Chapter 32: Dark

In between the vast expanse of [Grassland Neverland] and the complex [Forest of Noli],.

The [Greenfield Village] stood in between the raging flows of stormy wind, carrying with them dust, rubbles, and small objects that might pose quite a deadly threat to those who might hit by them.

It was too dark outside; it was almost like a complete blackout had happened to the whole land.

If a person could stand outside, they might not see their hand even if they opened their whole eyes wide.

Amidst the gradually raging wind, droplets of water have also started to fall from the sky and hit the land.

It was raining, with the aid of the wind. The rainfall has become much faster, heavier, and somewhat deadly.

Every villagers in the village could hear their roofs being bombarded with something heavy, as though rubble had been falling instead of raindrops in this rain.

"Hey, is our roof going to be okay?"

"That I don't know."

"Sigh, this is going to be a sleepless night for all of us."

Everyone can't sleep; even if they wanted to.

Everyone seems to feel something in the village, and this made them so tense that they couldn't sleep a wink.

"Weiss, are you still going out tonight?"

"No, this time I won't."

Weiss stood up and hugged his wife in his arms as he answered.

...

At this time, as the storm started to rage on,

The shadows that can't be seen in the darkness around the village seem to blend in with the whole land.

The world is its playground.

There was no light; it was hidden by the clouds above. It was a monster, a shapeless and formless shadow of the light.

The stronger the light, the darker the shadow of the night.

No one knows, nor can they hear or see what's happening outside aside from the pitter-patter of the raging rainstorm upon their roofs.

In a while, without any sign, the world outside the houses has been flooded not by water but by the blobbing and waving sea of vicious shadows!

...

Village chief's house.

Juan laid on top of the bed under the cover of the blanket with Ceth.

'So this is Ceth's room, huh? It's kind of plain. It might be because of the lack of things suited for girls aside from clothes and food in this land.'

On the four corners of the room were four brightly lit torches, bringing warmth and safety to the two's mentality.

Aside from that, there was a wooden table with knitting kits and unfinished clothes on top. There's also a small cabinet-like wardrobe filled with dresses inside.

'Now that I thought about it, Ceth doesn't really wear anything underneath her clothes. Could it be that there's no underwear in this village? '

'Even in the face of disaster, I can still think like this huh. Ceth, it's your fault you awakened what I have been suppressing all this time.'

Juan leaned his face against Ceth's neck as he hugged her from behind.

Although he was restless downward, he had already made a promise not to do it here after all.

He can only suppress it and be content with the hug. A man even in disaster.

Ceth has been awake all this time too. Clearly, she had noticed something hard pressing down below her.

Although she was nervous, she was also deeply relieved feeling Juan hadn't really made a move in a long time.

It's not that she rejects Juan's advances, but this night was just not the right time and place to really do that kind of thing.

Rumble! Rumble!

Claps of thunder suddenly rang outside, waking those who were drowsy as though they had just taken a sip of hot coffee at midnight.

There were also those who got scared and shaken by their fear of thunder. Most of them are women.

Just like the one in Juan's embrace, he could feel her body shaking from time to time whenever the thunder outside rang its fury upon the land.

"I'm here. Don't worry."

There was nothing much to say other than let her hear his voice as her assurance and embrace her more tightly to let her feel more safe and protected.

This has greatly eased Ceth's fearful heart. However, the sounds of thunder still can't make her forget hearing about it.

"Husband..."

"What is it?"

"Let me hear your heartbeat."

"...okay."

Juan didn't know how she would do that, but if he could, he would help. It's Ceth after all.

In the next second, under the blanket,

In the middle of Juan's embrace, Ceth turned around and let her hands press on Juan's chest along with her bountiful chest and face.

"I see, you can sleep well, Ceth."

Seeing her like this, Juan embraced her more tightly and let her feel the beat of his heartbeat instead.

Juan enjoys this beautiful and enjoyable bonding with Ceth under the blanket.

He almost forgot about the disaster happening outside, if not for the occasional thunder above.

'Love is both powerful and dangerous. It made us happy, and we feel like we can do anything.'

'But it will also make us forget things and our surroundings. I wonder what's going on outside at this time.'

'The rainstorm has already gotten so strong that it started to sway the roof. My house might have already been done for this time.'

Juan slowly closed his eyes as time went by.

With the warmth in his embrace, Juan felt secured. With Ceth already asleep, he has no more worries to look over.

This suddenly made him feel his cautiousness calm down, and drowsiness started to attack his conscious mind.

'No, I can't fall asleep this time. I still had to take care of the torches around me. If the fire goes out, then that shadow monster might come inside the house.'

'Although I could still remain conscious because of my will, I might not last enough till morning, when the sun arrives.'

'So I can't fall asleep. But, I need to find some ways to ease the drowsiness.... However just closing my eyes shouldn't be considered as sleeping right?'

Thud.

The fire goes out with the last drop of its fuel, leaving its last spark. With no one to replace it with a new one or add more dry clothes for it all this time,.

The light in the room slowly dwindled till it couldn't last to forbid the darkness from swallowing this whole room from its shadow.

Juan, who had fallen asleep long ago, didn't know. Nor did he have the heart to persevere in the face of his body's needs.

Even if he knew of the consequences of what might happen because of his decision, Juan would still follow the instincts of his body and fall asleep.

That is the kind of person Juan is.

A lazy man who fears troublesome matters and a coward who can't face anything with confidence.

Time has already given him a lifetime lesson.

It can be said that his whole life is built on the premise that nothing will change, so he will just follow where his fate tells him to go.

If he can, he will naturally avoid trouble and run away from all kinds of challenges. He wasn't brave, nor was he smart or reliable.

...

Hus....

Husband...

"Husband, wake up."

Juan suddenly opened his eyes, yet all he could see was darkness in sight.

The sounds of the rainstorm outside and the absence of the raging wind and rain inside the house means the roof is still intact above.

"I'm awake."

Feeling Ceth's warmth in his arms, Juan calmed down from the sudden surprise and chaos in his mind.

"The torches..."

Indeed, the torches have long since died down.

"It's my fault. I succumbed to my desire to sleep. Sorry."

Although he can't see Ceth's expression at this time, Juan guesses in his mind that Ceth might have thought he wasn't sorry for what he did at all.

Well, even he himself could feel no sincerity in those words he said. Juan seems to have no sense of crisis whenever a disaster strikes.

Strange, but that was Juan being Juan himself. He was a contradictory being but mostly followed what he really decided to do.

"Mm., I think it's okay. Just that, don't leave me."

Ceth's right hand on his chest moved and wrapped around his back instead. He could feel her shaking, though; she must have been scared.

"Alright."

Juan embraced her more and then said.

There's no need to move and leave Ceth's side just to light up the torches.

Even if the shadow monster arrived and played them a horror and frightful prank, It can't do anything harmful to them.

However, he can't gamble on the fact that nothing will happen if he leaves Ceth's side.

"Even the living room is dark."

Juan muttered as he glanced in the direction of the door. Not even the gaps in the room could see any traces of light.

It might be his imagination or something, but amidst this darkness,

He seems to see something moving around them, like some sort of unimaginable worm-like entity.

It has two reddish circles moving like a swirl from time to time.

As thought, a snake was playing around its prey before it straggled them to death.

'I must be hallucinating because I'm scared.'