A Flicker In The Dark Novels & Stories

of the children flickered. Just once. Like a heartbeat.

A fresh wave of pain explodes behind my eyes. “Please… not here,” I whisper. But it’s too late. The lights flicker in and out. The walls close in. The beakers warp and stretch like glass ghosts. Everything tilts. And then darkness crashes down like a wave.

I could feel its prying eyes, I knew when they snapped open and when they snapped shut. It was why I avoided staying out so late or being around anyone when it was getting dark. I shouldn't be out walking late but then, I needed the space. The streets lights were bright enough and as long as they stayed on– My thoughts halted and my heart jumped as the lights began to flicker. “Oh you've got to be kidding me!” I groaned, pausing in my steps to look around. All the lights flickered, a few seconds apart before it continued nonstop.

The flickering light expanded, enveloping the creature in a radiant glow. The darkness around us began to recede, and the lake’s waters started to clear. The creature thrashed and wailed, its power waning. “We’re doing it!” Celina exclaimed, her voice filled with triumph. But the creature was not defeated yet. It let out a final howl of rage, summoning a surge of dark energy. “Stay strong!” I called out, bracing myself against the onslaught. As the darkness closed in, the flickering light seemed to pulse with renewed vigor. It was as if the light itself was fighting back, pushing back against the encroaching darkness.

A suffocating, gut-wrenching certainty that something had just gone terribly wrong. And then— The lights flickered.

My eyelids flutter despite my efforts to keep them open. The last thing I see is the figure looming closer, its shape bending into the moonlight—still faceless, still silent. And then— Darkness takes me.

Too lazy? And oh it’s miss frog! I just gave her a confused look. She laughed softly when she noticed that. “I didn’t talk to you well in the past so now I’ll do what I want.” I adjusted my seat, teasing. The two bugs behind her were just swaying. What are they? Disciple of the frog? “How dare you kiss my husband?” I can not believe this. Me? I kissed who? I kissed her HUSBAND? When? I don’t remember me kissing anyone! And who is her unlucky husband?

It was as if the darkness forbade the full moon to spread its light and to reveal that which was covered, even protected, by the darkness. Godric stood spellbound on the stage that led to his childhood fears. Another swallow. His throat felt dry, as if the liquid hadn't moisturized his throat in ages. Moments passed, then he was startled, dropped the candle, which rolled down the stairs and came to a stop behind the arch of the cellar entrance. The flame had gone out and only the glow of the moon seemed to give Godric a little light.

Ever since my blind accident, the dark isn't something that I willingly put myself into. My mind instantly conjures the image of Deckard somehow bribing a guard or picking the lock to wait for me in the darkness. I peep in deeper into the apartment, and I realise it's not completely dark. There's a single, flickering flame dancing on the dining table in the distance. I don't take a step inside yet. I’m not a character in a horror movie who wanders into the basement just to see what’s making that scratching noise. Instead, I back away, quietly pulling the door shut until it’s just a sliver open, and I scramble for my phone. My fingers are shaking as I hit Owen’s speed dial.

The one at the far end, near the intersection where the hallway branched off into darkness. I knew that flicker. I had stood under it before. Many times. I had counted the beats between flickers to keep from losing my mind. Three seconds of steady light. Then a stutter. A long pause. Then back to steady. I knew that rhythm. I had used it to mark time while I stood there. My stomach turned. I knew this exact space. I would have bet my life on it. The problem was, I couldn’t remember why. And then—