Silent Nocturne

Ella

I’ve always found solace in the quiet of the night. The world sleeps, leaving behind only the soft hum of distant sounds—soothing to the mind, offering a rare kind of peace. But tonight, something feels off. It’s a sensation I’ve never experienced before. I keep catching glimpses of a shadow, but no matter how hard I look, I can’t seem to find its source.

This path I tread is one that most people avoid, even in the daylight. They whisper of creatures lurking in the shadows, tales woven from fear and superstition. But I’ve never believed in such nonsense. To me, it’s just a myth, the kind that grows legs in the dark corners of the mind, like a fairytale. That’s why I chose this secluded place for my nightly walks—no people, just the tranquility I crave. Yet, tonight, something is different. A heavy unease clings to the air, a disquiet I’ve never felt before.

As I continued my walk, a strange fog appeared, swirling in the air before vanishing just as quickly. I dismissed it at first, but then it happened again. A cold realization crept in—this was no ordinary mist. It’s not even the season for fog. My heart began to pound in my chest, each beat echoing in the silence. Something was undeniably wrong.

And then I heard it—a sound, unlike anything I’d heard before, followed by the sudden appearance of a giant falcon. It was there, looming before me, only to vanish into the wind as if it were never there at all. My eyes darted around, searching the shadows, and that’s when I saw him—a man standing behind a gnarled old tree, his gaze fixed on me, unblinking. A shroud of fog encircled him, giving him an otherworldly aura.

Despite the growing dread, my feet carried me toward him, albeit slowly, as if something unseen was holding me back. It was fear—cold and paralyzing. Then, out of nowhere, a strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back into the darkness. Panic surged through me, and then, nothing.

When I awoke, it was morning. I was back in my room, the sunlight streaming through the windows. But the events of the night before were hazy, like a fading dream. How did I get here? The last thing I remember is that man—his eerie stare—and the sensation of a firm grip around my waist. But who was he? And how did I end up back home, a place that had been locked tight when I left?

My eyes swept across the room, landing on a dark red dahlia resting on my bedside table, a stark contrast to the pale morning light. Next to it, a note, simple yet ominous: *Never come again.*

A threat? Then why the flower? It was beautiful, delicate, almost a contradiction to the warning. But no one, no note, could deter me from uncovering the truth. I needed to know what happened last night—who that man was, and whose arm had held me. How had they unlocked my door, and why did they leave me this note? A flood of questions swirled in my mind, each one more pressing than the last.

_ _ _

It is 9PM. Usually I go for the nightwalk this time. But when I was going to leave my place Noah came. My heart was beating faster seeing her in this time.

"Are you going somewhere?"

If I say I am going for a nightwalk she will say,she wanna come with me so I said I was just going to the grocery shop.

"In this time?" she narrowed her eyes with untrustful gaze.

"I..I..I wasn’t in the mood to make my dinner so thought of buying some snacks from the shop."

"What?Come with me." Then she grabs my wrist and take me to her home and offers me butter chicken and some vegetables.After finishing my meal,I ask why she was there or if anything important she had to come for.

"I invited all of the people of our class as you said.But I went there to see you because I was feeling strange and was being paranoid felt like something is going to happen with you."

"Oh-no see I am ok. You don’t need to be paranoid."

She smiled and said, " Yeah,now I can sleep peacefully . I am little worried about you from the last incident where you disappeared for 2 days but thank god you were safe. I still don’t know the reason."

"Oh,Noah.That was a long time ago. Already 2 years passed since that day. "

"Yeah, I know"

"Ok,so good night."

