An Eternal Nightmare

[Day]

OLD fan story. Comment and Crit if you would, I'd like the feedback. Chapter by chapter.






Dark clouds covered the city, a blanket of grey masking the city in a darkness reserved for the corners of your mind where even you feared to tread. Rain had begun to fall, bouncing off the ground and running freely into the drains at the side of the road, carrying away layers of dust and used cigarette butts.

The buildings were in decay. Years of erratic weather had taken it's toll, the once clean, crisp and sharp corners now faded into soft depressing grooves, almost as if each street itself were crying out in pain from being beaten by the elements.

Standing on the edge of a apartment block rooftop, the bat looked out over the area. He'd been there a while, his red denim jacket soaked through the white t-shirt underneath and dampening his fur. His hair hung in limp bangs, clinging to his head as if they were fighting to hold on against the prevailing wind. He turned up his collar, shivering a little. Even though his water-based abilities could've prevented a single drop of water from touching him, it didn't matter. He was beyond caring for himself at this point.

"I don't know where you are..." he began to speak, his voice cracking slightly as his throat had become dry, "but I SWEAR, I'm gonna find you. One way or another, I'm gonna find you."

Adam sighed deeply, the weight of his world weighing on his shoulders. Standing up from his crouching position, the trapped heat from his body escaped into the air, small trails of steam flowing from his body into the greyscale surroundings. The maroon-furred bat stepped forward and looked over the side of his perch, staring down into the alley below. It seemed almost bottomless, but it didn't phase him from what he was going to do.

Leaning forward, he pushed himself off from the ledge and fell into open air. The wind rushing past felt like daggers against his face, blades of ice-cold air slicing against his fur. This only served to make him smile, remembering the powers of his fellow band-mate Mickey.

"Dude, you always did know how to make me smile... thanks for helping now."

His journey had nearly reached it's end, the floor coming up at a terrifying rate. Yawning, Adam flapped his wings and positioned himself for a soft landing, flipping himself backwards in mid-air and landing with the grace of a swan on the damp ground. A bum called out in protest behind him with a torrent of slurred abuse, but the bat calmly walked out into the street, turning off and walking along the sidewalk.

His face said nothing to the average passer-by, and everything to the ones who took the time to notice.

" ... I WILL find you again... Kara..."

An empty soda can rolled into his path, knocking his feet as he walked. The trash-can was right there, but someone had dropped it a few inches short, not seeming to care in the slightest. Adam bent over, picked up the tin and threw it into the garbage.

"Careless punk..." His face twisted up into a sneer, then just as soon as it appeared, it slipped back into a blank stare.

... he'd been careless too...

Saying nothing, he resumed his walking. What could he say? Everytime he opened his mouth to speak, nothing would come out. He had no reason to say a word anyway. Unless it was in pain, which was what he was beginning to feel in his hand.

Slipping his right hand from it's home in his jacket, the bat looked at his index finger. A small cut had formed on the fingerprint, he must've cut himself when he picked up that soda-can. He held his finger to his mouth, placing it to his lips and softly cleaning the wound with his tongue, as if he were attempting to kiss the pain away.

His hand drifted lazily back to it's cover, and he tilted his head up to the sky. The rainclouds had been forgiving, as the storm had stopped, for now. But those clouds never seemed to lift, the few streaks of sunlight that did manage to get through, were muffled and broken. His head lolled to the left, and sighed, as the furson realised he'd arrived home, or at least, what he could call a home at the moment.

Adam lifted his key to the old oak door's lock, but found out that it was still open from the previous tenant. Taking a slow heavy breath, he pushed the door open, the hinges creaking out in protest, as if in some kind of torture. A little extra effort as he stepped through though, and the door was soon shut. His movement had now slowed, as if no will was left within him, as he shuffled towards the elevator.

He lifted a finger to the call button and pressed it... nothing. Pressing it again got the same response, as did a third time. He mumbled nonchalantly, and headed for the stairs.

Nineteen floors. No problem, but one.

The fact that his body was now aching beyond comprehension from the proverbial beating the heavens had laid upon him. Fortunately however, his wings still had enough energy left to lift him up the center of the staircases to the top floor. Even if he did touch the railings more than once.

Touching down infront of his door, one more time he lifted his keys, unlocking the barrier between himself and his home.

Home. Pfft, yeah. It never really did feel like a home, not without...

