The Light in the Darkness

            Tonight, was a night like any other. The streets were empty, homes having their lights shut off. A typical quiet night. Or at least it should have been. However, for three members of this town, tonight would change them forever.

            Hillary sighed bored in her large home. She had spent hundreds of hours staring out her window bored out of her mind. She had been considering sneaking out for months and tonight would finally be the night. She took a deep breathe before getting her blankets together and sitting them up. She flicked it out the window and began to climb down to head out. She wanted to just go out and be herself for a night and explore her town during the dark.

            Alex hummed softly walking along the alleys. He had been on patrol all night, being a cop in his off time. As such he was taking the time to investigate the town. It seemed quiet tonight, but he had never been one to assume it would stay quiet. Most of the time he was alert, watching for danger around every corner. So, for now he began to walk, heading to the center of town to try and figure out what was going on.

            David sprinted away grinning as he got away with his steal. He was quite the skilled thief, always taking from his targets in the dead of night and stealing from those that would never notice him.

            These three began to converge on one location, none realizing it and none realizing how the world began to change. The world around them was distorting, and they all saw a bright light deep within the town. It seems to be coming from an old, abandoned building, one that had been under reconstruction for a few years now. No one knew what was taking so long but construction was almost always going on inside.

            Hillary winced at it. What was going on? The light was dazzling…and it almost seemed to draw her in. She could not help but walk towards it, curiosity taking her over as she wanted to see what could possibly be making this beautiful light.

            For Alex this light came off as a possible threat. He knew nothing should be going on in town today that could cause this light and quickly got to his pistol, heading towards it. He took out his walkie talkie. “This is officer Alex Thomson, reporting a suspicious light coming from the old, abandoned building on Jones street. Signal 35, send 10-8.” He said not knowing that no one can hear him now. He had to wonder if it was a breaking and entering? But even still it did not explain this blinding and…weird feeling light. So, he approached quietly to search.

            David meanwhile was heading into that building before the light even began laughing a bit. The building had old wooden floors, busted support beams, just the perfect makings for a haunted manor that no one wanted to be in. That was so easy! No one had even seen him. He couldn’t help but shake his head checking out his hall. It was not too much, just about a thousand dollars! Heck yeah! All he had to do was wait for the police to search for him, find nothing and then this cash was all for him to spend. Or he could town hop again but…eh. For now, he could just relax and enjoy his hall. Then the light came, his eyes widening as he shot to the corner. Was he spotted? What was going on. Then he blinked a few times confused. Wait was not he in the abandoned building? He should be but now with this light he saw the floor was a bright white, almost feeling like a marble texture. The once broken pillars no longer were there, and he was surrounded by marble walls. “W-what the fuck?” He stuttered eyes wide trying to adjust to what was even going on.

            As he said that Hillary walked in eyes wide. “O-oh my!” She stuttered looking around. The place was…beautiful. She looked over seeing David. “Excuse me sir is this your home?” She asked confused. He looked up shocked to see her and glared. “Depends on you a cop?” He asked ready to bolt. The girl just smiled. “Of course not! I just came to see what this beautiful light was.”

            David sighed in relief and looked around. “No idea. The building was not like this a bit ago. You got any idea what’s going on?” He asked confused. Hillary frowned shaking her head. Admittedly she had noticed the building was a bit disheveled. But the inside was like a new world! It was…a bit jarring admittedly.

            This is when Alex came in gun drawn. “Freeze. Richland PD!” He shouted, before his eyes shot open wide seeing the difference in the location. What the hell? Was this what had been under construction all this time!

            David shook his head hands up. “Woah hey easy! We didn’t do nothing wrong!” He said instantly, while Hillary nodded. “Y-yes! We just came to see the pretty light.” She admitted.

            Alex glared then looked to David, and to the floor by him. “And that money…you just walked into this building with a large chunk of money for no reason?” He asked. David stared eyes wide and swore. He hadn’t hidden it, too shocked by the buildings changes. Alex smirked. “That’s what I thought. You two are coming with me.” He said approaching slowly.

            David growled. “Oh, please I bet you aren’t even a cop! That’s civilian clothing.” He said just trying to distract the man. Thankfully, he didn’t even have to for long.

