A Light In The Dark - Episode 20.

- Episode 20 -

The humming of electricity was quiet and now a whole city was bathed in darkness that was like heaven to Mr. Graves. He could almost hear panic and fear building in waves as people all over town were realizing there was no power. That meant no lights, no T.V., nothing worked. An entire town that was now beginning to be afraid, afraid of the sudden dark that they told themselves couldn't hurt them. Only now, it could.

With a short squeal that he couldn't help Mr. Graves shaped packs of shadowy hounds. "Now," he told his creations, "go and find me that little boy." He watched delighted as they scattered in all directions flashing through dark patches of the night. They would hunt until they found Jack, and then Mr. Graves would deal with him.

Jack could feel the unnatural darkness racing through the city, he could feel so much fear growing. He knew what it was like to be afraid of the darkness, but he also knew you could stand up to it. As fast as he could he decided to forget looking for his shoes and instead rushed out the door into the hallway. His sock feet slipped on the slick floors and he almost fell when he bumped into something.

"Almost forgot," Jack muttered to himself before imagining a little ball of light that instantly was floating in the air above him. "What's going on?" his Dad asked in a panic, startled by the sudden strange floating light. Mom was just starring blank at her son who was now standing by her in his socks and a gown.

Something was prowling up the hall, Jack could just make it out at the edge of the light from his floating glow ball. He couldn't let anything hurt his parents, but whatever this thing was it was heading right for them. So he imagined the first thing he could think of and stepped in front of them.

A bright wall of white exploded into life that the black beast slammed into before it evaporated. When Jack turned around his Mom was crying and Dad was holding her, he could tell they were scared. "Mom, Dad," Jack tried to explain, "there is something I have to do." He had to pause for second to make sure they could hear him. "There is something bad coming and I have to try to stop it, I have to help."

"Why, son," Dad interrupted, stopping Jack before he could continue. "You are just a little boy, what can you possibly think you can do if there are more things like that out there?" Jack didn't even have to think to answer his father, he already knew what to say. "Dad," he said in a calm voice. "What do you call those special bullets people shoot up into the sky in an emergency?" The question confused his Dad, all he could do was reply; "do you mean a flare, buddy?"

"Yeah, those," Jack confirmed with a grin. "When there is trouble people always shoot one of those up, and you know what? It brings hope. I can be like one of those flares," Jack explained. "Because people need me to be, look what I just did Dad by being brave. Everyone is scared and if more monsters are out there in the dark then maybe I am the only one who can stop them."

Slowly his father began to understand and smiled at his son - he really was becoming just as brave as he knew he could be. "I am proud of you, Jack," his Dad whispered. "You go be that flare, and do the best you can." As Jack slid off down the hall he could hear his Mom still crying but he was sure Dad would take care of her.

"Time to bring some hope... and light," Jack said to himself. But what if he couldn't do it? He would just have to trust what his dad had told him and do his best.