The Truth About the Darkness

"You don't get it do you?" I ask slowly walking towards them. I lock eyes with the tall young man standing in front of the group. He reminded me of my younger self...before. "Shadows. Darkness. These aren't real things. Merely descriptions." I say stopping directly in front of him just outside of arm’s length.

He looked at me perplexed. Almost as if I was speaking a different language. Like one he's heard before but couldn't quite make out what I was saying. "There is, no, darkness." I say slowly, breaking the silence that lingered over the frigid chill settling around us.

The surrounding forest grew quiet under the light of the full moon now settled high in the raven-colored sky. It wasn't uncommon for it to be quiet at this time of night, but this was different. It almost like every existence, trees, animals, and whatever else was lingering around, was intently listening. Almost like they were holding their breath so not to disturb the moment. I close my eyes and I that when I begin to feel it. Rising up, dancing around me. I had thought myself beyond it but how I've missed this. The song of the hunt.

I found myself having to look upward since he stood almost a full head over me. Though I would hesitate to consider myself tall I often find myself among the taller group in an average crowd. The sound of his heart beat, now beating loudly in my ear, quickened. Signifying his change from confusion to fear. I hear it as clearly as a symphony drum in a long empty hallway. "What, what do you mean?" he manages to stutter out trying to hide his unease. He failed.

"There is no such thing as darkness." I repeat opening my eyes trying to hide my amusement at their confusion. The smirk now on my face, a clear sign that I failed. "Darkness is simply the absence of light." I continue. The air, now rich with the aroma of fear as clear as walking into a house for dinner on a holiday gathering. The smell of sweat, the rhythm of racing heart beats, even hints of urine began to rise, greeting my nose. Though I really could do without the last one. "Yes, my gift has been labeled as darkness, but I don't go around casting darkness."

I raise my arm until my hand is level with his eyes, pointing directly between them. He immediately backs away and starts touching his face. Only a second later he starts to wail and scream. "My eyes! What did you do to my eyes?" The other three behind him now completely frozen in fear. Only able to look on in terror as he drops to his knees. "How can you cast darkness on me? I have the gift of light."

"I don't cast darkness on my foes." I repeat myself again loudly as to be heard over his obnoxious crying. "I rob them of their light."

The forest collectively exhales as a strong and sudden wind blows from the trees. As if to signal the beginning of the feast to come. The hunt had begun. The first sound to break the dense tree line was the howling of the wolves just beyond the reach of the light. Their howls were answered by an unkindness of ravens atop the surrounding trees. Hidden, both groups look on but neither dare move. Not before them.

I take a step back and look up at the moon. It sinks behind a large cluster of thick clouds almost as if to give itself some sort of deniability from what was about to happen. Taking with it all light. Only then will THEY emerge.

I close my eyes again and feel a quick jerk forward like something is testing my balance. Not enough to move me from the spot I occupied but a rapid pull on my body as what feels like my shadow or soul is breaking free. When I open my eyes again, I see them. Three dark presences. Ready to devour this bountiful meal before them.

They don’t have a particular shape. Just fluid entities. I don’t know exactly what they are but I know they aren't gods or demons but something….else. Something outside the realm of conscience good or evil but no less powerful and potentially even older.

Beings without names. Or if they ever had one it has been long forgotten before language was invented and recorded.