            As he spoke the doors had large barriers slam down in front of them, the groups eyes widening, Alex looking around rapidly for a threat. A monitor came out of the wall near them and turned on, the group turning to it.

            “Greetings. You all seem well, though I must ask why you came here this day.” Asked a mysterious figure, none of them able to tell who or what it was. It almost seemed…unreal. Alex frowned. “Richland PD. Caught these two trespassing on your property. Don’t worry sir I’ll have them out of here soon.” He said instantly believing this to be the lands owner and David stared shocked.

“Bro what the fuck. This isn’t normal man.” He said clearly much more on edge. Hillary just looked between everyone shaking terrified of what was even going on.

The figure on the screen finally spoke up once more. “Oh, do not worry yourself officer. I will be dealing with you all.” They spoke. This caught them all off guard as the group looked to the screen.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alex asked body tensing eyes darting about to look for trouble. The figure noted this and gave a chuckle from his end of the video, the laugh chilling. It was like a man laughing at the scene of a murder, giving off a feeling that would make the bravest person fear what was coming next. But that was not it, there was something else to his voice. The figure sounded almost like more then one person. Like when they laughed, an entire audience was laughing with them. It was haunting.

“Just know that not a single one of you will be leaving here alive.” They said simply, snapping their fingers. As they did the floor opened and a giant hand came out grabbing the edge of the floor from a seemingly bottomless pit. A large being, green as moss and with skin that seemed like that of an elephant, came out. It was at least twice their height, shackles on its wrists and one unblinking black and white eye that darted between them. The group could not help but stare in shock.

Before any could react, the thing moved, grabbing David. The man jolted and took out a hidden knife trying to stab the thing repeatedly but to no avail. No matter what he did the thing did not budge. The creature simply got ready and threw David at the nearest wall. Before he could make a sound, he splattered, turning to nothing but a red stain.

Hillary could not help but just stare. Her mind was screaming for her to do anything. Run, scream, do something! But her body would not respond. It just stayed there the situation throwing her into a state of shock. Alex was not the same. He quickly took his pistol firing at the thing repeatedly trying to kill it before it did any more damage but…nothing he did mattered. The thing reacted a bit as the bullets hit, but it only treated the bullets as a minor nuisance.

It turned grabbing Alex and lifted him up ready to throw until Alex made his last move, firing and shooting the thing in its eye. The creature roared in pain grabbing its eyes shaking before glaring at the human, no wound showing to Alex’s dismay. While he hurt it, he had not caused any permanent damage. The thing chucked him up a bit and grabbed his leg before swinging him at the floor. Alex screamed in fear, before the top half of his body was splattered across the floor.

Hillary was all that was left as she fell to her knees. Nothing worked against this thing. And as it approached, she could only watch, petrified as it raised its foot, and stomped her.

When Hillary woke, she was surrounded by a beautiful white light. Where was she? Wait wasn’t she…

Her eyes widened as she grabbed at her head trying to see if it was still intact and it was. But…didn’t she die? What was going on? She looked around at this white space confused until a figure came forward. It was…David?

“Yo, you’re that girl!” He said surprised and hurried over. She went to him quickly looking him all over. “M-mister criminal! You’re alive?” She asked confused.

David glared upset by the nickname. “Oi oi. Names David, ok? Please use my name.” She blushed and bowed. “Oh, um sorry. I am Hillary.” She said embarrassed she had not said it earlier. The man nodded in response and looked around.

“So, where the hell are we?” He mumbled confused, until they heard footsteps behind them.

“My thoughts exactly.” Said Alex as he approached looking around. “I assumed it might be heaven but then David was here, and I doubt a criminal made it.”

“Yo dude can you fucking chill?” David asked annoyed. Hillary wanted to step in and interject, until something appeared before them.

A large crystal appeared between them all floating in front of them. It appeared to be some kind of a diamond in texture but was built like an obelisk. The group stared at it confused as it began to light up as it spoke. “Greeting’s humans. I am the being of Light, sent to your planet to find and help humans to stop a coming crisis.”

