Strange Happenings
Midnight. They always came at midnight. The chimes from the old grandfather clock in the den jolted Daniel out of his restless dreams. It wasn't the chimes that woke him so much as the knowledge that They were coming. It was the same horrifying ritual, every single night.
The room was illuminated by an eerie pale green glow. Three figures in haz-mat suits stood around his bed. One of them held a large briefcase, another held a gun, and the third--the apparent leader, from the way he acted--was making entries into a large handheld computer. Daniel tried to escape, to run, to even move, but some unseen force held him in place, as immobile as the bed itself. The leader looked up from his computer and signaled to the one holding the briefcase, who set the case down and began to open it. Daniel strained to see its contents, but couldn't from his position. If only he could move...
The leader reached forward, grabbed the bedcovers and--
The shrill blast of Daniel's alarm clock filled the room. He'd had that dream again, the same one he'd been having every night for nearly a month. Except that it didn't feel like a normal dream. It felt more like a memory, but one that had been partially forgotten. Anyway, Dan had more important things to worry about, so he pushed whatever it was aside for the moment. Today was the last day of school, finally. All he had to do was survive his last few final exams, and he'd be home free. He wasn't about to let a creepy dream get him down.
***
Dr. DiCaoz glanced over his biology classroom. "Is anybody still working on the final?" he asked tiredly. He paused for a moment, then said, "If everybody is finished, you may talk quietly amongst yourselves for the remainder of the period." As the class erupted in chatter, he went back to nursing his hangover.
Daniel loved his biology class. It wasn't just that he was good at it, or that it was the last class of the day. By some bit of luck or fate, he happened to be in the same class as his four closest friends, Gassan, David, Pammy, and Jake. Gassan, David, and Pammy had become absurdly popular since coming to high school. Gassan was Lebanese and therefore "exotic," David was a star swimmer, and Pammy was a cheerleader. In retrospect, popularity was an inevitability. To the other popular kids, Jake an avid follower of the Furry subculture (he called it a craze, but nobody else did) and Daniel, the introspective writer, were social liabilities. Still, Gassan, David, and Pam never let their newfound "friends" keep them away from Jake and Dan. Privately, Daniel was grateful that he had managed to befriend the four people who appeared to be immune to high school drama.
"So, what'd you guys think?" Pammy whispered.
"I'm pretty sure Dr. Di is a nutcase," Gassan answered quickly. He was met with a chorus of approval from his companions.
"Anyway," Pam continued, "are we having our annual Thank-God-The-Schoolyear's-Over party tonight?"
"I can't go," Jake said, "I've got a convention."
"I can't go either," said David, "My dad's taking me camping. He's on a back-to-nature kick."
"I'm visiting my grandma," Gassan said. Pammy rolled her eyes.
"Alright," she sighed, "when do you guys get back?"
"Sunday"
"Sunday evening"
"Sunday, but it'll be late."
"So," Pammy continued, "is Monday night alright with everyone?"
***
The days passed quickly. By the time Monday arrived, he had gone an entire weekend without his mysterious dreams. He was mostly relieved, but part of him wished the visitors would come back so he could find out what they were up to.
The streets were charged with an eerie calm. A summer storm was coming. As Daniel reached Pam's door, he couldn't help but feel a strange foreboding. Something was decidedly wrong. He rang the bell.
"Come in," called Pammy. Dan opened the door and found friend sitting on the floor in a tidy circle. They were all staring at him, an unsettling hunger in their eyes. "We are playing Truth or Dare," Pammy intoned mechanically. "Please, join us. Truth or Dare?"
"Please choose Dare," Gassan said, in the same unearthly voice.
"The Truth is never any fun," agreed David, still in the same tone. Throughout the exchange, none of the four took their eyes off of Daniel.
"Is everything alright?" he asked. "You all seem...different."
Pammy answered in the same monotone as before: "We are collectively unnerved at a series of recurring dreams we have been having. Perhaps you too are experiencing these visions?"
"Yeah," Dan said, "but I'm not acting that weird about it."
"Perhaps," Pammy said, "All will be made more clear if you answer this simple question: Truth...or Dare?"
Written by Zodiac on 31 May 2008
The Dare
"Dare," Dan said shakily.
"Very well," Pammy responded, "your dare is to go to Area 50. You are familiar with Area 50, I trust?"
Jake jumped in: "It is a military complex on the outskirts of our town. It has been abandoned for a long time, though, so it will pose no immediate threat to you."
"It is nothing to be afraid of," said Gassan, "consider it to be something of a rite of passage."
"If you are truly afraid," said Pammy, "then we will accompany you."
Daniel stared at his friends incredulously. They had never acted this strangely before, and they had certainly never gone for childish dares before.
David appeared to sense his hesitation, and added, "perhaps Area 50 is somehow related to...Them."
