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My name is Matthew Adams, I am 28, and the date is Tuesday 28th August 1945. A couple of days ago, I had an experience I don't think I'll ever forget, the day was uneventful for the most part, the usual patrols here and there. That was until our troop had to patrol one of the woods surrounding the camp.
As we ventured it got progressively darker and quieter, by the point we were halfway, some of the men couldn't take the deafening silence and decided to turn back. It got to a point where we couldn't even hear our own footsteps on the ground beneath us.
I could very faintly hear screaming, and as it got louder I realised it was coming from the soldiers surrounding me, the screams as they increased in volume started to echo, I turned to see what they were making so much noise about, and immediately wished I hadn't.
I wish I had just walked back when I had the chance; because there in front of me was two figures, as I looked closer I realised one of them was the creature known only by rumors, its tall and spindly limbs and body towered over us creating darker shadows than those cast by the trees around. Its face if you could even call it that, was as clean as a slate, blank; what unnerved me more is the way that it seemed to look at me or through me. The more I looked at this thing the more nauseous I felt, so I quickly changed the direction of my attention to the smaller being standing next to it. The stature made this individual seem human, but the grin stated otherwise, it was twisted and crooked. The being was coated in blood both fresh and dry, its clothing was torn in places, evident from being involved in a conflict. He was holding a sharpened blade in his hand, gripped so tightly that his knuckles were white. The longer I studied him, the more I came to realise that I didn't hear the screaming anymore, or anything but the wind muffled by the branches of the trees above. I looked around to the ground, and only saw the mangled and horrified faces of those I once knew looking back at me, their bodies having been mutilated and now almost unrecognisable.
By this point my head was aching more than before, and I started to see black around the edges of my vision, I blinked a couple of times, trying to rid myself of the visions I believed I was having, and as I started to topple from feeling light-headed I saw the smaller creature open its mouth to reveal slightly sharper teeth than that of a normal person, the words I heard next will forever send chills down my spine and give me a sense of uneasiness.
"You'll do fine for a vessel, you're strong, but not quite there yet. But don't worry, you'll be there in no time." Its grin and the taller one's blank face were the last things I heard before I hit the floor. My legs buckled from underneath me.
Even now as I write this I can feel their presence looming ever closer but not over me, as if reminding me that I'm never completely alone even when I think I am. I am constantly checking over my shoulder for the slightest of movements.
It is the 15th January 1946. That day continues to haunt me as though the creatures don't want me to forget what I saw and heard, people say that there's a voice of conscience in the back of their heads, telling them if what they're doing is wrong. The voice of that creature looms like an ever-present shadow, not telling me of right or wrong but instead trying to persuade me that I should harm those around me; sometimes it mutters, others it shouts. But it's always there, talking, I don't think it plans on leaving anytime soon.
The tall figure follows me everywhere, just standing and watching, never quite approaching and seemingly never presenting itself to others. It sometimes will stand in my room at night or will linger just in my peripheral vision, yet when I try to look at it head-on, it leaves.
That voice is pleased whenever I manage to wound a man on the battlefield, it seems to enjoy the chaos surrounding me.
No one else can see the tall man, or hear the voice, I think I might be going mad. Whenever I try to talk to others about what I encountered that day, they look at me like I have grown two heads and then dismiss me. Surely they believe I'm mad too, maybe I am.
I have been discharged from my duties and sent home as they believe I'm no longer mentally sound enough to continue fighting. Maybe they're right.
It is the 28th November 1946. It's been a year of this madness and I can't figure out what's happening to me, my family came to town the other day to celebrate my birthday, my mother is concerned for me, yet is confused as to why I don't look any different. I've managed to block out the voice and the sight of the other creature for so long and now it's quiet, the voice isn't talking and I'm confused. It talks non-stop for the past year and then it leaves me with silence, it's overwhelming and I can't take it anymore.
It's now the 15th of January 2010. I still look no different, theoretically, I should be and look 92; yet I'm exactly the same.
I have had to watch my entire family pass on while I could do nothing about it. I have had to hear that my friends passed without knowing I was okay, I retreated into myself and became a quiet reserved person after the 10th year of dealing with this. I deeply regret not being there for any of them but how would I have explained how they were getting older why I didn't seem to age, I couldn't explain the situation as no one has or would believe me. I should have at least tried.
The voice says I don't have to wait much longer, that it will be leaving along with the tall creature soon, they'll leave me to the rest of my existence knowing I neglected my friends and family when they needed me the most. It says it's leaving come March, it can feel a presence coming that will serve it a much better purpose come that time, that I have fulfilled my purpose and am no longer needed.
I am horrified by what that implies. I don't want to live knowing someone else has to go through what I did.
I can feel their presences leave. They won't be coming back.
To whoever they decide is next, I am so sorry I wasn't able to stop them.
My name is Evan Myers, I am 19, and the date is 10th March 2010. It was supposed to be simple, an introduction video for our channel. I don't know what went wrong. How do I stop it?