The three stared dumbfounded, trying to piece together what was even going on, but the crystal did not stop. “As of now sadly I am being capture by that very being that seeks your planets end. Thankfully I believe you three can…”

He was cut off as David finally spoke. “I’m sorry but what the fuck is going on? Where are we? Are we dead?” He asked confused trying to figure out what was even happening.

The crystal paused and then spoke. “Forgive me you must be confused. To answer your question…sadly yes you have died.” It spoke causing the three to stare shellshocked by this information. The crystal continued. “As for where you are, you are in a form of purgatory. This is a place between life and death, my domain. And as for what is going on, I am here to give you three a choice.” It said simply. The three looked up shocked. They had an option?

“If its better then being dead, I’ll take it. So what is this offer?” Alex said almost instantly.

The crystal seemed surprised. “Well at least you will consider it.” It said gladly. “This offer is quite simple. If you all agree to become warriors of light, I can resurrect you. You can fight that thing that killed you, and earn your freedom.”

This caused the group to look to eachother confused, and the crystal waited for a response. Alexd took a deep breathe and asked. “Will we have to work together as these warriors of light?”

“Of course!” The crystal said. “in fact you will be stronger together.”

Alex winced clearly not liking this idea. David growled. “C’mon bro really? You don’t like me that much?” He asked.

Alex glared. “Of course I don’t. You’re a criminal! Why would I ever work with you.”

David instantly responded. “Yeah well I don’t wanna work with a stupid fucking cop either!” He shouted. These two were getting more and more heated but Hillary finally spoke up.

“Guys please! If what the crystal says is true, think about the consequences. If we don’t stop it, then everyone we know is dead. Our friends, our family, everything we care for will be gone.” She glared at them both. “So will we just abandon everyone just because of our own stubborn nature?”

This caught the two off guard. Until now she seemed oddly soft spoken, but she just exploded with a passion that caught them off guard. Alex winced but took a deep breathe. “Yeah I …I guess I can put that aside. At least for now.”

David chuckled. “I don’t have anyone I care for…but I don’t wanna die, so this works fine for me.” Hillary smiled gladly to the two sighing with relief.

The crystal glowed happily. “Well then ready to get going? Stick together and I know you can win.”

David frowned. “Wait how are we going to win?” He asked confused and the being just laughed. “When you come back your power will be increased. Just trust me.” He said as it began to glow brighter and brighter, the group shielding their eyes in shock.

And just like that they woke up in the large room, the creature turning confused. It couldn’t understand how they simply reappeared. It quickly went to grab Alex again, who jolted and instantly moved out of the way, accidently bounding back into the wall caused a crack in it just by accidently slamming into it. He was shocked but grinned. “Woah, that crystal wasn’t lying.” He said laughing a bit.

David grinned and tried something, rushing in and slammed into the large being’s leg. He toppled it over, the thing slamming to the floor shocked. “Oh yeah that’s crazy!” He said laughing.

Hillary took her turn to rush the fallen over being and kicked it into its pit, the thinking falling quickly roaring in shock. “Everyone lets get out of here!” She shouted. The group nodded, all rushing at the door and slammed into it one by one, the thing shaking but not bending.

After a couple tries Hillary jolted. “Wait we need to work together!” She said, and the others blinked. “Oh fuck I’m an idiot.” David said laughing a bit and the all backed up a bit.

Hillary got ready. “Alright, three, two, one, go!” She shouted and they all went together slamming into and through the door, able to finally break free and run out. They were free. The being on the monitor simply watched, chuckling.

“This game just became much more interesting.” The being said while the camera shut off, the world fading away and the marble became the olden wood once more.

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Several days passed. Hillary was once more in her room, staring outside sighing bored. She didn’t know what to do, having just finished dinner with her family, when she got a text. She quickly opened her phone, seeing a message from David. “Yo practice starts in an hour. Alex got us a space. You are coming right?”

Hillary grinned seeing it and instantly responded. “Yup on my way.” She said and hurriedly snuck out from her window once more, running off excitedly. The group had been meeting up every now and then, working together to become stronger as a unit, and it had gone surprisingly well. At this rate they should become far stronger, and hopefully can stop whatever that beings plan was next time they went to face the darkness.