As Long As The Light Is On by Anastasiia Kohtieva

We have never expected that

our lives will turn into this. Everyone is always with a phone in their hands like it was earlier, but not for the same purpose. Our phones are what help us stay alive. Approximately ten years ago, dark spirits were awakened. They captured all the world trying to get rid of people. But humanity still fights for its existence and does not give in to supernatural evil.

They can move only in the dark, and the light does not allow them to reach us. We haven't seen the sun for a long time. Our children can learn about natural light only from our memories, which we tell them at bedtime in fairy tales. I would not say we are doomed and live in eternal fear. After all, people unite to overcome what hinders our existence. Now is the time when we live peacefully with flashlights on our phones and another electric lighting. But there is always the fear that dark spirits are not trying to turn off our artificial lightning because they have a terrible plan to turn off the light even on our phones.

But I'm not afraid today! I'm going to a cafe with my best friends. I can't wait to show off my new ring, which my boyfriend gave me (we're getting married soon). I walk down the street with a smile from ear to ear and wave my bag here and there, not afraid to get into people around me. In my left hand, I always hold a phone with a flashlight. This is already a common habit, as it was with masks during the covid pandemic.

Fifteen minutes on foot, I'm already in our favourite cafe where our favourite cupcakes are baked. However, I don't see Kate and Lisa. Hmm, where are they? I immediately call them, but there is just white noise. "There must be something wrong with my phone. I should ask that man to call Kate from his one," I thought. I came, apologized and told him about my problem. The man with the black hat looked down at me with a raised eyebrow and held out his phone without saying anything. He is quite strange, but I think only for my friends. The dial tone goes! But it was interrupted by the same noise. I thanked him and ran to Lisa's house, she lives nearby.

While I was walking, everyone around me was fussing, and I could hear similar phrases like "What's up with the connection?" "I can't connect at all", "No beeps, just noise." And then I see my cousin Emma walking through the crowd looking around. I run to her with all my might and throw myself in a hug.

"Oh, hello, Maria! Long time no see. However, I must ask, do you know what's going on here?" she said uncertainly.

"I still don't know for sure, but it scares me. I wanted to call my friends, but instead of a dial tone, I heard white noise, and I'm not the only one," I say with tears. And then I caught my breath. Behind Emma, ​​I see house after house getting dark, and the closer it gets, the more clearly hear I people's screams.

Everyone starts screaming, Emmi and I quickly hide under the table in the cafe next to us. My least favourite cafe! I never thought that I would run here. A screaming crowd of people runs, pushing everyone, regardless of whether it is an elderly, a little girl, or a kitten.

Almost everyone ran. We sit with bated breath. There is complete darkness around us. I feel something cold on my knee, like a draft. The cold is getting closer and closer. Suddenly, my mother's voice sounds in my head: "Marie! What did I tell you? Yes, it's spring, but the wind is still cold." And it started to get somehow warmer, as though my mother had put a sweater on me.

Emmy nudged me with her elbow. I open my eyes and see two lights right in front of me. They look like eyes. It's getting colder. Suddenly, Emmy, with her hands shaking, takes out the phone with the hope that it will work. As soon as the miracle happened, this light hit my eyes. I immediately remembered that feeling when you are blinded by the sun.

"Marie, don't look at the sun! Or you'll be wearing glasses like your grandfather!" came the grandmother's voice but I`m still looking at it till my eyes really hurt. After it, I hear the roar of the dark spirit; my eyes get used to the darkness again, and I see how his body begins to burn. Emmy grabs my hand, and we run into the garden of my unadorned cafe.

As we run, I smell this nasty smell of white roses. My first love. My first date was right here. I remember that smell. We kissed here for the first time. It was so embarrassing. My leg fails me, and I fall face down without strength. My body warms, and my eyes close. I can barely hear my cousin's screams, "Marie! Marie! Get up! Just a little more!"