm or a confrontation with this...thing. All I could see of it was a quartet of eyes, pure white, as though light was shining out of them, and the sharp, angular mouth and glowing maw. The rest of it was black, much like one of the shadows in the room, where light refused to go. It was familiar with this place, and I had no idea to its size or speed while hunting. That, and I don't think a wooden door or a window would impede it all that much.
	Carefully, so as not to provoke it further, I began backing toward one of the walls, my footsteps audible above the storm. I kept my eyes on it face...noticing as I did so I could hear what sounded like static from a radio. When my foot brushed the wall, I stopped, debating with myself on what to do next...I hadn't accounted for all of this. The creature so far had not moved, save to keep looking at me, an eerie specter in this place abandoned by men. If it was akin to a deep-sea creature, then it would explain the glow, and why t never ventured into the light. Perhaps, I mused, the burning cone of brightness would be a better weapon than the cold steel of a blade. I'd moved the light slowly, and the base of the stairs was illuminated, before the creature chose to respond.
	Its eyes flared, not with bio-luminescence, but with what I can only describe as a harsh, debilitating un-light. In but an instant, my body was suffused with a dreadful numbness and chill, as though ice replaced blood. I couldn't move, save for the barest twitch, and the sound of static roared in my ears, next to the pounding of blood. My heart felt as though it was trying to bash its way out of my chest, and the edges of my vision became fuzzy and suffused with spots. And as suddenly as the assault came, it ceased, leaving me a trembling, twitching mess. One of my knees buckled, and I did my best to keep the thing in my line of sight, gasping for breath, trying not to pass out.
	Message received, this entity did not like the light, and could fell me at but a glance. After a few minutes, or perhaps an eternity, I was able to compose myself beneath its gaze.  The howl of lashing winds and driving, pounding of rain, interspaced with the rolling crackle of lightning was a tempting alternative to this thing's company. I was in no state to retreat with any measure of success, if it had wanted to, the creature could have torn my throat out by this point. Slipping the pack from my shoulders, I knelt properly, reaching around for the candles and matches I'd brought. A difficult enough task to be performed with one hand, let alone one that was trembling.
	Eventually, I got the candles lit and spaced out before me, a thin barrier against the oppressive darkness in the room. All the while, I kept the entity on the periphery of my vision, wary of looking directly at it for fear of another attack. And yet, I had to keep an eye on it, lest it move without my knowledge. With no small amount of trepidation, I shut off the flashlight, the batteries inside it would only last so long. Experience told me this storm was going to last for quite a while, and time would not be on my side. Using the light as a weapon, or at best, a deterrent, in sort flashes, was my best option against the creature. Even so, the darkness grew ever more oppressive and heavy, the flickering light of the candles the only true source of illumination in the vast space.
	For a minute, shadows danced before me, and all was still in the stifling darkness. Then, slowly, the creature began to descend the stairs, my body tensing somewhat involuntarily. It took a very concussions effort on my part, to keep it in my peripheral vision, rather than gaze upon it directly. I could discern the motions of a quadruped, almost like a cat or a dog, as it came down to the ballroom floor. Once it reached the bottom of the stairs, I could estimate its shoulders would be level with my hip. A pair of eyes were still gazing back at me, as it moved towards the center of the room, presenting its profile. The skull was angular and sharp, predatory, and was topped by a mane of writhing tendrils, and it possessed a tail as long as its body. Upon reaching the middle of the ballroom, it circled the spot once, before settling down as much as a cat would, facing towards my spot. Once again, all was still, save the flickering lights of the candles, and the raging of the storm.
	I'd come to this place for answers, on what had happened, and why the Herschlag Estate had garnered such an ill reputation. I had not expected this, the presence of a creature as yet unknown and undocumented to science. My initial fear and panic had subsided somewhat, but a deep, primitive part of my brain insisted this thing should not be. The presence of it did neatly explain what had happened to the family, the heart attacks, the insanity, all of it. Each of the Herschlag family must have encountered it during the night, peering at them from the shadows or the ends of their beds. If it had also used that debilitating attack as well, I doubt they could have called for help, and the creature would slip away into the dark.
      However, this left much unexplained, as to how it was able to enter the Herschlag estate undetected by man and un-accosted by light? The more rational, and inquisitive parts of my mind got to work, and with care, I began extracting a small booklet to write in and my pencil. IF I was to sit in a room with a creature that most would describe as a monster or demon, I'd at the very least be productive about it. For every myth and story, there was a rational, and scientific explanation for it, even if it was beyond our grasp of understanding. So, I set to work, again a task made difficult by the creature's presence, and the constant need to watch it.
