"Midnight Whispers"

As the night wore on, Nick couldn't shake off the feeling that Charlie was still shaken by his bad dream. He tried to distract himself by thinking about the events of the day, but his mind kept wandering back to Charlie's terrified expression. He gently rocked Charlie back and forth, trying to comfort him, and after a while, Charlie's breathing slowed, and he drifted off to sleep again. Nick sat there for a while, lost in thought, his eyes scanning the room as he tried to process what had just happened. He had always been attuned to Charlie's emotions, but tonight, he sensed that there, something was off. The dream had clearly unsettled Charlie, and Nick couldn't help but wonder what had triggered it. As he sat there, lost in thought, Nick's gaze wandered to the old, leather-bound book on his bedside table. It was an old diary that his grandfather had given him, filled with stories and poems that Nick had written over the years. He opened it to a page that had a poem written in it, one that he had penned a long time ago. The words seemed to leap off the page, and he read them out loud to Charlie, who was still fast asleep. "'The moonlight whispers secrets to the night, Of shadows that dance, and hearts that take flight. In the darkness, fears and doubts reside, But in the light, love and hope abide.'" Nick's voice was soft and soothing, and as he read the words, he felt a sense of calm wash over him. He closed the diary, and his eyes drifted back to Charlie, who was still sleeping peacefully in his arms. Just then, a faint creaking sound came from outside the room. Nick's ears perked up, and he listened intently, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. It sounded like someone was slowly opening the attic door. Nick's heart skipped a beat as he gently set Charlie down on the bed and got up to investigate. He walked over to the door, his bare feet making no sound on the floor. As he reached for the handle, he hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should wake Charlie up. But something about the creaking sound seemed off, and he decided to check it out. Nick slowly turned the handle and pushed the door open. The hallway outside was dimly lit, but he could see a sliver of moonlight casting an eerie glow over the space. He took a deep breath and stepped out into the hallway, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of movement. The creaking sound had stopped, but Nick's instincts told him that something was amiss. He took a few steps forward, his ears straining to pick up any other noise, but there, there was nothing. Just as he was about to turn around and go back to Charlie, he heard a faint whisper in his ear. "Nick?" The voice was soft and hesitant, and Nick's heart skipped a beat as he spun around to face the speaker. But there was no one there. "Nick?" the voice came again, this time a little louder. Nick's eyes scanned the hallway, and that's when he saw her - a figure standing in the shadows, just outside the room. "Who's there?" Nick called out, his voice firm but cautious. The figure slowly stepped forward, and Nick's eyes widened as he realized it was Tao, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and excitement. "Nick, I saw something," Tao whispered, his voice barely audible. Nick's heart sank, and he felt a chill run down his spine. "What did you see?" he asked, his voice low and urgent. Tao took a step closer, his eyes darting nervously around the hallway. "I saw Charlie, outside in the garden. He was talking to someone, but I couldn't see who it was. They were standing in the shadows, and Charlie looked...scared." Nick's mind was racing with questions, but before he could ask any of them, Tao grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the shadows. "Nick, I think we should go back to the room," Tao whispered, his eyes wide with fear. "I don't think Charlie is alone." Nick's heart was racing as he followed Tao back into the room, his mind filled with worst-case scenarios. What was going on? And who was Charlie talking to?