Okay, so around 2 and a half years after it's initial release I'm going back and changing these author notes one last time so Ican send this story off. I'll keep it short and simple, the first 2 chapters are very slow, and all the chapters leading up to 9 have some very staggering issues. This is not to say you can't enjoy it and I would appreciate it if you would keep that in mind. I am considering revamping these chapters completely, but it would probably be a complete rewrite (new book), but I am onlymaking minor fixesand changes with the author notes right now. After chapter 9 I went on a 2 or so year of hiatus, and looking back there's a lot of plot holes and poorly worded moments. It's just, the story is a memory right now, so I don't know how much I'd like to change it... Anyway, so much for keeping it short.

Chapter 1

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(Flipping of channels)

"Come on Squidward. It's fun!"

Flip.

"Becky, please. I never me-"

Flip.

"This time on: Ghost R-"

Flip.

...

"The recent news of this murder has been up to date. And we will check back if we find anything."

"Thank you, Jim. In other national news. The scientists at I.D have been heavly at work on what they believe to be the biggest breathrough in history have come accross diffuculty. As you probably know. The scientists at I.D have recently made confirmation
/of a life form from some other planet. The portal seems to have opened itself, and all tests sending objects through has been successful. But their tests on humans have resulted in D.F.E for defabrication effects. No humans have survived this portal,
/but are scientists still work at it as we speak."

"Thank you Susan, on oth-"

(Flips off)

I sighed. I really didn't understand the interest in this "portal". That everyone was going crazy about. I can't go one day watching shows without hearing about it.

I mean... It's a huge breakthrough in technology, yes. But in my opinion. Things like this are best left alone. Have you ever seen a science fiction movie, where there's a portal to a new demension, and it end up not being bad? Worst case scenarios always
/end up being either.

A. The demension causes some form of instability, and the worlds start to merge.

And B. Alien lifeforms appear. Whether hostile or not.

Well... It's not like the opinion of one kid will change anything.

Let's see. My name is Keiran. I'm 14. I have brown hair that is a bit long but doesn't go over my eyes. My eyes are almost olive green. I usually wear shorts, winter or not. And whatever shirt appeals to me. I'm a bit tall for my age though.

Pretty generic I guess. I'm not a prodigy in school or anything. I get A's and B's. English Language Arts, or ELA as my school calls it, is my best subject. Only have gotten one C in that class. I guess my essays are the best compared to my classmates.
/I couldn't ever tell if I should be annoyed by my teacher or not. Sayin like...

"I especially loved Keiran's essay! He nailed ever point I wanted, and made it easy for the reader! Blah blah blah..." And times like those are when I would get the lovely benefit of being called, "Teacher's Pet" and the likes. And other unfriendly things
/that would befall upon me.

I checked the clock, 9:30 PM. I could use some sleep. Tomorrow is supposed to be a half day of school, since it's the last day of 8th grade.

I yawned and rubbed my eyes. I picked my half-laying-down form off the, slightly uncomfy couch. I stepped up each stair with caution. The house was pretty old, and the stairs were very broken on some parts.

I got to the top of the stairs and used the ladder to climb up to my attic. My bedroom was in the attic, which wasn't bad because the attic had air conditioning and acted like every other house room.

My room was pretty simple. I had my bed, which wasn't the newest, or the comfiest. But it worked. I had a desk with my laptop and other things I used for school. A bookshelf, because I'm a nerd. And trashcan. My room had a rug thankfully.

I walked over to my bed and took my shirt off. I threw it at my desk to mess with tomorrow. I looked out my window. I was far enough away to see the full city skyline, and I took in the sight. Then sighed. I fell over on my bed and pulled the covers up
/over myself. I slowly drifted to sleep.

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**Thump**

I heard a loud sound, kind of like a fist banging wood. It came from somewhere in my room. My half awake self didn't process any of this.

Big mistake...

...

...

...

This time I heard three loud thumps. Twice as loud as the last one. But in a rythmic 1, 2, 3.

I was so tired that I didn't budge.

...

**WHAM**

My eyes shot open as I sat up in bed immediately. The attic door had swung open and slammed against the wall. I held my breath, and so did any crickets or sound of life from outside, stopped as well.

I was having an effect almost like sleep paralysis, but it was from fear.

'He came back...' I shivered at the thought. Managing to close my eyes and shake my head,

"It's just the wind. Silly wind making me jump." I opened my eyes, but refused to look up. I stared at the ground as I stood up. When I decided to look up, my heartbeat stooped along with my breathing.

