Whispers in the Dark

It’s autumn. The leaves are turning, though I can’t see them now. It’s already midnight, I walk along an empty path in the forest, alone. It’s so quiet…The only sound I hear is my own footsteps.

Then, a sudden rush of wings. Something black darts past me, quick and small—a bat, maybe? I watch as it disappears into the dense shadows. I peer into the bushes, trying to follow where it flew. I can barely see a thing in this darkness. But then, a sudden movement: something rises from the bush, shoots up, and hooks itself onto a tree branch, high above.

Against the silver light of the moon, I can make out its dark, sharp silhouette—a bat, watching me. Its gaze locks onto me, fearless, almost… knowing. A chill crawls along my spine, settling uneasily under my skin. It feels like a warning, like a sign. I quicken my pace, trying to shake the feeling. I don’t look back. I just need to get to the main road—I can hear faint traffic sounds. I just need to keep moving, just a little further.

But then, out of nowhere, a cold breath brushes the back of my neck.

I whirl around. Nothing. My eyes lift back to the treetops, but the bat is gone. My mind races, I start to run, fast, as if my life depends on it.

And then, faintly, a voice rises, a whisper carried on the air, distant yet so close.

“Yes, run… Of course you’re afraid. Keep running, pretending you can escape. You never face me.”

The voice coils around me, settling somewhere inside.

“The farther you go, the closer I am. I’m not chasing you. I’m not the one following.”

I feel the weight of it, a truth I’ve been avoiding.

“Look closely. You’re the one dragging me along, keeping me close no matter how hard you try to hide it.”

I stop dead, the breath catching in my throat. The voice isn’t distant anymore. It’s not even outside of me.

It’s my own voice.

I turn slowly, looking back down the dark road. A chill breeze grazes my cheeks, and I feel a shiver ripple through me. But this time, it’s not from fear.

“I’m not afraid anymore,” I say, my voice steady. “I’m ready to face you.”

There’s nothing behind me. Just quiet, stillness. I peer into the darkness as if looking for something long hidden, something I’ve always known was there.

And then the voice whispers one last time, calm and final.

“At last… you are free. Free from me, free from fear.”