	I jotted down what I had observed of the creature thus-far, and did a rough sketch of the creature as well. Given that looking directly at the creature could prove hazardous, it was a bit of a challenge, but I managed as best I could. Its posture and general body shape seemed almost like a dragon, but the head reminded me more of a Gorgon of Greek myth. Perhaps the Greeks had encountered this species regularly in dark places, giving rise to the legend of Medusa? What other creatures of myth were based upon such species that shunned the light, that man had only barely glimpsed? I had the feeling of both elation and horror, over this unseen world I had happened across, purely through luck.
	Gazing back toward the creature, I felt my heart skipping a beat, at the change in its posture. No longer did it lounge like a cat, it was alert, staring at me very attentively. Its head tilted one way, then the other, a behavior quirk, curiosity perhaps? I had no way of knowing, much less proving, that it was as intelligent as a man, but it was clear this was no mere animal. What was it planning, within its inhuman mind, in regards to myself? It's one thing to be within the presence of a predator, it's something else to be stalked by something, or someone, that's as smart as you. Regardless, the storm wasn't about to let up soon, and I was stuck in there with it.
	Time slowed to a glacial crawl in that hour, with only the sound of the storm and flicker of candlelight to indicate the world hadn't simply frozen. I sat there, keeping the entity in the corner of my vision, doing my best to wait things out. To pass the time, a mentally debated over my observations, and cursed my lack of foresight. My clothes were damp from both rain and sweat, making the chill of the room worse. So, I just sat there, going over my meager notes and enduring the stare of the entity. Worse was when the entity would emit static, causing the edge of my vision to flicker on occasion. Sometimes, I could swear I heard something else, but it was too indistinct. Didn't help every time I looked directly at the entity what could only be described as a cognitive jolt would run through me.
	Finally, the storm let up, the candles having melted down to stubs, melted wax fusing them to the floor. I wasn't going to bother taking them with me, I wanted out of that place, back into the open, in the light. I aimed the flashlight at the floor, before clicking it on, wincing at a burst of harsh static. The sound died down as I extinguished the candles, it probably understood I'd be taking my light with me. I lost sight of the creature for a moment while gabbing my bag, and in that instant it was gone. I didn't think the chills running down my back could get any colder, but I was wrong. My back was to the wall as I edged along it, intent on getting the hell out of there. Constant sweeping of the flashlight revealed nothing living in my path, and I reached the door unmolested.
	I all but slammed the door upon exiting, shaking and downing deep gulps of damp air like a man who had nearly drowned. Though, in all fairness, the darkness in that building, and the presence of the entity was suffocating, crushing even. I cursed my curiosity, and vowed not to set foot in the Herschlag Estate if I could help it. My knees wanted to buckle, and the primitive part of my brain wanted me to scramble away as fast as I could manage. Lurching half a dozen steps, I felt my stomach, and a fair few other organs writhe in discomfort, as I fought the impulse to vomit. A fight I lost as I reached the gates to the grounds, bile spewing from my mouth as my stomach purged its contents. Hand braced against the mossy bricks, I did everything I could to regain my composure, if only a little.
	After a few minutes, I'd managed to pull myself together, wondering why I had been so harshly affected by the situation. Was this creature, this entity, so outside what the human mind was meant to perceive, to drive men to madness with its existence? Or was this how the human body and mind reacted to a near death experience, struggling to return to normal? It didn't matter now, I'd thought, I was out of that building, and the creature couldn't follow, not with the sun overhead. The day might have been overcast, but the cloudy sky did not completely obstruct the sun's light. There was a concern that it might track me back into town come the night, but I considered it a long-shot. Even then, it would need to gain access to the house, through locked doors, unless in knew how to pick locks, I should be fine.
	Still, that nagging sensation in the back of my mind plagued me as I went back into town, and pondered on what I ad seen. I'd be making more discrete trips to the library to find out what I could, but beyond that, nothing. As far as everyone else needed to know, I never went inside the Herschlag Manor, much less inside the grounds. Sure, Angus might have suspected something, but I doubted he'd press for information, and as for my parents? I told them that I'd gotten caught in the rain for a moment, before taking shelter in an old barn, there were plenty of them outside town. From there, as far as I was concerned, that was the end of the matter...
...I was a very naive person....