'He's here...' I heard a whisper in the back of my head, and than a deep chuckle.

The creature right in front of me was familiar but always terrifying. It was a dark smoke like aparation. It had visible arms and hands with long sharp iron claws, that probably reached lengths of a whole foot. Its face though. His face had a huge mouth
/that covered the entire bottom half of what would be a human head. His teeth were enormous. He had two red glowing dots for eyes. It felt like they were staring through my soul. He looked, almost sad. But I knew what this thing truly thought.

The creature didn't dare move or make a sound, and neither did I. I finally took a small breath. I couldn't stop, my shivering had started.

I looked straight at it. "What do you want now?" I asked quietly.

Yep, I knew that it was unhappy. It grinned, which sent new fear across my entire body. His grin made his mouth and teeth look twice as big, if that was even possible.

"I can't deal with you. Not tonight. Not ever! I'm tired of being deprived of sleep so often." I face turned dark and I started laughing solemnly.

It stared at me a bit more before I yelled at it. "Leave! I don't want to see you again. Isn't ten years enough?" I was seething with anger. Wishing I could tear apart this aparation.

It chuckled a bit, making sound for the first time. I went from angry to confusion really fast.

Its voice was deep and made me feel amazing amounts of dread. "Okay then... I'll leave... I'll just come back sometime else, and have more fun with you. And next time will be so much fun." After saying this it vanished as if nothing happened.

The wildlife sounds came back. But I was left on the floor of my room. Broken. I thought I could stand up to it, and make my bad hallucination go away. But that thing made sure I knew, it had a mind of its own. Somewhere, somehow. It existed.

I got off the floor and shrank against the corner in my bed. I shivered and started to cry.

This thing wont go away anytime soon. It's not like its my fault it's here. They wont stop forcing me to feel these feelings. I cried and cried as memories kept resurfacing. How do I keep going?

Do I at least get a prize for continuing on?

Or... Maybe I'm just crazy after all...

I couldn't help myself as the memories flooded into my mind.

10 years ago

5 year old me sighed. 'I don't understand why I have to go to daycare everyday. It's not like I would be alone at home. The kids here don't like me and they won't let me play with them.' I thought sadly as I sat in a corner.

"Keiran your parents are here!" One of the assistants said. I begrudgingly stood up and went to go home. I didn't like it here, or at home. I didn't like anywhere.

I walked up to my mom, "Hi mom!" I said with fake happiness.

She put on a smile, "Hey honey. Let's go we have to pick up your father." All of it was fake, her face lied to me so much. I knew I was in trouble for something, that probably wasn't my fault anyway.

The assisstant waved as my mom practically dragged me to the car. She got in and didn't even bother to check my seat belt or anything. Good thing I was a smart kid.

Not much, or anything was said for a while. My mother spoke up, "You know. Your starting to get to be a real pain. Have you seen how much daycare costs?" She didn't expect me to answer. She wanted me to feel bad.

We arrived and picked up my dad. A sense of dread came over me. My dad got in and happily kissed and greeted his wife. Completely ignoring me.

The drive was mostly dad talking about his horrible day, just like always. And my mom talked about all of the "chores" she has to do. Mostly revolving around me, and including picking me up from daycare.

"You never answered my question keiran." She said that and everything stopped for a moment. 'She's never expected me to answer before! This is a trick.' I thought. So I stayed quite.

A few moments later my dad raised his voice. "She asked you a question! When she asks you something, you tell her. Do I make myself clear? Or do I have to force you to learn?" He said in a deep voice, trying to scare me. It did the trick.

"Y-Y-Yes S-Sir..." I said shakily.

He noticed this, "Be a man! Speak clearly to me!" He yelled.

"Yes sir!" I yelled. He nodded his head eithout giving me a glance. I was lucky.

Dad finally asked, "What was the question?"

"I was asking if he knew how much he costed." She responded.

"At the moment? You dont have to ask that, we all know he's useless. Maybe a good buck! Hahaha." He laughed at himself, and mom even chuckled. I just shrunk against my chair.

"But without jokes, do you know Keiran?" She asked with a frown.

I knew things might hit the fan if I responded incorrectly. "Uh, probably as much as dirt. Am I right?" I tried to laugh after that but got no reaction.

"You wish. I counted this week, and in total you costed around five hundred and fifty dollars." She said slowly.

My dad's jaws dropped. "What da hell ya been spending so much on!?"