... without them.

He dragged himself inside, the only thing keeping him standing now were the walls on either side of the hallway. Willing himself forward, the bat managed to stumble across the living room towards the sofa, tripping over a kink in the carpet and collapsing in a heap onto the waiting cushions below.

Uncomfortable as his position may have been, he officially had nothing left at this point, and soon drifted into a dream...

... he was already living a nightmare.

[Hyena_Laugh]

That story was interesting

[Day]

It's only the first chapter. =/



Darkness. It surrounded him, backing the bat into a nonexistent corner. Eyes fluttering open, he scanned the horizon, searching desperately for an exit, a way to escape. Anything, just somewhere to run to, away from here. His vision came to rest on a point of light, ever so small to him, but strong enough to instill a ray of hope and the strength to run, instead of relying on his fear to drive him.

Running, his heart racing, mind focusing on finding the way back home. But his sight failed him, or would have, if there was actually something to see. Nevertheless, Adam caught his foot on the ground, the momentum sending his body careering towards the floor, the absence of light seeming to slow his decent to a stand-still.

Sure enough though, he hit the ground hard. Hands reacting instantly and clutching the furson's stomach in pain, the maroon bat slowly rolled himself over, eyes closed as he concentrated on stabilizing his breathing. As his breaths became normal, he opened his eyes.

He soon wished he hadn't. His face twisted into a terrifed scream, but no sooner did he try to cry out, he found that all air had left his chest.

It was Ryan. Or what was left of him. The mutilated corpse of the drums player now laid before Adam, his lime green fur torn and matted with the blood that had surged from his chest. The torso had been torn open, all his organs savagely ripped out, save for his heart. The fox's trademark drumsticks had been thrust through the center, and somehow, the muscle was still beating, it's monotone pulse replacing the agony that would've been apparent in Ryan's voice.

... if he had a head. There was nothing more than a bloody stump, crimson liquid trailing onto the ground.

Adam crawled backwards on his hands and feet, sheer terror alone forcing him to move. But soon enough, he realized he couldn't get away. Something was there, behind him, blocking his retreat.

Swallowing hard, he slowly turned his head, his gaze becoming hazy now, tears running down his cheeks in dread, scared to see what was there.

James. The yellow hedgehog. Plus his guitar.

Buried into his skull. Someone had taken meticulous detail, breaking each limb one by one, before dealing the final blow and driving the proverbial "axe" into the creature's head. A thick grey and red mixture oozed from the corners where the guitar stood, trickling down James' fur and staining it, almost matching Adam's own coloration.

"YOU caused this... YOU started it all... YOU'RE the reason they're gone..."

The voice rang out in the abyss, resounding in the bat's ears, filling every cell in his being with fear. He began to shake, pulling his wings protectively around him as a child would with a blanket.

"YOU'RE the reason why she's not here... it's YOUR fault they took her... YOUR fault..."

The tears were streaming down his muzzle now, regret and anger taking over from his terror, hands balling up into fists.

"IT WASN'T MY FAULT!!! I WASN'T THERE TO PROTECT HER!!!"

The voice mocked Adam's, reciprocating with it's own twisted version.

"It WAS your fault... YOU weren't there to protect her..."

He stood up from his make-shift cocoon, rage fueling his emotions now, and screamed out into the nothingness.

"HOW THE FUCK WOULD YOU KNOW?! YOU WEREN'T THERE!!!"

The voice changed now, it's tone melting into something... familiar...

"Yes... I was..."

His eyes shot up. Adam knew that voice, he recognized it better than anyone.

He recognized the face too, as Jesse shot out from the darkness and wrapped his hands around the bat's throat.

"I WATCHED IT ALL!!! I WATCHED THEM DIE!!! YOU WEREN'T THERE, YOU COULDN'T SAVE THEM!!! YOU COULDN'T SAVE HER!!!"

The last line echoed through his mind, as he faded into his own darkness...

[Kursed]

you can like picture the story in your head....
dude write more, Please...

[Day]

I did it for the lulz





Dreams inside dreams. The waking moment in which you're never really awake. Where you're living through another nightmare, after escaping from a previous one.

He saw the hands. He felt them on his body, clasping at his shirt. Instinctively, Adam lashed out, his feet striking his attacker square in the chest, sending them sprawling to the floor. The bat rose to his feet, standing unsteadily on the sofa, one hand keeping his balance while the other had begun to draw in moisture from the air for an attack.