Dan knew what that was about, and David was right. There seemed to be some connection between his nightly visitors and the military base. He couldn't quite place it, but the link was there. "Actually," added David, "all this talk of Area 50 has sparked my curiosity." He didn't sound the least bit like his curiosity has been even remotely sparked."
"I, too, am interested," agreed Pammy disinterestedly.
"As are we," said Gassan and Jake in eerie unison.
"Perhaps," Pammy went on, "we should go to Area 50 ourselves, whether or not Daniel is interested." The four of them stood to leave. Pam stopped for a moment, and asked, "Are you joining us, Daniel?"
Written by Zodiac on 02 June 2008
Area 50 Arrival
Daniel looked at his friends nervously. "Al...alright," Daniel said reluctantly, "I will go..."
"Nice to have you coming David," Pammy exclaimed. All David could do is let out a sheepish smile. "We will meet at Area 50 at 9 P.M. tonight, everyone can run by their houses and grab anything we may need. Flash lights, snacks, etc."
"I am just going to relax at my house until it is time" David said
"We'll I will see everyone then," Gassan said. Everyone soon dispersed and left to their respective houses.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Later at 9 Daniel met his friends at the base.
"Everybody ready to go in?" Pammy inquired.
"Yeah!" Gassan shouted.
"Let's do it!" As did Jake.
"Sure am" David said
"Unfortunately..." Daniel murmured.
David looked around and saw the front entrance directly ahead.
Far down to his left a hole in the fence could be seen.
And to his right a large tunnel could be seen. Though it was pitch black, so somebody better have a flash light.
Written by Shuusuke on 03 June 2008
Split Up
Last week had been the last time ‘they’ had visited Daniel, and ever since then, strange things began to happen. Daniel had been seeing things, and exploring through this kind of place was not helping him handling things any better.
They had decided to split up, in order to cover the grounds better. Pammy went with David, of course, and Gassan was left with Jake. That ultimately left Daniel for himself, and the guy couldn’t be anymore worried.
He wasn’t even into any of this, but why did he have to be the only one who had to go by himself?
Written by Stella Purple on 10 March 2017
No Pain No Gain
Daniel watched his friends disappear from his sight, Gassan and Jake waltzing all too assuredly through the front gates of the complex while Pammy and David entered the ominous tunnel. As the last bright beams of Pam’s flashlight were consumed by the darkness the knot of unease in Daniel’s stomach tightened. He glanced down at the only remaining path open to him, the hole in the fence.
“Awesome...” he muttered. He took a deep breath then slid down the small hill to the base of the metal barrier. He placed his hand lightly on the jagged edges of the hole and quickly ducked through. He felt a sudden, sharp pain on his palm and instinctively jerked his arm back to his side, raking one of the deteriorating prongs of the fence across his skin. The mighty shout that had been gearing up in his throat was stifled into a grunted curse as he cradled his clenched hand.
Blood and pain trickled down freely from the cut until Daniel finally made himself take a look. He felt sick. Honestly he almost just wanted to go home, retreat from this whole mess and forget it ever happened, but on the same note he wanted to know what was going on with this place, those dreams, his friends. He also wasn’t too keen on being the one to spoil the fun of the “Mystery Team” up there, so he pressed the injured palm to the edge of his shirt with hopes to stem the bleeding and continued on.
He tried to keep himself distracted by focusing on his surroundings. A few hulking machines lay broken and scattered on the ground, slowly being soaked in by the cruel grip of nature. It was summer yet the night felt oddly cool as he passed by the mechanical behemoths. It left him more unsettled than before. He decided to focus on twiddling the fingers of his right, unharmed, hand instead.
The teenager started at a loud clang beneath his feet. The sound continued ringing and echoing as a small pebble bounced innocently into the gaping mouth of a deserted military bunker.
Written by Flutterbest on 04 December 2017
Latex
As Daniel approached the bunker, the echoes of the metallic clang seemed to intensify. He hesitated for a moment, glancing around to make sure he was still alone. The green glow from the moon cast eerie shadows on the abandoned structures around him.
Summoning the courage, Daniel cautiously descended the rusted metal steps leading into the depths of the bunker. The air inside was stale, and a musty odor enveloped him. The narrow corridor led him deeper into the heart of the military facility.
As he ventured further, he noticed strange symbols etched into the walls, glowing faintly in the dim light of his flashlight. The symbols seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy, sending shivers down Daniel's spine. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had stumbled upon something far more significant than a mere abandoned military base.
The bunker's interior was a maze of interconnected rooms and hallways. Daniel continued exploring, guided by an inexplicable curiosity. The unsettling silence was occasionally interrupted by distant sounds, like whispers echoing through the cold, metallic passages.
