Dante.
I couldn't feel my legs or my arms. My mouth tasted like it was full of cotton wool, and there was ringing coming from somewhere. It took me some time to pull my eyes open. Everything looked blurry. Feeling was returning to my hands and feet, but there was still that damm ringing.
I sat up slowly and only then realized the ringing was coming from my ears. The right ear, to be exact. I placed my hand over it and moaned pitifully.
It hurt.
I moved my hand to the further right and upward, and felt a small bump. I had hit my head. I felt around for any sign of bleeding, but there was none. I still felt woozy, though.
Pulling myself to my feet took up more effort than I thought it would. I looked at my surroundings properly, trying to recall what had happened last night. I knew I was in my new dorm at my new school. There'd been a kick ass party and I attended with Matteo. A girl had given me amazing hair, and then I came back. And then what?
I staggered a bit as a wave of dizziness took me. Was it the alcohol? Had I had too much to drink?
I know I didn't look at it, but I wasn't a wuss. I know how to hold my liquor. The only time I ever got drunk was when I was trying to forget a heartbreak. Just that once, and it never happened again. What were the odds it would happen now?
The room looked clean. If I had staggered in here smelling of booze, it would be evident somehow. But the room was spotless.
Too spotless.
The clothes I remember Matteo removing from my closet weren't on the bed anymore. I didn't remember picking them up before I left. My bag sat neatly in a corner, my phone was plugged in, the bed on the other side was made, the claw marks on the floor remained untouched,...
The claw marks on the floor?
All at once, it hit me. The growl in the dark, the lights going off, my phone dying. And the creature. The most terrifying thing I had ever seen in my life. I reached out to grab hold of the closet to steady myself so I won't fall. I felt the fear from last night wash over me.
It had come close. Close enough to kill me, and then it backed away. I tried to run away from the dorm, and I got as far as the hallway before I tripped. I must've fallen, hit my head, and passed out. But if that was what happened, how did I end up back in my dorm room, and how was the place cleaned up?
Did the monster come to finish the job, but decide to tuck me in instead? And picked up my clothes while he was at it.
It was a funny thought. Or at least it would be if this had happened to somebody else. But I'd seen the beast. It was dark, but I'd seen it. That was no lullaby monster.
Would it come for me again tonight?
The door opened suddenly, and I screamed, nearly bolting out of my skin in fear.
"Dude! Dude! It's me! What the hell!" Matteo held his hands up as he walked in.
I was crouched in the small corner between the closet and the wall. I had no idea how I'd gotten there or how I'd been able to squeeze in there that fast.
"You okay, Dan?" He asked with concern. "I would've knocked, but I figured you'd still be asleep from the party and the door was open, so…"
"The door was open?" I asked as I got up from my crouched spot. "Why was it open?"
"You tell me, bro." Matteo snorted.
Only now did I see the smile he was desperately trying not to show and how this whole thing looked from his perspective. Roles reversed, I would've found it funny too.
I wiggled out from the tight corner, trying to act natural. Like I had intended to be there anyways.
"Must've forgotten to lock it last night," I said as breezily as I could.
"Yeah. Must've been wasted. I don't remember you drinking much, though." Matteo said, stepping aside for me to walk past him to the bathroom.
"You passed out pretty early. How would you know?" I countered.
"Yeahhhh. Sick shit! The party was dope!" Matteo laughed.
I shook my head and splashed some water on my face. I looked like hell.
"Don't take me to that kind of party again." I fumed angrily.
"Oh, come on. You were enjoying yourself. Wait," his face contorted with concern, "you didn't take any of that pink stuff those goth chicks were passing around, did you? Because I have to tell you, do not take any pink stuff. Or green stuff. Or dammit, any powdery stuff. Shit messes you up."
"And you didn't think to tell me this before we went to the party?!" I raised my brows in alarm.
"Did you take any of the pink stuff?"
"No, I didn't. I didn't even see it."
"Then I guess it's all good. So why were you acting strange a few minutes earlier?" He cocked his head to the side.
I considered telling him about what I'd seen. About the beast stalking me, and me passing out trying to run from it. But it sounded crazy, even to me, and I was certain it had happened. I didn't dream any of it, but Matteo would think I did.
"I don't know, man. Must've been the alcohol. It's been a while since I drank." I replied instead.
"Jeez. You need to go out more." Matteo stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked around absently.
"I gotta get to class. My schedule got emailed to me yesterday." I announced as I started pulling clothes out of my closet.
"That reminds me, I found the name of your roommate for the year. It's Asher Dowell."