"... Jesus... take it easy Mate, you nearly knocked me for six..."

Adam's body went limp, dispelling the water back into the air and falling back onto the cushions, an apologetic smile crossing his face and a hand rubbing the back of his head.

"Jeeze, sorry Mick... just, you know... the dreams again..."

The ice-blue bunny picked himself up, dusting down his pink shirt and grey slacks. They'd become worn and frayed over time, but he wouldn't give them up for anything. They were part of his character, what gave him definition apart from his personality.

"Yeah, I figured. Just open your friggin' eyes next time, or I'm gonna have to put you on ice for a while..."

He looked over towards his friend, sitting there on the couch with his head in his hands. He'd become broken since the incident, since it had happened. And with every passing day since, he seemed to die a little more inside. But there was one definite thing that the rabbit knew of Adam, as he did of himself.

They weren't going to give up. Not till they found her.

"Fuck it, I'm over it. Any leads dude?" The bat shot a hopeful glance towards Mickey, praying for something to go right.

They'd been searching, listening out for Kara's name in the crowds, underground events. A princess of pure in a city of empty promises couldn't just vanish, someone HAD to know about it. But to this moment, no-one seemed to know anything that was worth following.

"Actually..." the bunny began, running his fingers through his scraggly ginger hair, "there IS somethin'. There's word that there's something going down near the shipping warehouses at the docks. Not too sure what it is, but the rabble's kinda big, so I thought it might be a good place for ya to start searching."

Adam lifted himself up off the sofa, and walked across the room towards the balcony. The door was never shut, since neither of them really seemed to mind the cold.

Well, Mickey didn't, at least. If Adam did, then he was doing a good job of hiding it from him.

The maroon-toned furson corrected his collar, turning it up at the cold northern wind. He glanced back at Mickey, who was making his way towards him. Jumping up onto the safety rail, he gave the polar bunny a thumbs up gesture, and dove off, unfolding his wings and head west towards the docks.

The rabbit got there just into time to watch Adam dart behind a building and out of sight. A paw came to the back of his neck and rubbed it gently, weeks of late nights taking their toll on his health. But this was nothing, not compared to what had happened to him.

His breath came out slow, as his fingers traced up the back of his head towards his ears. Or at least, what was left of them.

He'd been left alive to give Adam a message. And they decided that the only way that it could be delivered was to hack off Mickey's ears and carve in the writing with a knife, pain and humiliation combined. He was near death when the bat found him, clutching his detached ears to his chest as if they were a child. All that remained on the bunny's head were two small stumps, scarred and uneven. It all seemed like some cruel joke, that he was dreaming and he'd wake up soon, none of it real.

But too many days had he woken up and seen the truth. The cruel realization that one of his defining marks had been taken from him set in once more. Leaning on the railing, he took in a deep breath and sighed heavily as it began to rain again. He didn't bother to go back inside.

At least out here, only the heavens could see him cry.




emoemoemo

[Day]

flashback moment, DIDDLYDOODIDDLYDOODIDDLYdoodiddlydoo...




Golden sands from one end of the horizon to the other. Waves of azure blue carshing against the shore, leaving small peaks of white seafoam to slowly trail back into the water, like a gloved hand clawing at the land, struggling to keep a grip.

The beach. A beacon of togetherness, families spending time with one another. And right now, a rag-tag family unit were using one of the many sand-dunes as their own private resting place, braindead to the rest of the world.

"Hey, Adam?"

Her voice resounded through his body, like a warm summer's breeze that drifted though your hair. His face lit up, a smile spreading across his muzzle, and responded to his name.

"Yeah Kara? What's up?" he sneered, no effort put into being mean, but just uphold what "image" he had to her.

The small kitten-girl snuggled into the bat's chest, his body shying away from her touch, yet crying out from inside his heart in joy that she was so close.

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?" she purred up into his ear, leaning back then playfully nipping his nose with her lips.

"Probably about playing 'Bump-Bump' somewhere." spoke a third voice, playful in tone.

"Shut up Day."

The winged maroon furson tilted his head to the right, setting an ice-cold stare up a red bunny-kitten hybrid, otherwise known as a cabit. He was looking back, one hand fidgeting with a silver cross on a chain around his neck. He grinned back at the bat, daggers of hate clashing against halos of innocence, then both exchanges of expression faded into knowing smiles of mutual respect.