	Perhaps all young people are, but looking back on it I cannot believe I was so willfully ignorant. Then again, there was nothing to indicate anything was wrong, at least, at first. This wasn't helped by the fact I wasn't looking for anything out of the ordinary anymore, my curiosity had been sated enough. Life continued as usual, at least for a month, before the atmosphere in town...changed. It was subtle, so much so one would not have noticed, but it was definitely there. An odd nervousness, as though something foul had happened, and no one was sure it was over. I got a better idea of what was starting to happen when I overheard a conversation at the docks.
	"Any idea what it was?"
	"No, but I swear on the Holy ghost it was looking at me from under the bed, with all four of its eyes."
	"Mindy Townsend said she had a nightmare about a creature like that, woke up shrieking like a banshee."
	I'd read enough books on crime to know slowing or stopping to hear more would get me spotted. As far as they were concerned, it was none of my business, so walking up and asking them for the lowdown would tip them off. Sailors were, and perhaps always shall be a superstitious lot, always trusting their gut more than any amount of intellect. Had I questioned them, they would have ones of their own, and scuttlebutt got around the docks quickly. My desire to avoid suspicion overrode any sense of curiosity I might have had that day, though what I overheard was worry enough
	Whatever the entity was, it had left the Herschlag Estate, and was now roaming the town after dark. I suppose there were enough gaps in illumination that it would pass unscathed, through alleyways and the like. How it was entering homes without warning was another matter, almost as troubling as the why. Deep down, I was suffused with dread, had I provoked this being into interacting with the world beyond the manor walls? Primitive, and less rational parts of my mind suggested it was hunting me, but I had no idea how it could. Did this creature require sustenance like any other animal, or could this creature be of supernatural origins?
	For the next few days, I kept my ears open for any more information, but there was very little. What information there was often was exaggerated or half glimpses at best, but a dark body with four glowing white eyes was fairly constant in the stories. Another thing I noticed was it never came to the same place twice, and the lump of ice in my gut only grew. Outwardly, I showed nothing, ensuring a mask was over my face whenever I dared dwell on the subject matter. Inside however, a cold, dark feeling seemingly ate at my soul. As luck would have it, thing would come to a head by the next night
	To say it was dark and stormy would be much like beating a dead horse, and yet it was. I'd seen the storm come in from the sea, and Angus, along with every other experienced sailor, had tied everything down and braced for its arrival. I still resided with my parents, saving money for a home of my own...something that helped me in the days to come. I'm uncertain of the hour it actually happened, though I instinctively wish to say midnight...she'd agree on that, even if it were untrue. Something had roused me at that late hour, and I couldn't determine why...before I felt something next to my hand. The room was almost black, and though I held the object before my face, I could only discern it as a pale color. It felt like a candle, one that had burned and melted on a fairly flat surface, almost like...
	...a polished, stone floor...
	Chills slithered through my body as though worms in a corpse, my breath coming in shuddering gasps. My ears rang, and a deep primordial panic overrode everything in my brain as I came to an irrevocable fact. The entity had entered my room, and placed the candle stub in my very hand but mere moments ago. It was a few seconds later that I processed my ears weren't ringing, but I was hearing static. When I felt something pressing down at the foot of my bed, my heart almost beat through my ribs, as the entity clambered up. I spotted it from the corner of my vision, a dark void against the darkness of the room, its eyes like spotlights. Somehow, it held power over me, even without direct eye contact, I was frozen in place. Its mouth split open, a white, grinning scar as it slunk closer to my face. It was then my body did the unexpected...
	...I sneezed...
	The entity jerked back and shock, and whatever spell it had held over me dissipated as I collapsed onto my bed. For a moment, all was still, before both of us moved, my arm coming up to shield my face and neck. One of the creature's paws covered my face, leaving only my nose an eye free as it pinned me down. The glowing maw clamped onto my right arm, as its other paw pinned my left to the headboard. Despite my struggling, I could not budge the entity from atop me, its weight keeping me pinned to the mattress without too much difficulty. It was neither warm nor cold, its hide akin to supple, polished leather, and smelled of corroding metal, waterlogged wood, and pulverized stone.
	It leered down at me, my arm still in its jaws, the luminescence almost hiding the pointy teeth that pressed into my flesh. For a moment I felt fear, and then confusion, as it wasn't taking this opportunity to tear into my flesh. The jaws would squeeze down every time I tried to free my arm, but it just held it there, teeth not quite breaking the skin. Its intentions became apparent as my arm began to tingle, before a cold, numb feeling spread in its wake, like some manner of poison. Whatever it was, it left me unable to move, spreading into my shoulder and up my neck, as though draining some vital function. My vision shrank to four points of light as I desperately tried to free myself, though my struggles had weakened to mere twitches by this point. Once the black, cold feeling obscured everything I could sense, I felt as though I was being pulled down. Down through my mattress, past the floor, the ground, into the earth, to somewhere...else...
