A night normal for this city would be the grimmest and darkest night, so petrifying that the stars seemed to hide in fear. Darkness pierced through the city to the point where most were terrified and had to sleep by dusk. While others were in their homes, the darkness shielded those of vile hearts and gave others fear to the evil's delight. It became a cloak for the vile-hearted, feeding off the fear of those who cower.
Three victims, siblings Jasmine, Julian and Judah, were happy and intelligent children, children who could uplift the depressed with their happy nature and kindred spirits. They were the light in their dark.
Judah, the eldest sibling, was the strongest, it seemed to Jasmine and Julian, yet to others, a child. His untidy hair and perpetual dark circles reflected the weight of the responsibilities he carried. Judah's broad shoulders bore the weight of his responsibilities, shaped by countless hours spent labouring around the house. His unkempt brown hair and brown eyes looked like dirt on the earth's skin. As the eldest at age 16, he had to take responsibility for his younger siblings and was pressured into doing what others requested. He was the least loved of the three. Constantly overshadowed by Jasmine's brilliance or Julian's creativity, Judah struggled to find his light; he felt left out, yet he loved his siblings wholeheartedly. He loved them so much, but his parents were less loving, putting him down and neglecting his needs. Even as he watched Jasmine and Julian sparkle in their parents' eyes, jealousy twisted in Judah's gut. He ached to be seen, to be loved, yet he couldn't bring himself to voice the pain. Will Judah's desire for parental love cause tension between him and his siblings? He hid his pain, knowing that his siblings adored their parents, oblivious to the shadows that loomed. Whenever he caught his parents' laughter echoing down the hall, Judah felt a knot tighten in his chest, wishing they'd share the warmth with him, too, rather than forgetting him in the shadows. Judah now has no space for improvements, thoughts and feelings. He developed the habit of seeking his parents' attention in hopes of his parents loving him like he once loved them. The attention of his parents he sought, but none he received, and thus in vain.
Julian, the middle sibling, was the most creative, creative beyond bounds. He was seen with his curly, golden brown hair that glinted in the sunlight and his green eyes that were so elusive. They shone like emeralds in the sunlight and a face chiselled like a sculpture. He loved Literature and at the mere age of 13, he could remember every novel quote, verse and memorable event, yet his personality sent people away. His creativity could lead to the downfall and the upbringing of his family. He could create any lie from any situation and tell any story that needed to be heard. His sharp wit often created barriers, pushing away those who couldn't keep up with his relentless dishonesty. He always had the sharpest yet the bluntest tongue. He was the most studious and needed no friends during that time, Julian had said. That attitude caused most to be driven away, yet he was loved by all. He had a blessing and a curse.
Meanwhile, Jasmine, the youngest, was the "golden child" of the family. Jasmine, at the age of 10, was the smartest in the entire city. She could solve any of the hardest maths equations that tutors could never solve until after years of study. She was so loved by her family and neighbourhood, "the smartest child in the city," said the neighbours. At times, people even speculated that she wasn't her parents' biological child. Her family adored her, basking in her genius while Judah felt increasingly invisible.
One day, these children waited in Jasmine's room as she was dead afraid of the dark. These children held their lamps and stuffed toys tightly and dear to their hearts. Jasmine, terrified of the dark, clung to her siblings as time stretched infinitely. Boredom seeped in, and it was as though time slowed down for the children, but they persevered.
"Do you think Mom and Dad are alright?" Judah finally asked, breaking the silence, his voice a mix of concern and a plea for distraction. "I don't know," Jasmine whispered, eyes wide with dread. "What if... what if they are in trouble?" "I can't just sit here waiting," Julian said, conviction swelling within him. "We have to do something," Julian said, not thinking further of the journey he may experience.
"No, let's wait, they will come soon, I know it," Jasmine said with concern and assurance.
"Look at her talking to her elders like this", Julian paused, "I like your confidence, little child. We shall wait." Julian said in a cartoon voice.
"Same old, same old, you still act the same every day. Stop being so childish, but whatever, we will stay," Judah said with annoyance.
The children waited ten minutes, passing an hour.
"You think they're okay out there?" Judah asked, his voice barely above a whisper, scanning the dark shadows creeping along the walls. "What if they're in trouble?"
Julian responded mockingly, "If they are, it's probably because Mom lost the car keys again.
"The children laughed cheerfully.
"But seriously, we have to find them. We don't know what lingers in the dark, but it is best if we try," Julian said in seriousness. "This time, I am not joking. Let us find them."
"He is right, we had to find them," Judah said. All agreed to venture into the dark.
The children gathered their courage to walk out into the darkness they once feared with hope, but no resolve for the future.
As they ventured out anxiously and in fear of what would happen. They were thinking about whether they or their parents could become the victims of the dark. They wandered into the pitch black with the desire to save their parents while knowing the troubles and life-threatening decisions they might have to make. Into the pitch black, they ventured, yearning to save their parents, even as danger lurked in every shadow. They wonder with anxiety, sorrow, fear and preparation for their forthcoming demise, but surprisingly, a drop of hope to see their parents once again. The longer they walked, the shorter their self-esteem and hope pitched off like ice off an iceberg. The more they walked, the harder it became for the evil not to find them. The further they walked, the nearer they felt to turning back. They searched and searched, dodging all the serial killers, kidnappers, armed robbers and thieves until they couldn't anymore. They were trying to hold themselves against the weight of fear. Once the children were certain, they searched every corner of the city, leaving no stone untouched, bushes, their parents' office, random buildings and alleys; despair overwhelmed them, and they were in tears under a flickering light amid the darkness. Knowing it may have led to that situation, they never expected such despair with no consolation. Who could have saved them then? What choices will these frightened siblings make when confronted with the evil lurking in the dark?
After they stopped crying and gathered all their thoughts, they got up, wiping away their puddles of tears as they knew someone would hear them. But it was too late, someone was already watching them from the shadows, and the person followed them as they walked. Jasmine who sensed the danger told her brothers, and described how she saw a person with the figure of a man with a bandana tied around his face following them, had expected them to make a plan but with no one guiding Judah, he foolishly ran away and had carried Jasmine and Julian along with him. Judah, confident in his strength and stamina, never anticipated that the figure lurking behind them could close the distance so quickly. Unsurprisingly, the mysterious person caught up to the children, swept them off their feet, sedated them, tied their hands and feet and put them in a dark corner in an abandoned building where his victims or their bodies once were, it seemed.
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