A/N: Another story written for a competition at Gaiaonline. Also, it's my very first horror story. Comments appreciated. Enjoy

I must admit that before, I didn’t know that Dan was telling the truth of seeing Rowan in his dreams. I regret that now, to be honest… I was too busy with my life with Vera to notice his deep pain. But that shall not happen now, because I’m here to tell Dan’s story. Dan who always had been with me since I was a child, supporting me just as how I supported him… yet, when he needed me the most, I couldn’t go and help him – I was too busy with my love of my life. My Vera.

But no, I shall not turn this story to my relationship with Vera. This story is about Dan… and how his life now tortures him, deep inside. But I daresay that it all started with Vera, in a way.

It was some time before Christmas, where this story starts – perhaps two or three days before Christmas, if my memory serves me correct. I was walking along the cobbled lanes in Dartmoor, when a woman dressed in blood-red suddenly bumped into me. I could tell that she was in a hurry and the force of the bump shook me, so I tripped against the snow, falling on my back against the mucky road. Needless to say, I was quite annoyed with such rudeness, but one could not blame another for being in such a hurry; especially at a time where people were usually in a hurry. Still, I didn’t expect the person to be a lady and I didn’t expect her to help me up and brush the snow off my coat – an act of real generosity, judging from her earlier speed.

“Really, sir, I do apologise! It wasn’t intentional, I assure you – I was merely running to get to my friend, Rowan, to say that I had finally found what she was looking for.” The young lady said, clasping her gloved hands in front of her as she gazed expectantly at me, her eyes so full of guilt and worry that it amazed me somewhat.

She was quite a lovely girl, I can tell you now, and she still is up to this day. Like myself, she had a fair complexion and an astounding figure. Her deep blue eyes stared into my grey ones and her fair blonde hair was tied back into an elegant bun, captivating me instantly with her beauty. High cheekbones, straight nose, curved eyelashes – it was truly a peculiar sight in these types of small places.

So instead of showing my anger (which had, by that time, truly disappeared), I smiled and tilted my head slightly. “Not at all, my dear lady. Please, if you wish to go somewhere, I’d be happy to escort you there.” I offered, giving out my own gloved hand to her.

To my sheer delight and small surprise, she took my hand with a small nod and I bowed formally. “My name is Vincent Willoughby.” I introduced myself. “Pleasure to meet you, miss…?”

“Vera.” She answered lightly. “Vera Whitney. But please, just call me Vera – For some reason, it irks me when they call me Miss Whitney.” She smiled as I led her away with a nod.

So that was how I met Vera, and how the story started with me which shall eventually turn to Daniel.

I escorted her to her home just outside the city where she lived with her friend mentioned earlier, Rowan Ainsbury. Their home was a rather large mansion, very isolated, very old, but beautiful, in a way. It resembled the two ladies finely, because like Vera, Rowan was also another lovely person. She had a darker complexion than Vera – a much darker complexion… like Daniel, when I think about it. Her eyes were a brilliant shade of forest-green and she had long black hair which reaches her elbows, giving her a look of a black widow – particularly because they were both so pale and white, but it’s more noticeable with Rowan for her dark features.

They invited me inside, but I had to decline for I had to meet Daniel later on. Rather kindly, as soon as I announced my leaving, both Rowan and Vera then invited me for Christmas dinner to make up for the night and I could see quite well where it was leading me to. I informed them that I would be bringing my friend, Daniel, along with me and much to my delight, they both agreed simultaneously. I had never received such hospitality from ones who I had just met, so it was very pleasing.

Daniel’s story didn’t begin there. His story started during Christmas Eve after the dinner we had with Rowan and Vera. It was evident by then that both Rowan and Daniel were a perfect match for each other and I must admit I was attracted to Vera myself. It was like a miracle; too perfect to be true, yet to real to be a dream. I don’t believe it’s necessary to say that after that night during Christmas Eve, I had believed that we were all meant for each other…

From that day, it only took Daniel and me a few hours (or a few days) to get closer to both Vera and Rowan. Their interests matched ours spectacularly and I knew then that we were both in love with them. However, I also realised that they never actually talked about their past and such – only about their interests and what they enjoy doing. Not that I had a problem with that, for they were so charming and sweet that I found myself hypnotized with their kindness and beauty.

