# Jumping At Shadows

Title: Jumping At Shadows
Status: Complete
Characters: Anon, Fang
Rating: SFW
Classification: One Shot
Author: F4L
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Fat raindrops pelter the windows of my sorry excuse for an apartment. Gusts of wind help propel them faster than their terminal velocity usually allows, transforming them into tiny water-based bullets. Wind and water angrily rattle the glass panel inside its frame, demanding to be let inside. It would be hard to argue that Casa de Anon is anything but a glorified hovel. One thing going for it is the lack of any leaks. Perhaps major leaks would be more accurate. The minor ones can be easily plugged by using a bit of ingenuity. A tightly rolled-up towel tucked at the base of the window is one such example of caveman problem-solving. No puddles after a storm and no draft if it's windy. It might not be pretty or elegant, but that would be expecting too much from an apartment in SkinRow.
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Volcalderra Bluffs has nice weather during the summer months, but autumn is a whole different story. It's as if a higher power didn't want us to become too complacent. And what better way than having weekly storms. Sometimes the howling wind conjures forth noises that make my skin crawl. Fang is unperturbed by what's going on outside. She's too busy sitting on the bed fiddling with her phone to pay attention to mother nature displaying her wrath. Another assault from the galeforce winds, another roll of the dice whether the glass will develop a hairline fracture.
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"Fang, is the wind always this strong here?"
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She doesn't look up from her phone, but the noticeably slower sound of claws tapping against the phone's screen makes it clear I have her attention.
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"Hmm? Oh, it's just a gale. Why? Are you scared?"
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"Of course not. I'm just worried this shithole of an apartment won't remain dry for much longer if the weather doesn't let up soon."
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As if eager to prove my point, an extra powerful gust of wind furiously rattles the window. Not unlike that crackhead that mistook my place for his a few weeks back and nearly tore off my door handle.
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"It'll be fine, dweeb. Besides, if this place gets trashed, you can always stay over at my place."
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"As enticing as that sounds, I prefer to not be hunted for sport by Ripley."
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Fang initially scoffs at the remark but soon starts nodding along, silently agreeing I had a point. The rapid-fire tapping of obsidian claws again scratch-proof glass suddenly stops. Whatever business Fang had on her phone must have been concluded. Judging by the smile on her face, it ended positively. The ptero absentmindedly tosses her phone onto the bed, the plastic rectangle bounces several times on the mattress before sliding down into the biggest indent. A sly smile graces her face as she reveals the reason for it.
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"I have good news. The storm is way worse at home."
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"How is that good news?"
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Once again, I'm grateful looks can't kill and that being stupid doesn't hurt.
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"It means Naser isn't gonna come pick me up tonight."
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"Oh. Oh! Does that mean you're staying over tonight?"
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"Mmhmm." Suddenly Fang becomes bashful, partially obscuring her face with her long hair while twirling the ends between her fingers. "Unless you don't want me to."
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I don't know how she did it, but those sad eyes made me feel like I had just committed a heinous crime.
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"O-of course you can stay. You know you're always welcomed here."
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Smug satisfaction and a mischievous grin instantly replace her previous sad expression.
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"Yeah, I know. I just felt like messing with you."
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I must have looked more hurt than I thought, for Fang immediately entered damage control.
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"Oh, come on! You know I was just teasing. Tell you what." The ptero jumps back onto the bed and leans backward on her hands.
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"To make it up to you, you can pick what we do next. Anything you want."
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Fang idly kicks her feet as she waits for me to pick whatever activity we do next to pass the time. I ignore the obvious choice.
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"Want to watch videos on snootube?"
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As soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize the severity of my fuckup. It is clear I've made Fang confused and baffled, but she quickly regains her composure. In the end, she just shrugs.
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"Huh. Not what I expected you to say, but alright."
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Moments later, Fang has laid claim to the cover and all but one pillow. I'd ask her if she was making a nest, but my ribs bruise easily.
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"I'm not getting up, though. Move the monitor so we can watch from the bed."
