SHADOWS
Extracts from the diary of John Stevens
August 2nd 2008
The summer heat is rising. Think we are going into a heat wave. The weather's getting hotter and hotter, the air's getting stickier and stickier. Most nights I seem to lay awake, it's just too hot to sleep. Lucy went off up north, went to visit her parents. I bet it's cooler up there than it is down here.
August 3rd 2008
Went to work as normal today. It was sweltering in there and I really couldn't concentrate. I wish this weather would pass. The news reports talk of rain that should release the pressure in the air, but there's not sign of clouds on the horizon. Last night was strange. I was lying awake trying to sleep when I thought I saw something move in the corner. I put the light on and all I saw were shadows. Rolled over and tried to get back to sleep.
August 4th 2008
It's sweltering. We have the air-con on at work and it still doesn't do anything. The heat is just so intense. This heat wave surely can't last that long... can it? Heard loud yaps in the garden last night. It's been years since there were foxes in the area and dogs don't sound like that... What could it have been? I thought I saw something moving around in my room again, but when I turned on my light there was nothing. I wish this heat would go so I could get a decent night's sleep...
August 5th 2008
The heat just gets worse and worse. I think there's something in my room with me at night. Last night there were shapes moving in my room. I turned on the light and they seemed to fall back. I'm due to meet up with Doctor Williams tomorrow. Maybe he'll be able to help me. As for tonight I don't know if it's safe for me to sleep. Scared of shadows now. This damn heat.
August 6th 2008
Still hot. It's amazing the weather can hold like this. The things were there again last night but I was able to hold them off with the light. They don't seem to like the light. They flee from it back into the shadows against the wall. I told Doctor Williams about them today. He asked me how long I'd been seeing them. He seemed to know what I was talking about but I'm not sure. He gave me more pills. I don't want to take his pills, I've tried them before and they don't work. On my way home I bought a bag of candles. I want to keep these creatures at bay.
August 7th 2008
There was a storm tonight. A big one. All the power is off so the only light is from candles. I'm glad I bought that bag of them. I don't think I can sleep tonight... The shadows seemed bigger, more confident last night... I wish Lucy was here. She would know what to do...
I'm now sitting in the light of my candles. I'm only using two. I can see the shadows dancing just beyond the light. I mustn't run out of candles. Already these two are close to stubs and the night is still young.
I'm running out of candles, it's sometime in the morning and my candles are almost all gone. I have one left and that is reaching its end. I can see the shadows of the things dancing on the walls. They know the light is failing. I must try and find more candles before my time runs out.........
