Nothing
ter a third person regaled the crowd with the Tale of
Tailypoe, Dale asked if anyone had anything creepy
happen in their lives. One couple said that their home
creaked all the time, but they were sure it was due to
their house’s foundation being laid on top of an artesian well. “Yeah, I’m sure it’s Nothing,” said Dale.
Others agreed in likewise statements, that the sounds
were Nothing. And there’s Nothing to be afraid of.
Two days later, the couple was gone. Most folks just assumed they’d moved out, Dale included among them. A
few thought they’d been kidnapped, but that dispelled
quickly as the case was on the couple’s meeting each
other in the Army. Even when the cops started their
investigation, they said that they had found Nothing in
the couple’s house.
Time passed and winter quickly approached, causing
everyone to stay inside more and talk less. Dale still
mulled over what had happened to the ex-Army couple and their disappearance. He kept coming up with
Nothing. One night, his next door neighbors asked him
over for dinner and Dale quickly accepted. Mark and
Cindy always had the best meals. And truth be told,
the food and company were exquisite. As the night and
wine bottles came to a close, the trio started to discuss
the disappearance. “Well, I remember them saying that
they heard noises in their house…and…” Mark’s voice
trailed off.
“And we’ve started hearing strange noises too,” finished
Cindy. Dale looked at the two of them and cracked a
smile.
“Guys, I’m sure it’s Nothing. I’m certain of it,” said
Dale.
“We hope so,” Mark stated with a shake in his voice.
Not long after, conversation trailed off and Dale excused himself from his friend’s abode. Sleep seemed
to come quickly to him as he trudged through the light
snow that was taking purchase on the unsalted sidewalk. Inside his home, Dale flopped on his couch in
the living room. His body tired from a long day and
glass or so extra of wine. Somewhere in his pre-sleep
thoughts he wondered if it was nothing or if Nothing
was something. Unconsciousness took over him before
he could rationalize more.
from a night of no dreams. Work came and went, as
did the days. He decided to call Mark and Cindy, but
no one picked up the phone. His first thought he was
just being paranoid, but something in him said to check
up on them. Into their driveway, his car pulled and out
came Dale to his neighbor’s doorstep. He knocked but
there was no response. He looked through the window
of their door and Nothing was there. Dale was taken
aback. He saw Nothing. Nothing was standing there.
Dale could see Nothing didn’t have eyes, but he knew
it was looking back at him.
Something primal in Dale told him to run. He crossed
the street, only to see Nothing walking behind him. He
ran into his house, slammed the door, and used every
locked the door tight. He scanned his living room, but
he had no furniture he could quickly move to brace
the door. Nothing began knocking on his door. Dale
screamed and ran upstairs. He ran into his room and
somehow found the strength to move is prefab dresser in front of his bedroom door. He realized he was
breathing too heavy, making too much noise. He tried
furiously to calm himself, but it was no use. Panic is
panic and Dale started to cry.
Nothing is nothing, but it was also something. And that
something that was Nothing had gotten Dale’s door
open. He could hear Nothing walking around on the
first floor. Dale pressed his ear against his bedroom
door. Nothing’s footsteps made their way up the staircase. Dale heard Nothing breathing…or some sort of
breathing noise on the other side of his door. He fell
down trying to quickly back away from the door. He
pressed against the opposite wall, wanting to merge
into the sheetrock and get out of this situation.
Nothing jiggled the door handle. Nothing opened the
door, pushing the dresser out of the way. Nothing
walked over to Dale, who was unable to move. He was
petrified with fear. Over and over he muttered, “But it’s
Nothing. I see Nothing. Why am I afraid?” To Dale’s
horror, Nothing responded.
“Didn’t your parents ever tell you? There’s Nothing to
be afraid of. You, all of you, every time have mistaken
that warning.” Nothing moved closer to Dale, “Now
that you understand that, aren’t you curious about what
‘Nothing’s happening’ really means?” •
An alarm brought Dale back to the world of the living
64
October 2013
INSIGHT