"Fuck you Lucky."

"Love you too C.P."

The bat looked back down at Kara, the koneko hugging him like a security blanket, nuzzling her cheek against the soft cotton of his t-shirt. He ruffled a hand into her hair, running it through the strands and up to her left ear, rubbing it gently between his thumb and fore-finger.

"Sooo... yeah... is this all we're gonna do all day?" Murmured the cabit in a low voice, seeming nonchalent with his question, purring quietly as he stretched himself out across the dune.

Kara looked up from her perch on Adam's chest, her arms folded across his chest as she simpered towards Day, eyes half closed as a small giggle reverberated from her throat.

"Ohhhh, now I don't know... whadda YOU say Adam? You wanna stay like this?"

He lifted his head, looking down, then looking over towards his rival, then laid back down, smirking.

"Sure, works for me," Adam whispered, placing his hands behind his head and making himself comfortable.

The powder pink teen licked the maroon bat's nose, then sighed softly as she curled up beside him, content to stay there for the rest of the day, if not the rest of their lifetimes.

Day simply smiled, then closed his eyes and went back to daydreaming.

"Funky," he muttered warmly, staring up at the streaks of clouds in the sky above.

"You're both dumb..." Kara sniggered, "But I'm glad you get along."

"Hey, if I had my way, I would've kicked his ass a long time ag-"

Adam's last words was cut off by a handful of sand, causing him to bolt upright and shake his head violently in attempt to regain his composure.

"You JERK!" He spat out, trying to feign anger, but failing. The underlying murmur of a laugh could clearly be heard in his voice.

Kara slowly rose up beside him, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh come on Addy, it's only in fun..."

And with that, she sprinkled a handful of golden crystals into the winged furson's hair, a semi-serious look upon her muzzle, but meaning no harm towards him.

Adam simply returned a blank stare, then batted his wings, creating a miniture sandstorm around the three, surrounding them in a thin veil of yellow powder.

"God, you're such a dummy... probably why I love ya though," the kitten murred, sticking out her tongue in a grin and pulling her friends together, hugging them both tightly.

Day returned the cuddle, Adam however, seemed to just stand there, the corner of his mouth turned up and his eyes half closed in a sort of tired smile.

He'd come to realise something. Everytime she was close, when she smiled, when she said his name, he liked it. And it wasn't out of arrogancy, or conceit.

It was out of love. Everytime she held him, he didn't want her to let go.

So his arms closed over her shoulders, and he hugged her tightly.

He didn't want to let go. He couldn't.

He loved her.

[Day]

NO COMMENTS?! w/e fuck you all <333




Colder than a dead man's heart, darker than the farthest recesses of your mind, as welcoming as a knife in the back while you're sleeping.

The shipping docks. Seagulls flew above the warehouses, scanning for scraps left over from the various crates being shipped. And as the flock peak, a single figure darted down through them, larger than the rest and shrouded in the fog. He managed to dispel his flashbacks long enough to aim for a place to land.

Landing down on the edge of one of the cranes, Adam looked around at the area below. Forklifts driving to and fro, carrying palettes of goods. He rubbed his eyes a little, then resumed his watch. Being a bat had a few disadvantages, like poor eyesight. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of sunshades, placing them over his head. He swore the only way he'd wear glasses is if he could disguise them.

His vision slightly impaired, but improved, he swooped down behind a container, walking casually out from behind it and disappearing down between two lorries. Peering out from his shadow of safety, he saw that Mickey's information had been dead on.

At the entrance to Pier Seven, a small collection of cars had built up. Various sports models were surrounding the small boardwalk, and as Adam watched, another pulled up. A ruby red BMW Z3, it's black convertable roof up, the characters inside concealed from the world.

At least, they WERE concealed. The passenger-side door opened, and a cloaked figure stepped out into the rain, soon followed on the opposite side by the driver. From what the bat could tell, the passenger was female, as her hips swung from side to side as she walked, a slight spring in her step.

Waiting till they had gone inside the building, Adam made a dash for the car, cupping his hands against the window and peering inside. He couldn't make out anything distinguishable, save for a few coins on the dashboard and what appeared to be a file tucked under the driver's seat. Pulling back and shrugging, he looked at the warehouse before him.