"Let's see. Food, drinks, electricity, and that three hundred dollar vase you broke! You really shouldn't assume I'm dumb enough to take your "dog" story did you? You're a smart kid. I'll just give you the benfit of the doubt that you made it dumb, because
/you like getting punished." She said with most smug grin ever.

My body went cold, and my heart stopped. 'How did she know?' All evidence pointed away from me!

"Oh yeah! If you ever see Soren again. Give him our thanks! That kid is so dumb he'll tell anyone a secret." She snickered.

I facepalmed silently. Soren could be a doofus sometimes, but he really did it now. They had to have tricked him some how.

"So... Are you meaning to tell me. That this child behind us broke a three hundred dollar vase?! And then LIED about who did it?!" My mom nodded at my father. I got ready for what was soon to come.

"You lied to me!? To us!? You should have told us straight out. Now you're punishments gonna be around TEN times worse!" He yelled at me. But I had mt face barried in to my lap.

"Look at me when I speak!" He yelled as he continued to get angrier.

"DON'T MAKE ME HURT YOU BOY!" I cried into my lap. I covered my ears and tried to drown everything out.

"THIS WILL TEACH YOU TO DISRESPECT YOUR PARENTS!" He raised his fist and drew it back.

I expected to feel it but right before he hit me, my mom let out a loud scream and a few cuss words. Me and my dad both stared up out the window. A large truck had slid on the icy road, turning sideways to cover the whole road. My mom didn't react very
/quick to this, so my father pulled the wheel to the right extremely sharply. After that, I remember a few loud banging sounds, and then I blacked out...

When I woke up, I couldn't see very well, and I felt extremely light headed. My ears rang, almost like a firework went off right next to me. My eyes slowly adjusted to the dark light. The first thing I noticed was a lot of shattered glass, and that I
was

upside down.

My first action was unbuckling myself. I pulled myself upwards then unlatched the seat belt, and falling on my back. This hurt a lot and I had no idea why. I looked down at myself, to realize why it hurt. There was and old knife we always kept in the
/van. Right through my leg almost.

I grunted as I looked towards the front seat, which was almost crushed. I was seeing a lot of blood, and I suddenly noticed the sound of crying. So I peaked my head through a small hole. I met the most horrifying sight. That would haunt me forever.

My dad had glass impaling him everywhere, and his head was... not there at all. I almost threw up, and when I looked at my mom, she wasnt in much better shape. She was on the floor, with a metal beam right through her stomach. And her leg was bent in
/a very, very inhuman way. She was missing half her arm.

She caught sight of me through her crying. "Mom? I can help you, I'll call someone and-" She cut me off.

"SHUT UP! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" She yelled.

"Mom please! I just want to-" I pleaded again before a piece of glass was thrown at me. I dodged but it still gave me a huge cut on my face.

"Go to hell! You can go die for all I care. I hope you do actually! Nobody loved you. And its your fault that we're dead..." She slowly breathed out, as she went limp. Those words have always haunted me. Especially since it was her dying breath. And she
/used it to make me feel worse...

The police came after that. They confirmed my parents death. Asked me a few questions. The truck driver that had caused the crash was not charged, as it was completely unavoidable. There had been a deer that jumped in front of his car, and he tried to
/stop to quickly.

They let the man talk to me. But it was pretty much him crying and holding my arms asking for forgiveness. I told him that mistakes happen every day. This was just one that affected me. He was amazed at how I just didn't cry or anything. It probably creeped
/him out a bit, as I almost seemed lifeless.

I felt cold after the accident. And I barely spoke more than a fifty words a day. The police gave me to my grandparents. They weren't the best at being parents since they were around seventy one. They also tried to tell me it was my fault, and gave me
/more verbal abuse. I wonder where my mom must have gotten it!

The coldness had left after a few years when I started middle school. But I still have a ton of problems now. I have depression, schizophrenia, and a little bit of multiple personality disorder. Its not fun, but I manage.

Which should explain the dark figure. But, it doesn't... I always look it up online, and his behavior almost mimics other peoples "reapers" that come from there schizophrenia. Except most people can close there eyes, tell themselves its not real. Then
/he'll disappear. I did that and he just laughed at me! Nobody else has had their reaper talk to them but me!

He acts, almost like his own personality. I thought it might be my schizophrenia and my multiple personality disorder mixing. But it isn't.

Whenever he appears, he gives off the feelings of a physical body being there. When he appears, he gives even more dread. Knowing that he's in the room with you. That is NOT, my demon. That is something much, much worse.

Something I could not deal with alone.