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Not a bad idea. People always say that having a computer in your bedroom is a bad idea, but what do they know? I turned out fine. Except for cockblocking myself mere moments ago. All it takes is moving the computer case, the monitor, and praying something doesn't unplug itself. Cable management is for suckers unless you want to move your stuff without praying for divine intervention. I place the monitor as close to the edge of the desk as I dare. The keyboard's cable doesn't reach all the way to the bed, so I'm just gonna have to pray that the mouse will be all I need. Fang props herself up on an elbow and eyes me warily.
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"Anon, you better not plan on making me watch those dumb cooking shows again."
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"Oh, come on, they're not that bad. Besides, I need to know the dos and don'ts of what makes a successful cooking channel on snootube."
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The ptero's eyes narrow.
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"You. A cooking channel. Really?"
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"Why not?"
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"Because there's only so many times you can film yourself making one type of pasta before people get tired of it."
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"Alright, fine. No cooking shows. I was thinking of something spookier today, anyway."
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That seemed to have caught her attention. Fang taps the spot next to her and looks at me expectantly.
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"Then get your butt over here, and let's start the show."
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Maybe this situation can still be salvaged. Those creepypastas from /x/ always creeped the hell out of me. Even kept me awake that one time. Those fuckers sure knew how to make you feel properly unsettled. I recently found a channel that has a lot of videos based off of the more popular stories. The simple stories are acted out using amateur actors desperate for roles. The longer ones are simply narrated and use stock images as the background. I'm just glad I haven't seen the most popular video yet. This way it'll be something new for both of us. Everything else is ready, leaving me with the final task of jumping into bed and lying down next to Fang.
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Gone are the early days of our relationship where even the slightest physical contact was awkward and evoked giggles and blushes. One of Fang's arms finds its way under my side that's on the bed. The other goes over me, and as soon as her two hands meet on my chest, she pulls me closer to herself. Sometimes I forget that dinos are much stronger than they look. Despite all the pillows she's hoarded, Fang still rests her snoot on my neck, and I wouldn't have it any other way. We're snuggled up and ready to watch some spooky stuff that may or may not have been written by a schizo off of his meds.
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I absentmindedly rub Fang's fingers with my own, eliciting a short sigh from the ptero.
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"You know, there are less convoluted ways to get me to hold your hands, Anon."
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"Busted."
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I haven't been paying much attention to the video so far, too busy getting comfortable and enjoying Fang nuzzling my cheek with her snoot. Haven't missed much by the looks of it. Just the source and shilling whatever sponsor gave them a couple of bucks for the privilege. Currently, it's some guy walking through a poorly lit concrete tunnel. The video is overlaid with a filter that makes it seem like it's been recorded by an infrared camera. Guess it would make sense for what I assume is a member of some military unit to wear in a dark tunnel. The motion tracker circle at the bottom left of the screen showed two dots. One in the middle and one right at the edge. Neat, but a bit too video-gamey. The source once again is obviously a poster from the fan-favorite Albanian kidney redistribution center.
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Oddly enough, there is no narration, just short snippets of text that appear seemingly at random. Every so often, it reminds the guy to keep the same pace, not slow down, and remain calm. It does not elaborate as to why. It was probably explained at the start of the video. The only sounds in the footage are footsteps, steady breathing, and something I can't put my finger on. A fleshy, tearing sound mixed with that of cracking branches. We watch in silence for a few minutes. Fang must be enjoying it, at least, judging from her silence. She makes it abundantly clear if she doesn't like whatever we're watching. The person's walking speed suddenly increases, spurred on by an indescribable sound. Several lines of text follow in quick succession.
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["New pace set."]
["You sure you can keep it up?"]
["We're still working on it."]
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Sure enough, the ever-present dot on the little radar is still the same distance away from the circle's center as before.
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["No, we don't know."]
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The person's breathing is getting faster, and his nerves are starting to get to him. The tunnel itself has become less concrete and more organic looking. Splotches of what looks like moss are becoming more and more frequent. Only I don't know how moss can grow in what appears to be an underground tunnel with no access to direct sunlight. Or why is it red and glistening like it's covered in blood.
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["You're slowing down."]
["No, it's not."]
