NIGHT TERRORS

Rachel awoke with a start, Ken's name escaping her lips in a panicked whisper. "Ken!" she gasped, her heart pounding in her chest. The darkness of their bedroom seemed to press in on her, suffocating in its silence.

Beside her, her husband stirred, groggy with sleep. "Another nightmare?" he asked, his voice thick with concern.

Rachel nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks as she leaned into his chest. "Yes," she sobbed. "I saw him... I saw Ken."

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly. "We'll find him, Rachel. No matter what, we'll find him."

Rachel closed her eyes, drawing comfort from his embrace. The memories of the day Ken disappeared flooded back, sharp and painful.

Four months ago, the morning had started like any other. Ken had seemed distracted, his eyes distant. She had brushed it off, thinking he was just preoccupied with his studies. But when he didn't return that evening, she knew something was wrong.

She had filed a missing person's report with the police, her hands trembling as she described her nephew to the officers. The days that followed were a blur of anxiety and despair. Every time the phone rang, her heart leapt, only to be crushed by the lack of news.

Rachel felt she had failed her sister, Ken's mother. She had promised herself to take care of Ken, to give him a safe and loving home. But now he was gone, and she was left with an aching emptiness, a fear that gnawed at her soul.

Her husband's steady breathing finally lulled him back to sleep, but Rachel lay awake, staring at the ceiling. She wondered where Ken was, if he was safe, if he was even alive. The uncertainty was a torment she wouldn't wish on anyone.

The house was silent, save for the occasional creak of settling wood. As Rachel tried to calm her racing thoughts, she thought she heard something—a faint voice, barely more than a whisper.

"Rachel..."

She sat up, straining to hear. "Ken?" she whispered back, her heart leaping into her throat.

The voice came again, a soft, insistent call. "Rachel, I'm here..."

Her heart pounded as she slipped out of bed and crept to the window. She peered into the darkness, searching for any sign of her nephew. The yard was still, shrouded in shadows. But the voice persisted, drawing her towards the back door.

"Rachel, please..."

She couldn't ignore it. Desperate hope flared within her as she quietly made her way downstairs. The house felt colder, the air thick with an unspoken dread. She hesitated at the back door, her hand hovering over the handle. Something about the voice seemed off, but she couldn't let that deter her. What if it really was Ken?

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped outside. The night air was cool, a stark contrast to the warmth of the house. She wrapped her arms around herself and scanned the yard.

"Ken?" she called softly, stepping further into the darkness. "Ken, where are you?"

The voice came again, clearer now, as if right beside her. "Rachel, over here..."

She followed the sound, her heart pounding in her ears. The yard seemed to stretch on forever, the shadows deepening with every step she took. She felt a chill run down her spine, but she pushed it aside. She had to find Ken.

As she neared the edge of the yard, the shadows seemed to come alive, twisting and writhing. She stopped, her breath catching in her throat. Something was wrong. The voice had stopped, replaced by an eerie silence.

"Ken?" she called out again, her voice trembling. "Are you there?"

Suddenly, the shadows surged forward, enveloping her in darkness. She screamed, but the sound was swallowed by the void. She felt a cold, clammy hand grasp her arm, pulling her into the inky blackness.

"No!" she cried, struggling against the unseen force. "Let me go!"

But it was too late. The void swallowed her whole, dragging her into its depths. The last thing she saw was the faint glow of her bedroom window, a distant beacon of safety that she would never reach.

Rachel's scream echoed through the night, piercing the stillness. Her husband awoke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked around, disoriented, before realizing Rachel was gone. Panic seized him as he leapt out of bed and rushed to the window, searching the darkness for any sign of her.

"Rachel!" he called out, his voice filled with desperation. "Rachel, where are you?"

But there was no answer, only the oppressive silence of the night. He threw on a coat and ran outside, the cold air biting at his skin. He scanned the yard, his eyes straining to see through the darkness.

"Rachel!" he shouted again, his voice echoing through the empty yard. "Please, answer me!"

But there was no sign of her, no trace of where she had gone. The shadows seemed to mock him, hiding their secrets within their depths. He felt a chill run down his spine, a sense of dread settling in his stomach.

He searched the yard, his heart pounding in his chest. Every shadow seemed to hide a new threat, every sound a potential danger. He called out her name over and over, but there was no answer. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.

Finally, he returned to the house, his heart heavy with fear and uncertainty. He picked up the phone and dialed the police, his hands shaking as he explained the situation.

"My wife," he said, his voice trembling. "She's gone. She disappeared into the yard, and I can't find her. Please, you have to help me."

The officer on the other end of the line tried to reassure him, promising to send someone out to help. But as he hung up the phone, he felt a sense of hopelessness settle over him. He knew that the night held its own secrets, and finding Rachel would be no easy task.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his mind racing. Where could she have gone? What could have taken her? He thought of Ken, and a new fear gripped him. What if whatever had taken Ken had now come for Rachel as well?

He remembered the day Ken had disappeared. It had been a normal morning, or so he had thought. Ken had seemed distant, preoccupied. Rachel had tried to talk to him, but he had brushed her off, saying he was just tired. They had gone about their day, not realizing that it would be the last time they saw him.

When Ken didn't come home that evening, Rachel had been beside herself with worry. They had called everyone they could think of, but no one had seen him. They had searched the neighborhood, called the police, filed a missing person's report. But there had been no sign of him, no clue as to where he had gone.

The days had turned into weeks, the weeks into months. And still, there was no sign of Ken. The police had done what they could, but without any leads, the case had gone cold. Rachel had been devastated, feeling as if she had failed her sister by not keeping Ken safe.

Now, as he sat in the empty house, he felt the weight of that failure himself. He had promised Rachel that they would find Ken, no matter what. But now, with Rachel gone as well, he didn't know what to do.

He glanced out the window, the darkness seeming to press in on him. He felt a shiver run down his spine, a sense of unease settling in his stomach. What if whatever had taken Ken and Rachel was still out there, watching, waiting?

He stood up, unable to sit still any longer. He paced the room, his mind racing. He had to find them. He had to do something. But where to start? How to even begin searching for them in the vast darkness of the night?

He remembered the police officer's words, promising to send someone out to help. But he couldn't just sit and wait. He had to do something, anything, to find Rachel and Ken.

He grabbed a flashlight and headed back outside, the beam cutting through the darkness. He searched the yard again, every shadow seeming to hide a new threat. He called out Rachel's name, his voice echoing through the empty night.

But there was no answer, no sign of her. The darkness seemed to mock him, hiding its secrets within its depths. He felt a sense of hopelessness settle over him, a fear that he would never see Rachel or Ken again.

As he stood in the yard, the darkness pressing in on him, he thought he heard something. A faint whisper, barely more than a breath. He strained to hear, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Rachel," he called out, his voice trembling. "Is that you?"

But there was no answer, only the oppressive silence of the night. He felt a chill run down his spine, a sense of dread settling in his stomach. He knew that the night held its own secrets, and finding Rachel and Ken would be no easy task.

He searched the yard again, his flashlight beam cutting through the darkness. Every shadow seemed to hide a new threat, every sound a potential danger. He called out Rachel's name over and over, but there was no answer. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.

Finally, he returned to the house, his heart heavy with fear and uncertainty. He sat on the edge of the bed, his mind racing. Where could she have gone? What could have taken her? He thought of Ken, and a new fear gripped him.