	For a time, there was darkness, broken only by visions of impossible geometries that my mind could not comprehend. It was as though I lay upon a city street gazing up at the heavens, the structures looming above like great trees in an incomprehensible forest. Even the sky was unfamiliar, wisps of colored smoke hung still among stars that no man in history has seen or charted. The only familiar sensation was that of falling, and even it was off, as though I moved along some unrealized direction. These brief moments of cognitive awareness were interspaced with darkness, not blackness, but some, eigengrau hue.
	Then, the falling sensation came to a stop, and I awoke in some location that had since been abandoned by man. The ceiling was a labyrinth of rusted, dripping pipes that wove among each other like vines of ivy upon a wall. It was impossible to tell what they were for, or why someone had chosen such an eccentric way to fashion them. At the edges of my vision, I could make out old brickwork, stained with mold and ravaged by time in a damp environment. There was no obvious source of light, the room was dim yes, but I could still see with little difficulty. For a moment I lay here, and wondered where the creature had brought me, and where it was now that I had awoken. My body was still numb, my motions weak, sluggish, and bereft of feeling entirely. It was then I felt something tugging at my midsection, not my clothing, but at something...deeper.
	The saying ignorance is bliss never resounded with me so thoroughly after I managed to get a look at what was going on. The creature had half it's snout buried in my abdomen, pulling back with what looked like a length of untied sausage. My blood seemed to glow hotly in contrast to the darkness of its own flesh, as though it was the only color permitted in this gray realm. As it swallowed my entrails, it perked up, noticing I'd awoken to the grisly image that no living man should bear witness to. Its glowing maw split into a wide grin, un-light spilling from its depths as it seemed to cackle at my expression. I tired to move, to back away from the horror that sought to consume me, but my body refused o move in the correct manner. At best, I could flop around like a fish on the deck of Angus' boat, an unenviable ending to any life.
	Static crackled and popped in that odd pattern of laughter, as it removed another chunk of my abdominals. Somehow, I was incapable of feeling pain, just the pressure as its teeth slid through flesh and pulled it free. Most men would be left screaming, thrashing in agony, but all I could do was moan in dread as I was consumed. This painless state, it was worse, as though my body couldn't muster up enough reason to provide resistance. All the while, the Creature continued to feed on me, ripping and tearing small strips of bloody flesh away before swallowing them. Other times, it would duck its snout into the hole it had eaten, coming back with one of my organs, swallowing it whole. It seemed to relish my reaction to watching the bulge slide down into its gullet, where it would vanish forever, broken down into less than nothing.
	Slowly, a deep chill began working its way up my extremities, and my heart continued hammering away inside my chest as it advanced. It was death, I am certain of it, even to this very day, and it was coming for me. I started to gag on nothing as my lungs began to spasm, my vision blurring and wavering as though my head had been struck. Static whined directly next to my ear, causing me to look over at the Entity, which remained stark against my blurred vision. What happened next, I didn't understand until later, but the static morphed from a random crackle, unto a concept my mind somehow understood.
	Awaken
	...The world dissolved into mist, I felt a great and sudden jerk, as though I was pulled upwards...
	...
	...And I awoke in my bed, panting rapidly, my skin damp with cold sweat as I tried to understand what had occurred. My body still felt numb, even as my heart pounced away in my chest, lungs pumping like bellows, and my mind raced. Had it all just been a dream, a nightmare, conjured by my overactive imagination, as though some dark part of me enjoyed such fantasy? The dreadful chill from the end was still with me, and I felt as though hundreds of pins were being stuck into my flesh as I recovered. I felt as though my body was not my own, but I could move it somewhat all the same. Recalling the events, I felt down my torso, numb hand seeking ut the ragged opening that had been eaten into it.
	To my immense relief, I find only sweat dampened skin, not exposed musculature, organ or bone. I laughed slightly in delirium, glad that the awful nightmare had been only such. Fear began creeping back into me, however, as I felt a deep ache in the arm that had been bitten, as though someone had struck it with enough force to bruise. To add to this, something against my side shifted, and a weight carefully draped itself against my chest. The Entity was right next to me, practically surrounding me with its body, an alarming prospect for anyone who has been a its mercy. Though I held my breath for several moments, waiting for some hostile action, it did nothing, save rest calmly against me. Had it fallen asleep, even as undoubtable twitched and writhed in my own? This was answered be the crackle of static, and the Entity pulling me into its grasp further, as though embracing me.
