FIAM: Haunt

“It was back again. It always came back. The Face.”

Graham was on top of a bed, looking directly at the ceiling, as his best pony friend, Twilight, was jotting down notes in a small book. “So you see...faces at night? When did this happen?”

Graham was fidgeting with his fingers as he stared blankly at the ceiling, paying no attention to anything else but the voice he was hearing.

“I don't have a damn clue, to tell you the truth. I just remember that a long time ago, I kept seeing things in the dark. I always hated the dark. And I also hated being alone. That’s all I remember.”

Twilight tapped her chin with a fore-hoof and thought of something. “Perhaps it’s your mind telling you something? The brain works in mysterious ways even I can't seem to understand. Now, do you have trouble sleeping?”

“You mean going to sleep? Or...”

“No no, I mean when you fall asleep. Do you have trouble staying asleep? What is it that you dream about?”

The big man shivered and sighed, as if he was going to go through some sort of...phase.

“I have dreams on a lot of things. It can be normal sometimes, but...I always seem to see this...thing...I've seen this weird monster for ten whole years. I've seen therapists, doctors, I've had scans on my brain, and yet nopony has the answers!”

“...Thing? That isn't very descriptive. You have to think deeper.”

“I-I don't wanna talk about it anymore, if that’s alright...I’m tired, and I wanna try to get some sleep.”

Twilight could understand that. He was just afraid to talk about it. Looking down to hear a snoring dragon inside a basket, she thought it was a good idea to hold off until the morning.

“It’s alright. I think I have enough data to get by for the night. In the morning, though, we ARE going to speak more on the matter. For now, get some sleep. I’ll be downstairs reading so that you’ll have some peace and quiet.” She slowly walked towards the stairs until she heard a whisper.

“Wait...”

She turned around to look back at her human friend, noticing the fear in his eyes.

“Don't go...please...”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

“Could you do me a favor and just stay here with me, just until I fall asleep at least? I know it’s a weird thing to ask, me being a man and all, but--”

Twilight shushed him silently with a hoof to his mouth. “It’s ok. It’s not weird, that’s what friends do for each other. Let me just grab a blanket so that I’m comfortable on the floor.” And with that, she went downstairs, towards her little chest, and pulled out a light blue blanket. It was a little worn out, but she thought it was good enough for tonight.

She grabbed a pillow from inside the chest, and trotted back upstairs. Once she was comfortable, she looked up to see the man looking up at the ceiling again. What was so interesting up there?

His arm draped down towards the side of the bed, and Twilight, being compassionate about this, put a hoof on his hand.

“Now just relax, and get some sleep. If anything happens, I’m right here for you. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Graham looked down at her and smiled, ruffling her mane a little with his hand. “Danke, Twilight. You’re the greatest.”

“Bitte.” She smiled and got cozy. Graham was surprised a little that she even understood the word “Danke”, then again, it’s the most used word in his German vocabulary, or around Equestria, “Germane”. But she even responded back with the right word. He guessed she really was that smart.

After getting in a comfortable position, where his body would face left, he soon drifted off to sleep...

LINE BREAK

Graham found himself looking around a forest. He was on a paved path, and was alone with only his thoughts as company. He kept walking towards some mysterious destination even he didn't know. He didn't care, either. All he knew was he was going to keep walking in the forest with Luna’s moon as his lantern through the darkness.

As he kept walking, he soon heard the sound of a wolf howling. Something about that call made his mind feel at ease. He soon found himself making the same call, as though he would’ve gotten an answer back. How foolish.

He suddenly got what he thought wouldn’t have come—an answer.

The howl was a bit louder this time. To say he was stunned it worked would’ve been an understatement. He did the call again, and found himself walking off the paved road, into the forest of the unknown.

He was still alone in the middle of the woods; having no sign of the wolf he was having his “conversation” with. He listened in for it, but to no avail.

He soon gave up, and started to head back until he heard the call again. This time, it was closer than ever. He was so excited to see his first wolf!

But he would find out immediately he would regret ever howling in the first place.

He looked towards the noise to look at not a wolf, but himself.

But this was too different to be him. It looked unnatural....unholy...

Its flesh was grey, and wrinkly, and its hair was greasy and filthy. It was covered in dirt, like it just came out of the ground...

Its clothes were tattered and worn, also covered in dirt and another substance...

Blood...

Its clothes were completely drenched in it, and Graham could understand why.

It would be impossible to not notice the gaping hole that was missing from the thing’s stomach. All the major organs could be seen, which would've been the worst to Graham, except for one thing that made him shiver with fear.

Its eyes.

There were no eyes to speak of, unless that was what you called two red orbs that seemed to float inside its empty sockets. They didn't have anything to attach them to their cranium, but he knew that they could “see” him, if that were even possible. The thing even gave him a wide grin. A grin with teeth the size of pocket knives. And its fingers were replaced by huge claws.

“Not you...not you again...” Graham whispered as he started to back up. He didn't have to think to turn tail and run, but he didn’t get far.

He felt a sheer pain take over his entire body as he looked down to see what was causing it—the thing’s claws were going through his gut, and he knew right then he wasn’t going anywhere.

He was pulled back and was flung into a tree in the distance. But before he was thrown, he was sliced in many different places, not even seeing how or where, but he didn't care. He was sliced in one place that stuck out, and that was the throat.

He laid on the ground, in his own pool of blood, having no means to get up from where he was. He tried calling for help, but all he got out was a gargle. He was doomed.

He waited for the sweet release of death to take him away from this pain, except it never came.

He sat there for Celestia knows how long, to never feel the darkness take over, and the worst part of it, was that he could still feel everything. His warm blood leaving his body, his beating heart, the pain in every fiber of his being. Why wouldn’t he die?

But he didn't receive an answer, for his bringer of pain was upon him like a vulture to a dying animal.

He was grabbed, and his ears, as weak as they were, could pick up the insane laughter this thing was emitting from its throat.

All of a sudden, he heard something else, something familiar.

“...ak....am!”

He didn't understand it, but then it got louder.

“Wake up Graham!”

He opened his eyes to see Twilight. Her mane was messy, tears dropping down from her snout, and her eyes showed the same fear he had before he drifted into the nightmare that was the Beast.

“Are you ok? You were choking! I thought you were going to die!”

Twilight continued checking over him, making sure that he was alright.

“It was awful...he’s back again...”

“Who’s back Graham? Who’re you talking about?”

Graham kept babbling about seeing the other him in the dream. He didn't even make full sentences, but he could still feel the pain, that’s all he knew. It was like it actually happened.

She didn't care. She took no notes on this, and decided to comfort him in his time of need. Obviously he was troubled by something, and she would get to the bottom of this, but for now, comfort.

That’s all that mattered at the very moment.