Prologue: The Towns Nightmare

Prologue
The Towns Nightmare

     There is a town that stands where canyons howl to the west, fields sway in the south, trees creek to the east, and mountains guard the north.  This town has an old tale about the tallest mountain named Moons Perch, and when the mountain holds its name true the curious, the stupid, the naughty all vanish never to be seen again.  But once in a while one of them will come back, and most of them leave after what they've seen but this is what I've learned from a child.  On the nights when the moon sits on the peak of the mountain, regardless if you can see the moon or not, the air grows still, and all falls silent.  The owls won't hoot, wolfs don't howl, and the crickets won't chirp, even the grass stops.  Three set out to venture the night, whether on a dare or simply unaware, the child could not remember.  It seemed pointless compared to what was to come.  They played, explored, and searched the town in the night until they were spotted in an alleyway by a soldier who scolded them of how they should be in bed ending their night out.  The soldiers’ armor scratched upon itself as he followed them home.  When they got to the town square, the little girl finally noticed something strange.  Something was missing so she asked the two boys, each holding one of her hands, they didn't know, and turned to ask the soldier he was no longer there, the scratching armor is what had been missing.  Worry began to set into the girl, but the boys assured her that the soldier just went back on patrol when they could see the town square.  One of the boys lived a different way than the other two, saying their goodbyes they turn and go.  The two were about to leave the square when all but four of the lanterns where blown out by a gust, worried they called for their friend.  But with no reply they ran to him, and all they found was his grey cotton cap.  They each shout for their friend thinking it was a bad joke; he was the mischievous one after all, so they continued shouting each time with more worry and fear.  But when another lantern went out the little girls eyes lit up, she asked the boy "Where's the moon?" confidently the boy pointed "its there.", and she asked again "Where's the moon?”  They looked frantically at the sky when finally they could see the moon being uncovered by a cloud like a magician reveling their smile, but this was no friendly smile, it was one that belonged to a killer.  Fear griped them both firmly as the cloud moved away that horrible smile was mocking them from above the mountain.  Banging on the nearest doors they yelled "Let us in, let us in."  When another lantern went out and they began to run her home, it being closer than his brought no comfort from the nightmare on their heels.  Her homes door was in sight and suddenly her chin scraped the cobblestone.  She quickly looks up only to see her friends flailing legs go limp with his scream suddenly cut off.  Tugging and banging on the door crying to her parents to let her in, she glances to her left and right.  The few lanterns on her left begin to vanish, still trying to get inside, she sees what took her two friends.  It was all that a nightmare monster would be, intangible until you were in its clutches, but a candle let her see one more truth to this nightmare, as she was pulled inside by her father.  The eyes of the towns’ nightmares continue to stare at her in her sleep those cold brass eyes.