"If that's where they are... then that's were I'm going... might be better to take an in-direct route though..."

Checking to make sure there was no-one in sight, Adam took off towards the roof. He kept a watchful eye on the area below as he flew upwards, searching for other cars that might be making their way to his location. However, the wharfs were clear, and no-one seemed to be coming in through the main gates, so he cautiously landed on the top of the building, and tip-toed towards the skylight.

Peering down through the open window, the heat from inside caused his glasses to steam up, so he quickly removed them and focused his hearing instead. It was too dark to see anything anyway, so it seemed like the better option.

A congregation of people seemed to be inside, the murmurs and low-brow chatter amongst them consisting of gambling, drug-money, and who they recently beat upon when they couldn't come up with cash. Two figures in particular were louder than the rest, bragging about how they tore some poor guy up, ripping him apart before painting a picture with his entrails.

How lovely.

The voices sounded familiar to Adam though somehow. He couldn't really place where, but he KNEW he recognized them. That whiny female voice, and the gruff growl of a guy...

The chatter stopped however, as the bat heard a door open and close, and a sound of raindrop-like steps making their way across the floor as they headed towards the front of the room.

There was a shuffle of feet, indicating that the various people inside were allocating themselves to their seats, preparing to listen. The small figure stepped up onto a make-shift podium, cleared her throat and began to address the crowd under her command.

"You've been gathered today, so I can deliver a message to each one of you.

We have her. We have the catalyst in our operation, and now we need one more thing. We need him. The bat.

Adam Noah Levine."

Adam's eyes shot wide open. Not from his name being mentioned, but from the fact he knew the owner of that voice.

It was her. And she had resumed her little 'talk' of inspiration.

"I'm willing to pay a fee of two million dollars to whoever brings him to me. Dead or alive, it doesn't matter...

... just bring him to me..."

And with that, the figure jumped down from her stand, and disappeared through a door in the rear of the room.

Adam at this point however, had turned and sat beside the skylight, his eyes wide in disbelief. His hands were shaking, his heart racing a mile a minute.

"But... b-but why? I mean...

... why?"

He wouldn't recieve an answer. Not like this. Only she could give him that.

And right now, she was slumped over a desk, her head resting atop her arms as she sighed mournfully.

"It doesn't matter anymore..." she whispered, sitting up to pull down her hood, her long yellow hair revealing itself and hanging down over her shoulders, no longer full of vigour, matching her personality now...

"It doesn't matter now what happens... I already gave up the fight..."

[Ziggy]

Cool story dude.
Write more! I love it!

[Day]

... cocks, WAHAY buya360 >=(




The noise of the people inside had roused him from his daze. They'd heard the amount that had been placed on the bat's head, a tidy sum that wasn't to be sniffed at.

"What do you say? Should we take this one up? I've got a score to settle with him, and this seems like the PERFECT way to settle it. I get peace of mind by leaving his mind in pieces..." spoke a female voice, trying to hold a regal accent, but failing...

"Hey, I told you..." rasped a male, exhaling deeply, "Doesn't matter to me. Long as there's stuff to burn, I'm game."

He took the cigarette from his lips and balanced it on the end of his index finger for a second, then flicked it upwards and clicked his fingers, the smoking butt incinerating before his eyes. The act recieved a small smirk from his lady friend.

"You know, that looks SO much cooler when it's got flesh and screams added to it," she sneered down at him.

"Whatever. People, paper, all burns the same. Both leave that sickening taste in the back of my throat as well," the male growled back, his voice low and faded, as if his mind was elsewhere.

"But blood tastes SO good when it's warmed by a fire... gives it that old home-made taste," she snickered, checking her claws' sharpness against her fingers. Barely any pressure at all, and a small spot of thick black blood began to form on her fingertip, even through the dense metal alloy.

"Perfect..." the female purred deeply, grabbing her partner by the shoulder and leading him out the door, "Now it's time to go test these out..."

The door slammed shut, the finishing exclamation mark upon their conversation. Adam sat back from the skylight and brought his knees up to his chest, his forehead furrowed in deep thought.

... not something he did often.

"It's a lead... it's actually a fucking lead... and she's still alive... Kara..."

Managing a small smile, his eyes began to well up, but he quickly shook his head and reset himself back to his mission. His head lowered itself, as he attempted to concentrate once more...