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A burst of static distorts the screen for a few moments. When the image clears, the guy is running full tilt. He's struggling to breathe, and I swear he was sobbing. Behind him, there was a noise that could maybe be described as a beast rampaging through a forest accompanied by a constant wet popping sound. I don't know if the whistling noise is from how fast the guy was running or from whatever was chasing him. He ran like a man possessed for longer than I could have, that's for sure. He can't keep it up, though. The dot at the edge of the radar circle has started steadily closing the gap between the center one. As it does, the noise behind the guy gets louder, and I can start making out sounds I wish I couldn't. They're barely perceptible, but you can clearly hear something like an animal in incredible pain. But not just one. Instead, it's dozens, if not hundreds of them. Overlapping, creating a horrible cacophony of sound no one should ever hear.
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The tunnel hasn't been concrete or even that weird red moss for a while. Now it looks like it's completely covered muscle tissue and guts. The guy is desperately trying to keep running, but it's obvious he's beyond exhausted. Maybe he could have kept going for a while if he didn't trip. The gore-covered floor rushes up to meet the camera. He doesn't move, hoping against hope that playing dead will save him from whatever fate he thinks awaits him. The two circles now overlap. No more sounds of splintering wood or unsettling wetness can be heard. Just a man, desperately trying to catch his breath. Surrounded by a terrible orchestra that is most definitely not human. As if he was surrounded by a horde of animals in seemingly horrible pain. The camera jerks and pans from the floor and towards the wall. Just as it's about to reveal what the creature chasing the guy looks like, everything goes dark.
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For a moment, I thought it was part of the video. As I steel myself for the revelation, I start noticing similar sounds all around that are too close to the ones in the video for comfort. The creaking of tree branches, the impact of raindrops against the window, the wailing sound brought forth by the wind. Seconds seem to drag on for hours before I realize it's not an elaborate setup for a jump scare but rather a blackout. Doesn't prevent my imagination from going into overdrive, and I quickly start jumping at shadows. The momentary ones created by brief flashes of lightning are the most potent for seeing things that aren't there. I try to focus on something else. Like Fang's slow, even breathing. Looks like she fell asleep a while ago. Try as I might, I can't get that video out of my head. I know it's fake. It has to be. But the niggling thought of "what if..." continues to keep me more than a little on edge. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light fills the room, and I nearly fill my trousers. Moments later, the booming sound of thunder along with exploding wood follow. The rational part of me knows it's just lightning striking a nearby tree. But that part is currently taking a back seat and letting the irrational part of me take the reigns. I let out a yelp that is both much too loud and much too high pitched. Hands that were moments ago gently resting on my chest are now tightly clutching me closer to their owner.
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"Anon? Is everything OK?"
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I can only pray my voice is not that of a chipmunk.
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"Yeah, I'm fine. Just got startled by lightning."
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"You sure? You don't sound fine."
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Wonder what gave it away. Was it my heart threatening to escape my chest, my ragged breathing, or me screaming like a girl mere seconds ago? Fang doesn't take long to figure out what the real reason is.
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"Is it that video you were watching? Sorry, but I dozed off at the start."
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"Yeah, it is. Sorry for waking you."
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Another close lightning strike makes me involuntarily spasm in fear. Fang's snoot lightly brushes against my cheek and soothes my frayed nerves.
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"It'll be OK, Anon. It'll all be OK."
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The ptero extends one of her wings, covering most of my body in a soft blanket of feathers.
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"Focus on what you can feel. It'll help calm you down."
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I focus on Fang's arms as they hold me tight in a loving embrace. Her feathery wings act as a shield from what lurks in the dark. Fang's snoot as it slowly and gently brushes against my cheeks. It takes a while, but I can feel my heart rate returning to normal, as does my breathing. Fang murmurs constant reassurance, further calming me down. She only stops every so often to let out a contented sigh before resuming. I should be the one telling her everything will be alright and making her feel safe. Yet here she is doing the same for me without any judgment.
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"It's fine, Anon. Everyone gets scared."
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God damn mumbling. There has to be a cure for it.
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Fang lets out a small giggle.
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"I hope not. It's like having cheat codes."
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She grasps one of my hands and gives it a reassuring squeeze.
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"Try closing your eyes and go to sleep, Anon. And remember, I'm here, and I love you with all my heart."
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"I love you too."
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One long sigh later, and Fang returns to the realm of dreams. I plan on joining her soon as well. I can barely remember what got me so worked up. Now I know everything will be OK.