"Night"

I had to say lie to her though usually I don't but this is important for me.I have to know all of this shit.Though I didn't panic infront of my friend about those 2 days but that is still a great puzzle to me. All of this mysterious thing happens to me all the time and now I have a clue and maybe this is related as I can't remember anything about those 2 days.All I can remember was I slept 21,September but woke up in 23, September and when I woke up everyone was saying I was missing for two freaking days and when I checked the date I had no clue where the fuck I was. So,this time I am not letting go any clue and I am sorry that I told lie to her but there was no other way. I've arrived to that place. Today it is not dark like yesterday as it is a moonlit night but old abandoned structures made this place looking like a gothic world which is hidden from the general.In the daytime ,it is just a random abandoned area.Dust,some kit and dead and new grass,Elderly trees covering the whole area. I am walking here for about 30 minutes but no strange thing caught my eyes in this meantime. Suddenly, a urge in my mind to get inside a abandoned house but I have nothing for self defence if any snake tries to strike at me.Therefore, I held back my impulse and walked in a regular manner.

Suddenly, I noticed the sound of  footsteps behind me. I truned back to see whoever this is but there was no one. But my heart skipped a beat  when I noticed a falcon sitting on the top branch of the tree . This is the elusive falcon that I saw yesterday at my window. If it were a human or another creature that could talk, I would ask why I keep seeing it everywhere. But what on earth can I ask this bird?"I sat down in the shade of a tree waiting for something to happen because I certainly know this is not a normal falcon.

But instead of inspecting,I fell a sleep in the meantime.I glanced at the time and realized it was 2:30 AM. I felt so stupid that I spent my night here,under this old fucking tree in this abandoned place.Instantly, I stood up and focused on the top branch of the tree and was looking for the falcon here and there but it was nowhere. But I wasn't prepared for what I was about to see when I turned around after hearing a voice.

"I told you to stay away from this place."

It was a man who is about 25-30 by age and his height was about 6'2". He was looking so angry that his face was like he wants to kill me now because I may have disturbed him. His eyes are green but it is slowly turning into all black even the white part of the eyes are looking like an actual terror. I am puzzled and couldn’t move a bit. Before I can scream at the top of my lungs, he grips my throat and growls,

'Don’t scream or I will kill you.'

I force myself to stay calm. I was so frightened that I am not able to think clearly what's going on.

A voice that was deep and seething with restrained anger, he intoned,

"I had warned you."

"Who do you think you are?"

"It's not the point.Tell me why are you here?"

His voice remained deep as before with a sense of rage and Curiosity.

He was waiting for my assertive response but I didn’t sound assertive rather I ask," Why?I love this place." His hold is slowly weakening.

"You can find other places you love."

I hissed with a serpent's intensity.

His eyes darkens which looks scary as hell but I am not going anywhere,

"I don’t know what kind of ghost you are but I am not leaving this place.I am not scared of you"

But inside, I am trembling with fear like a terrified hamster.

Now he is growing more and more enraged that he slammed his fist into the old tree out of fury, and it came crashing down.Now, my fear is no longer confined to my mind but is also visible outside.

"What the creature are you?" I murmur.

He hisses with anger, the snake-like sound echoing in my ears. I had never witnessed such fury before. He seized my throat from behind, pulling me close. His chest pressed against my back as he whispers furiously,

" This place is not safe for you.You are the key.Go home."

"What? I am key to what?"

He then turned me around so that my face was pressed against his.Holding my face in his hands he replied,

"Don’t ask questions,you little human"

"I need to know,please." I begged.

He turned his face away, his eyes filled with sorrow as if he wished to say something but he chose not to.

I woke up in my bed, confused about how I ended up here. The falcon was back, perching at the window as it has been before. The bizarre events of last night, which I had hoped were just a bad dream, proved to be all too real. The mysterious man was no illusion. I look at the falcon, reaching out to pet it. It didn’t fly away, instead allowing me to pet it, while my cat is watching with a envy and curiosity.

Then I notice something on the table beside me: another note and a dark red dahlia. I have thought the man had said all he needed to last night. To my surprise, there is no such a thibg. The note simply said:

"Sleep well little human,nobody will harm you and even if they try they won't live."

A burning question arises in my mind,

Why on earth is this man trying to protect me from unknown creatures and threats? Who is he really? I need answers, so I’ve decided to return there alone.