... but it was soon broken by the sound of a car unlocking system. Curiousity won out over caution, and the bat walked to the edge of the roof, peering down at the ground below.

The red BMW's owner had returned, and right now, her legs were swinging back and forth on the driver's side. Her tail was flicking from side to side in a somewhat playful manner, and she soon stepped back onto the ground and slammed the car door shut, holding the item she must've been looking for.

A file.

Quickly scanning the entrances to the building for other signs of activity, Adam dove off the warehouse roof, advancing upon his target with less sound than a mute's whisper, hovering behind the small figure as she walked, still in a state of shock at who was before him.

Anger seeped from his mind and coarsed it's way though his body, filling the bat's heart with rage. Using what was left of his patience to remain calm, he reached out and placed a hand upon the girl's shoulder, and was rewarded with a melancholic sigh.

"So... you finally came. I wasn't sure if you'd turn up..."

Slowly turning round, she stood before him, removing her hood once more and sweeping her hair free from the protective cloak. She trailed her gaze from the floor, up his body, and connected eyesight with him. Adam steeled his nerves, and produced a warm smile despite what his mind was telling him.

"Sasha. It's been a while."

The little yellow puma hung her head low again, her once energetic nature now gone, replaced with nothing but sadness. She opened her mouth, and began to talk, just loud enough for herself and Adam to hear.

"I'm guessing this is what you want..." she spoke, presenting the file from it's place between her arms. "It was... I-I mean, it's the basi-"

Her sentence was cut short, as the maroon bat reached forward and plucked the object from her hands. Her arms quickly retreated to the safety of her chest, as Adam opened the file and gazed quickly over the pages, barely understanding any of the contents, before raising his head, a somber yet confused look on his face.

"I just... I wanna know why.... I mean, why... why did you do this? I thought we were friends..." he questioned her.

Sasha's body tensed up. She stood upright, head tucked into her chest, and lifted her muzzle to look at him, tears of hate running from the corners of her eyes as her fists and body began to shake in unison.

"... why? You're asking me why?" she hissed, her words becoming disjointed by the forming lump in her throat, "Because we used to be friends! We used to sing together! But whenever SHE called your name, you'd leave me without a second thought and run to her side! WHAT ABOUT ME?! You left me, like I was someone, someTHING you could use to pass the time until she needed you! Don't you see? She's just using you! Kara doesn't really need you, she just needs the attention! And you gave her it, and left me on my own! All I wanted was to be your friend!"

Dropping to her knees, the puma-girl brought her hands up to her face and held herself, hiccuping as she began to cry, still pouring her feelings, her heart out towards Adam.

"I just... I wanted you to be my friend... "

Adam's mouth hung low in a small circle, the shock of realising what he'd done.

He couldn't deny it, couldn't talk his way out of this. What she'd said was true. Whenever he'd been spending time with Sasha, singing or just hanging out, as soon as Kara had called, he was gone. No goodbye, no "See You Later," nothing. He was just gone.

Words failed him, his lungs fighting desperately for a breath as his body lost in a battle with his mind for what to do next. Stepping forward, he placed a hand upon Sasha's shoulder, and tried to say something.

"I'm... Sasha, I'm so-"

It was his turn to have his words silenced, as the puma knocked his hand away. She didn't want to feel him, to see him.

"You got what you came for. Just go."

She crawled back against the rear of the car, resting her arms on her knees and pressing her head into them, still sobbing.

For lack of a way to comfort her, Adam hovered off the floor once more and turned to leave. His form rose towards the heavens, but not before he turned round and mouthed two final words to his former friend...

"... I'm sorry..."

... and with that, he was gone again. Just like before.

... had he waited around though, or at least payed more attention, he'd have noticed that the crying had stopped, and was now being replaced with a sinister laughter, coming from the small yellow girl, who was now standing with her arms folded across her chest, look EXTREMELY proud of herself.

"I can't believe he bought that... did I do good?"

A pair of eyes shone through the darkness from between two buildings, cold and calculating, as well as a smile, fitted with a series of shining white teeth. It could only be classified as "the thing that goes bump in the night."

Although "the thing that hunts its prey, paralysing it in its own fear before devouring its soul without mercy" would be more accurate.

"Yes sweetheart, you did fine...

... now it begins..."