Suddenly, Daniel entered a room that seemed different from the others. The walls were lined with peculiar containers and machinery that looked both ancient and futuristic. In the center of the room stood a large, ominous device, emitting a soft hum.
As he cautiously approached, the hum grew louder, resonating through the chamber. Daniel's heart raced, and he felt a strange pull towards the device. Without fully understanding why, he reached out to touch it. The moment his fingers made contact, the machine came to life.
A viscous, latex-like substance sprayed from the device coating him in it.
Daniel frantically tried to wipe the latex-like substance from his body, his hands struggling against the unusual material. As he scraped off the sticky residue, something astonishing began to happen. Patches of fur sprouted in the wake of his efforts, covering his arms and legs in a soft, velvety texture. He stared at his transforming body in shock, a mixture of awe and fear coursing through him.
The fur continued to spread, gradually covering more of his skin. It was a surreal experience, and Daniel couldn't comprehend the strange metamorphosis taking place. The symbols on the walls pulsed with an ethereal glow, casting an otherworldly light on his changing form.
Despite the bizarre situation, Daniel didn't feel pain; rather, there was a curious warmth accompanying the growth of the fur. It was as if the very essence of the mysterious substance had become a part of him.
Once the last remnants of the latex were removed, Daniel stood there, partially covered in fur, caught between two worlds. He flexed his newly furred fingers, marveling at the sensation.
Written by - on 20 December 2023
Myth creature
As Daniel stood in the dimly lit room, his partially furred body pulsating with an otherworldly energy, he felt a surge of power and connection to something beyond his comprehension. The symbols on the walls, now bathed in a soft, ethereal glow, seemed to whisper ancient secrets.
As he continued to explore the depths of the military bunker, Daniel's mind became a canvas for visions—strange, vivid images of mythological creatures danced before his eyes. He saw majestic dragons soaring through celestial skies, their scales shimmering with hues unseen by mortal eyes. Centaurs galloped through enchanted forests, and elusive sirens sang haunting melodies by the shores of unseen realms.
Each vision was a glimpse into a mythic tapestry that transcended the boundaries of human understanding. Daniel felt a connection to these mythical beings, as if they were reaching out to him from the depths of ancient lore.
The further he delved into the mysterious depths of Area 50, the more profound and diverse the visions became. Greek gods and goddesses, Norse deities, and creatures from folklore around the world appeared in his mind's eye. It was as if the very fabric of mythology was converging within him, merging with his newfound hybrid nature.
Yet, amidst the awe-inspiring visions, a sense of urgency gnawed at Daniel's consciousness. It was as if the mythological entities were trying to communicate something vital, a message encrypted in the patterns of their existence.
Driven by an unseen force, Daniel pressed on through the labyrinthine corridors of Area 50, guided by the mythic visions that flickered like distant stars in his mind. The symbols on the walls seemed to react to his presence, illuminating his path with an ethereal radiance.
As he ventured deeper into the heart of the military base, Daniel couldn't shake the feeling that he was on the verge of discovering a truth that transcended the boundaries of reality. The mythic tapestry that unfolded before him held the answers to the enigmatic connection between his dreams, his transformation, and the secrets concealed within Area 50's forgotten depths.
As Daniel journeyed deeper into the mysterious recesses of Area 50, the visions intensified, and one particular creature emerged prominently in his mind. It was a majestic being, its form shifting between ethereal and earthly, with eyes that held the wisdom of ages.
"Thank you for choosing to become me," the creature's voice echoed in Daniel's mind, resonating with a blend of ancient knowledge and profound gratitude. The words reverberated through the caverns of his consciousness, leaving an indelible mark.
Daniel felt a profound connection to this creature, a sense of purpose that transcended the limitations of his human existence. It was as if he had willingly embarked on a journey that bridged the gap between the mortal and the mythic, becoming a living vessel for the essence of an ancient being.
The creature guided Daniel through the labyrinthine corridors of Area 50, its presence felt in the subtle shifts of energy and the ethereal glow of the symbols on the walls. Each step brought him closer to the heart of the mystery, and the urgency in his consciousness heightened.
In that moment, Daniel felt a surge of power surging through him, a fusion of mortal and mythic energies converging within his being. The symbols on the walls glowed with an intensity that mirrored the awakening of his true self.
The revelations echoed in his mind, and a sense of purpose crystallized. The mythic entity within him was not just a passive presence; it was a guide, a mentor, and a force that would shape the unfolding destiny. Daniel understood that he had embarked on a quest that transcended the boundaries of the known world, a journey that would unravel the ancient secrets guarded by the mythic beings he now embodied.
Become you? I am human," Daniel exclaimed, his voice echoing in the expansive chamber of his consciousness. The creature, with its timeless wisdom, responded, "You are changing, Daniel. The threads of destiny weave through you, intertwining the mortal and the mythic. Embrace the transformation, for you are becoming a conduit for the ancient energies that course through the veins of existence."
