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In Ames, Iowa, not a whole lot happens.
Kids go to school, parents go to work, and [[life]] is pretty simple. Your name is Andrew Miller.
You and your brother [[Ben]] live with [[your parents]] in a small ranch on the edge of town, far from any neighbors. Your mother and father have been working very hard for the past couple years to afford a second honeymoon in Florence, Italy.
They will be [[gone]] for the next week.You're sitting alone watching TV while Ben sleeps on the other sofa. Suddenly, you see movement outside.
You're unsure whether to [[wake Ben up]] or [[not]]."Mmmmf- couldn't you tell I was sleeping you moron? What's going on anyway?"
You frantically tell him about the thing outside. He seems unconcerned.
"Just come look!" you yell.
Begrudgingly, he comes to see [[what the fuss is about]].You know Ben doesn't like being woken up. He'll probably just punch you and go back to sleep anyway.
Maybe you'll just [[take a closer look]].You creep up to the window facing the street. The glass feels cold despite the fact that it's a warm evening.
You search the area until your eyes rest on a shadowy object, unmoving. You wonder whether to [[wake Ben up]] now or to [[investigate on your own]].You're too afraid to go outside, but you know your dad keeps binoculars on a table in the garage. You grab them and look closer at the figure.
As you view it from bottom to top, it rotates its head in your direction, but you see no eyes.
Startled, you drop the binoculars to the floor, [[waking Ben up]] accidentally."Mmmmf- couldn't you tell I was sleeping you moron? What's going on anyway?"
You frantically tell him about the thing outside. He seems unconcerned.
"Just come look!" you yell.
Begrudgingly, he comes to see [[what the fuss is about]]."This better be good," Ben says, "otherwise you're gonna get it for interrupting my beauty sl-
Wha-what is that thing? How long has that been there?"
"Idunno, ten minutes or so," you respond.
"I'm going out there," Ben declares. "You stay inside, I don't need you getting in my way."
Do you heed his advice and [[stay inside]] or [[follow him]] anyway?You decide to go after him, after all he can't tell you what to do.
You grab a stun gun you know your father keeps hidden on the shelf above his workbench and work up the courage to [[go outside]].You're still pretty terrified of whatever this thing is, so you decide to watch through the window as Ben approaches.
He shouts at the figure, getting more and more agitated that it won't seem to move.
Do you [[continue to hide]] or [[find a weapon]] of some kind that may deter whatever it is?
Ben is still yelling at the black frame by the street. "Jacob, I know it's you! This isn't funny, I have half a mind to come teach you a lesson right now!"
"He isn't moving, I don't think that's Jac-" you begin to say as Ben jumps about ten feet in the air.
"Yah! You scared me half to death you idiot! I thought I told you to stay inside."
"Hmph, you’re not the boss of me. Anyway, I was just curious. Plus I brought this."
"Whatever, mom and dad are out of town which means for the time being, I most certainly am the boss of you. If you’re going to be out here, at least make yourself useful. [[Hold this flashlight]], I’m going to teach this jerk a lesson."You know your dad keeps a stun gun high on a shelf above his workbench. You decide that it may help, grab it, and run back to help Ben.
Eventually you muster up the will to [[go outside]].The beam shakes as your hands do while Ben approaches.
"Hey buddy!" he yells. "You in the black, get off my property or I’m gonna call the cops!"
…
"Fine then, have it your way! Hope you like shock thera-"
Suddenly, neither the figure or Ben are visible.
Do you [[call out]] for Ben or [[run inside]]?
As you sit under the windowsill, you remember the saying your father got from his favorite author, that "brothers don’t let each other wander in the dark alone.”
He would come out there after you, so you decide to [[go outside]] whether or not you're afraid.
Ben is 15 and in high school now, typically out with friends on a night like this. [[Your parents]] have placed him in charge of you while they are away, which is annoying.
He's loud and obnoxious, but you guys get along for the most part.
Your mother and father have been working very hard for the past couple years to afford a second honeymoon in Florence, Italy.
They will be [[gone]] for the next week."Ben!" you yell. "It isn't funny, if this is another one of your dumb pranks I'm gonna call mom!"
.
..
...
After some time, you still hear nothing. You walk around the perimeter of your house with the flashlight, searching. After about ten minutes, you decide that he has to be messing with you and [[go inside]].You turn to book it back into your home, but your feet can't seem to leave the ground. It's as though gravity has quintupled, weighing you down.
It is then you hear the [[voice]].You turn to book it back into your home, but your feet can't seem to leave the ground. It's as though gravity has quintupled, weighing you down.
It is then you hear the [[voice]].//Ben is no longer here with us.//
"Who-who said that?" you ask frantically. You point your flashlight into the void, revealing nothing. "Show yourself!"
//I have shown myself already. In fact, many of us have already revealed ourselves.//
"Who are you? Where are you? What do you want?!"
//What we want is simple - an [[army]].//
"An army? What does Ben have to do with any of this? You bring him back this instant!"
//Your brother has been chosen to serve a purpose greater than himself. It is an honor to serve the Great One. With luck, you may share his fate in the coming future.//
"I’ll never go with you! I’m calling the police!"
//In time you will [[understand]]. Farewell, young one.//
You run in the house and call the police, mind racing at a million miles an hour.
"Hello, yes my brother has been kidnapped! I don’t know, it wasn’t a man at all. No, it wasn’t a female either. It was... a thing, I don’t know, just please [[send someone]] right away!"After some time the police arrive.
"Hello son, you called?" the first officer greets you. "Try to stay calm and tell us exactly what you saw."
"What do you mean? You don’t see it standing out there?! It’s there, right by the mailbox!"
"Son, I understand things are hectic, you may be seeing things. There’s [[nothing]] out there."
"Andrew, who are you talking to?" you hear as Ben walks in from the garage.
"Ben! Oh, I’m so glad to see you, I thought you got taken!"
"I’m right here. [[Officers]], I’m sorry for my brother, he gets so worked up when our parents are out."The pair of policemen obviously have better things to do and leave well enough alone. They remind us that their time is valuable and not to waste it with crank calls, then depart.
"So this was just another one of your dumb [[jokes]] then?" you ask Ben, angry that he'd let it go this far.//Everything is a joke, young one. Are you not laughing yet?//
[[FIN]]//The Unknown//
Ethan Hussey