	It was now beyond obvious that the Entity was of supernatural origins, having bypassed the closed and locked door to my room. The spiritual side of my psyche was fearful of this thing, of what it might do to my soul. My scientific side, on the other hand, was fielding question upon question, demanding I examine the Entity laying next to me. This would have to wait, as the entirety of my being felt weak, and, unable to return to sleep given the recent occurrence, all I could do was lie there. Again, I noted the Entity felt neither hot nor cold as it rested against my left side, but it was warmer than the air in the room. I wasn't sure how I could tell, possibly owing to the effects the Entity had upon my cognition. After a minute of careful listening, I was fairly certain the Entity wasn't even breathing, and yet, somehow, it still lived. There was no motion from its chest to indicate such either, and, upon cautiously placing my ear against its breast, found it lacked a heartbeat as well.
	By this point, I had expected my motions to provoke some minor reaction from the Entity, but aside from the occasional crackle of static, it did nothing. Its embrace of my body remained a constant, its hind legs and tail entangled about my own, forelimbs around my shoulders and chest. My head lay nestled in the crook of its neck, and while I could flex my limbs to some degree, I did not posses the strength yet to pull free of it. Even if I did, the Entity had proven to be strong enough to pin me with little effort on its part, and probably outweighed me a fair bit. That, and despite all notion of common sense, I was fairly comfortable laying next to it, even if it was slightly disconcerting upon close scrutiny.
	I'm not sure how long I lay next to the Entity that night, without any discernable reference save for my own in a state of lethargy. I drifted off at some point, only waking as dawn began to approach, and there was enough ambient light to see by. My bedclothes and sheets were damp from sweat, and felt as though I had been recently ill, but was on the mend. For a moment, I lay there and wondered if what had transpired had all been a feverish dream? The re-discovery of the candle stub swiftly laid all doubts to rest, and raised several more questions regarding the events of the night before. Slightly drained of vitality, I set about getting ready, Angus would require help in cleaning up in wake of the storm. Even as I weakly went through the motions of preparation, my mind buzzed with questions
	The Entity had found me, in my home, even though it resided within Herschlag Manor for months without human presence. So why did it venture out after I happened across it, why did it pursue me, and not indiscriminate residents of the town? If my experience in the...dream, and my weakened state were any indication, it had somehow fed from me, as I could not think of another term for it. I could understand leaving for sustenance, and with any creature, it should have sated itself on the nearest people, rather than try and locate me. This could only mean the Entity was in possession of an intellect roughly equivalent to that of man, as it had purposefully sought me out. Should it be the case that the Entity had such intelligence, should it not also be capable of communication?
	Perhaps it was equally possessed by curiosity as I was upon seeing it for the first time. If any had ventured onto the Herschlag Estate, much less inside the Manor, it would most likely have been as part of a lost bet. Others my age were prone to impulsive acts of bravado, ever eager to prove to those around them that they feared nothing. My peers, quite possibly under the influence of drink had wandered into the Manor, only to come across the Entity. That, or perhaps thieves looking for hidden valuables, reasoning that the building was no longer occupied, and therefore, easy pickings. I was possibly the only one who had encounter the Entity, and, rather than run away in fright, chose to stay and observe. Mutual curiosity?
	Whatever might have been the case at the time, I could ponder it later, I had work to do. My family was alarmed by my countenance, thinking me ill and suggesting I return to bed. I informed them, that, while I felt under the weather, it had been the result of poor sleep, not health. They did not push the matter, and wished me well as I headed out towards the docks, ignoring my fatigue as best I could. Angus was much sharper and more vocal in his opinions, namely that I should be resting, but he appreciated my work ethic none the less. We would be setting out in the early morning the next day, so I should get plenty of rest.
	From what I'd heard whispered around the docks, the Entity would only emerge every few days to feed. Scuttlebutt was not entirely reliable, but never to be discounted, especially from seasoned sailors. I'd be with Angus and his crew for several day come the morrow, an adequate gap of time as far as I was concerned. Upon my return, I would be able to answer a few more questions regarding the Entity, and they would fester in my mind until then. Such thoughts were joined by mild dread, at what this may cost me in this, and possibly the next life.