As he embraced the changes coursing through him, the chamber seemed to respond. Ancient sigils illuminated the walls, depicting the convergence of realms and the emergence of a new mythic entity. The very air resonated with an energy that transcended time, as if Daniel had become a living conduit for the essence of the creature.
Written by - on 24 December 2023
Nemean lioness
As Daniel embraced the transformation and allowed the ancient energies to flow through him, he found himself standing in the central chamber, bathed in the soft, ethereal glow. The creature's voice echoed in his mind, guiding him toward a deeper understanding of his newfound existence.
A moment of clarity washed over Daniel, and he gazed upon the creature with a mix of awe and recognition. The majestic being before him revealed its true form—a Nemean lioness, a creature of myth and legend. Its fur shimmered with an otherworldly luminescence, and its eyes held the strength of ages.
"You are the Nemean lioness," Daniel uttered, a sense of revelation dawning upon him.
"Wait, am I becoming a lioness like you?" Daniel asked, a mix of wonder and uncertainty coloring his voice. The Nemean lioness, regal and wise, nodded in response. The realization filled Daniel with a strange blend of excitement and trepidation as he contemplated the profound transformation that awaited him.
As the Nemean lioness acknowledged his unspoken question, the visions surrounding Daniel intensified, weaving a tapestry of images that blurred the lines between human and feline.
As Daniel stood alone in the silent chamber of Area 50, the mythic flame within him surged with newfound intensity. The symbols on the walls began to glow once more, responding to the impending transformation. He felt a subtle vibration in the air, and the ancient energies began to weave their magic around him.
At first, it was a gentle sensation—a tingling warmth that emanated from within. The glow of the symbols intensified, casting an ethereal radiance that enveloped Daniel. He closed his eyes, surrendering to the ancient forces that guided the metamorphosis.
The change started at the core of his being. Daniel felt a gradual shift in his physique, a reconfiguration of bones and sinew. The tingling warmth spread outward, reaching every fiber of his being. His limbs felt supple yet strong, and an unseen force molded his anatomy into a form that echoed the grace of the Nemean lioness.
His skin tingled and shimmered as fur sprouted, first in patches and then cascading across his body. The texture was soft and sleek, a testament to the majestic creature he was becoming. The fur carried a luminescence, a glow that mirrored the ancient energies that now coursed through his veins.
As the transformation continued, Daniel's senses heightened. His ears elongated, becoming more attuned to the subtlest of sounds. His vision sharpened, adapting to the low light in the chamber with a keenness that surpassed human capabilities. He could feel the powerful muscles beneath his fur, a manifestation of the strength inherent in the mythic form he was adopting.
The change extended to his face, where his features took on a feline elegance. His nose became more pronounced, and his eyes, now vibrant and luminous, held the timeless wisdom of the Nemean lion. The last remnants of his human form merged seamlessly with the emerging mythic essence.
As the symphony of transformation reached its zenith, Daniel felt a final surge of energy coursing through him he underwent a subtle yet profound shift. His figure became more lithe, his mane transformed into a cascade of sleek fur that framed a graceful, powerful neck.
he soft glow of fur now enveloped Daniel's entire body, and a sense of majestic strength radiated from every sinew. His form had evolved from the masculine silhouette of a lion to the graceful elegance of a lioness. The last vestiges of his human identity dissolved into the mythic essence, leaving in their wake the embodiment of the Nemean lioness's essence.
With this metamorphosis, the pronouns that once referred to him as 'he' now seamlessly shifted to 'she.' Daniel, now in her magnificent lioness form, stood with regal poise and an air of ancient wisdom. The vibrant luminescence of her fur mirrored the ethereal glow of the mythic flame that burned within her.
She blinked her luminous eyes, now possessing a gaze that held the depth of centuries. The chamber around her seemed to respond to her transformed presence, the symbols on the walls glowing anew in acknowledgment of the completion of her evolution.
Daniel, now fully embodying the essence of the Nemean lioness, took a moment to adjust to her newfound form. The world felt different—her senses heightened, her connection to the mythic energies profound. She moved with a newfound grace, every step echoing the power and elegance of the creature she had become.
As she gazed upon her reflection in the chamber's walls, Daniel felt a sense of unity with the mythic tapestry that wove through the realms of existence. The convergence of mortal and mythic destinies was now complete, and she stood as a guardian of ancient secrets, a conduit for the energies that pulsed through the tapestry of reality.
With a steady resolve, Daniel, now a magnificent Nemean lioness, ventured forth into the uncharted realms beyond the abandoned bunker. The mythic flame within her burned brightly, casting its light on the path that awaited, a path that resonated with the echoes of destiny and the mysteries that awaited revelation.
Written by - on 30 December 2023
The end (for now)