(HSSC) Alex Fleet: Sciaphobia.

This is the second Alex Fleet story. If you would like to read the first story you can click on this link.
Alex Fleet: First Summer
You don't have to read the first story. I tried my best to let you know everything you need to know for this story.

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Alex Fleet: Sciaphobia.

This is not good...
I'm supposed to be in Tampa right now. Instead I'm stuck in this cabin in the middle of nowhere. Not so long ago I woke up not knowing who I am or where I'm from. I'm in a world that seems so different to me. The population has been reduced. Simple things, like drinking water is more valuable than anything. Technology is striving but many things are simple due to energy needs. I've made friends who help me, they have named me Alex. My new friend John serves in the military and is bringing me to Tampa hoping we can find out who I am.
That was the plan anyway. John and I left Gardner with a pilot named Sam Rami. An engine blew while we were over the Cypress Swamps. We crashed with minimal injury and we were lucky to have found an old cabin for shelter. We have only a 24 hours worth of water and no food. Sam's aircraft is useless, even the radio is busted. It is a good thing Sam is a marvel with technology. He has found some radio parts in the cabin and thinks he will be able to radio for help.
"Sam," I shout, "How are you doing, did you get everything you need?"
"Dude, keep it down I'm two feet away from you," he laughs.
"Heh, sorry."
"I got my tools with me and I've scavenged enough parts to get us up and going."
"Anything I can do?"
"Yeah go swim in the swamp and leave me to it. This is going to take me all night" He gives me a wink and I head into the cabin's main room.
Sam is shorter than John and I, he has dark hair and.. well he is odd. Don't get me wrong the guy isn't mean. He just has that deadpan sense of humor. I'm sure he is a sadist, but I like him.

I have to cross the main room of the cabin to get to the bedroom. The main room has a lit fire place with a deer head over it. For some reason I can't help but to look at it in the eyes. John is sitting in a rocking chair. He looks like he is in deep thought.
"Hey John, what are you doing?"
"I'm just trying to clear my mind and let the time pass."
"Well, I'm going to go to sleep and let the time pass."
"Okay man, I'll wake you when Sam says were ready."
John is a good guy. He saved me from a beating in Gardner and now he is trying to help me find out who I am. I owe him more than one.

I walk in to the bed room. It would be pitch black in here if it wasn't for the full moon light coming through the window. There is a bed and a dresser in this other wise empty room. I hit the mattress with my body and before long, I fall asleep.

I don't know how long I've been out for, but now I'm looking up at the ceiling. For some reason I can't move my body. I can look around the room with my eyes, but I can't move my head. My breath is heavy. I got to keep calm, get it together. My eyes fixate to the door. from the corner of the room I can see a figure. It slowly walks closer to me. Somehow it remains covered in shadow. Oh my god, my heart is pumping so hard I can hear my pulse in my ears. The Shadow walks right up to my bed and leans over me. It is putting its face right into mine. I can't breath. I try to call out to John but I can't do anything but look at this thing staring down at me. HELP ME! I keep shouting in my mind. This shadow man is still just looking at me only a few inches from my face. The face is featureless but somehow I feel its mouth is opening exposing it's pointed shadow teeth.
Please, please leave me alone! Go away!
I think I'm going to throw up.

"Alex!" John shouts, "Sam had made contact with Tampa"
With the sound of Johns voice I can finally move my body and the Shadow figure is gone.
"Okay," I call back. John opens the door and takes a step into the room.
"They should be here in an hour to lift us out and take us to Tampa. Did you want me to leave you to rest till they get here?"
"No I think I wont be going back to sleep..."

I don't think I will ever be able to sleep


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Another very well crafted story for the contest. Well done indeed, Umbrax. This story was well put together and had a number of elements which together served to create a frightening and intense atmosphere. I also liked the little nods to the classics (Sam Rami and a cabin in the woods? Nice). The part at the end where the sahdow figure hovered over Alex was very suspenseful and certainly got my heart going. I'm going to read the first installment right now and hope to see more in the future. Nice work.

Thanks for the response to my story

I'm glad you liked it and that people pick up on the nods to Rami and Evil Dead.

Hi Umbrax,

I enjoyed reading your story, and I will have to make sure I read the first one also!! Of course my favorite moment was when Alex is paralyzed and the shadow man was so close to his face. I kept wondering, "Is Alex the only one left? Did the shadow man get his friends already?" Then of course his friend John calls him, helping him our yet again, and I was like "whew!". (Nice suspence there. )

I also liked the characterization of Sam through the use of dialogue. I actually liked his character the most. . Great story Umbrax!

Thanks sylvrshadow, I'm glad you liked it.

Sam is the only 'new' character in Alex Fleet so I felt I had to present him well enough to be likable.