I’m jolted out of my bunk suddenly as a deep shudder convulses through the boat as if the hull feels like it's tearing itself apart. How in the world have I managed to hit something? If my navigation is correct I should be in the middle of the Channel with nothing in sight. Sighing, I grab my lantern before making my way outside wondering what on earth has hit my boat on this dark moonless night.

Reaching the top, I look around, lifting my lantern up high, scanning the sea around me. The wind picks up making shadows dance as black, crooked, angry, cliffs appear above me. A nervous shiver runs down my spine as I grow aware of the pure sinister energy coming off the cliffs. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I tell myself sternly, “cliffs are merely harmless rocks. They can’t possibly do anything against you.” I turn away from the cliffs and run my lantern along what should be the smooth edge of my boat. All that’s left is small splinters of wood scattered across the rock now jutting out of the boat like an angry wart.  

Seeing that I cannot do anything to fix my boat tonight, I turn back to the cliff. Scanning the wet, scaly wall of the cliff, I discover a set of stairs twisting lazily up the cliff in a snake-like manner. After toying with the idea of exploring the cliffs for signs of life, I finally lift up my heavy skirts over the side of my boat, jumping onto the rock below and start to make my way towards the cliff. 

Deftly leaping from rock to rock, my luck finally runs out against the slickness of the rocks as I collapse onto the rock below. A sharp stinging sensation rips through my legs as I scrape it against the razor-like edges of the rock. Lifting up my skirts I watch, transfixed as the blood from the gouged skin on my upper thigh dances into the water, swirling as it taints the dark sea, red. As I’m watching the morbid dance before me, I spot a dark shadow lunge across the edge of the glow from my lantern. I wonder if it’s just the moonless night causing me to see things. But as soon as I start to entertain this idea I hear a shrill scream. The sound unlike any other that exists in this world. The sound is of pure madness and bloodlust. Another sickening feeling winds around my stomach as the last notes fade away into the distance. I prey that I will never encounter the creature capable of making such a sound. 

I start again making my way towards the stone stairs, this time with a new kind of purpose. Moving past the halfway point battling the wind as it picks up pushing against me, as if warning me not to continue. I hear more and more of the haunting screams, their deathly wails surrounding me completely as if the demonic shadows are slowly closing in around me, cutting me off from the outside world.

Just as quickly as the wails started they suddenly stopped. My senses heighten, shadows start to swirl around me, taking turns lunging at me, nipping me with razor sharp fangs. I scream as I feel the silky hide of one brush against my back and break free from my frozen state. I take off, sprinting towards the stairs, slipping and stumbling fanaticaly. Leaving a trail of blood in my wake. Suddenly one of the shadows lunges at my hand holding the lantern knocking it from my grasp. Time stands still as the lantern soars through the air, the world frozen, watching the lantern with feavered anticipation. A shattering sound slices the silence like a knife through butter as the lantern ends its flight on the sharp talons of the rocks. 

The world is suddenly bathed in darkness, the monsters standing so close to me that I can hear their excited snorts and the soft sound of splashing as their deadly hooves paw the sea in agitation. Yet none of them made a move towards me. It seemed as though they were waiting for me to make my first move, as if they took joy in chasing their prey. Yet the longer I stood still, the larger the agitation grew until the air was so thick with it I felt like I was suffocating. As time went on I knew I had to make my move fast, they would not wait forever. I bolt forward faster than ever and the dark beasts are finally released from their tethers bounding after me. They nip at my heels and tear at my dress, seeming to enjoy their morbid game. 

My panic rises as I stumble over rock after rock after rock, never seeming to get anywhere and never gaining on these dreadful shadows. I start to beg for my life, pleading to the beasts to stop and let me go. My breathing rapid and without pattern, my lungs never seeming to get enough oxygen as I continue on. Finally, I can run no longer and collapse into the water. My vision gets darker and darker as the surface disappears from view. I drift deeper into the blackness. The shadows continue to surround me, swirling in and out of each other like deadly black ribbons.