It never occurred to me then that the two ladies, including my dearest Vera, would haunt Daniel’s life from thereon.

Four days after Christmas Eve, I went into my own home, only to find my best friend (and roommate) already there, fast asleep. He was in his room, but I could tell that he was sleeping from the gentle snores which could be heard in the middle of the tense silence – I knew then that he was tired, so the date with Rowan must’ve gone well for him, and that made me glad somewhat. I, however, decided to stay with Vera a little bit later that night and then also decided to sleep a bit later.

As I sat down in the sitting room for a smoke with my cigar, the clock struck twelve and rain started to pour buckets over our home. It was quite peculiar, but I didn’t think of it at that time, for why should I wonder about the rain? I realised that it was quite odd that it should rain, particularly because the night I had with Vera earlier was so beautiful and clear, but the weather was of no importance to me. I was making plans at that time… plans to celebrate a New Year with them in a matter of a few days.

At the twelfth chime, a lightning struck and thunder rolled, and it was then when I heard an ear-splitting shriek from my dearest friend.

It was a terrifying shriek - his voice magnified several times in the silence, but also drowned with the sound of the rain and thunder. Regardless, it was a loud scream - loud enough to haunt me for days upon end and as he howled like a mad demon, I was stuck in my chair and I could have sworn that my pulse stopped for a moment. The scream, thankfully, died down a few seconds after that.

The scream frightened me, I have to admit, but I shrugged the feeling of fear away and immediately bolted to Daniel’s room, taking him by his shoulders as I tried to wake him up.

“Dan! Daniel! Daniel, wake up!” I called, shaking him roughly. His eyes fluttered open immediately and his hands shot out and grasped my elbows with such force that it could have snapped my bones. I tried to loosen his grip, but he tightened it further with a look of pure horror and dread at his face, sweat drenching his clothes and his skin.

“Vince… Rowan… Rowan, she came to me! The Dead Days! Now’s the time of the Dead Days!” He said hurriedly, gripping my elbows even harder that I almost heard a crack. “Vince, we must leave!”

“For heavens sake, Dan, get a hold on yourself! What do you mean, the Dead Days? What about the Dead Days?!”

“I was there… last year, I was there. I was the killer, Vincent, I was there! I saw myself… I saw myself as a handsome man and I killed them behind their backs while they were walking at the moor. First Rowan… then Vera. Oh, and how terrible Rowan’s face was. I could see it though… her eyes…

“Those eyes… those little, green eyes are poking me through the darkness, Vince. I cannot see anything other than those two orbs, reminding me of my wrongdoings and pain, oh how scary those eyes are. The eyes of a ghost… God save me, please, silence me forever if you must, but put those eyes away from me! Slay me, let me die in peace, please, just not those eyes again…” Daniel shook in my arms.

“Dan, you’re not making any sense! Last year, you were in London, not here in Dartmoor!” I cried, frustrated and also worried that he had such a terrifying nightmare.

“Those eyes… Vince, those eyes are still looking at me. Right now… there! There! Vince, there!” Daniel suddenly yelled, shrinking back as he pointed at my face, his own face already as white as a ghost. “They died during the dead days… Now is the dead days, Vince! We have to leave!” He said quickly.

“Dan, I’m not going anywhere. This is my home and I love Vera. Just… just calm down.” I sighed, releasing his shaking body. “You can leave if you want, Dan, but I’m staying here, alright? I have no reason to leave.” I said gently, using the quietest tone I could to calm him down.

“But you must… you’ll thank me later, Vincent, but you must.” Daniel said slowly, grabbing my wrist to pull me closer.

“Why…? What happened between you and Rowan today?” I asked, sitting down on his bed to let him explain.

Daniel breathed deeply and loosened his grip around my wrist, shaking his head. “It was a mistake… I never wanted to hurt Rowan, never. Oh, Vincent, I love Rowan as much as you love Vera, but I never wanted to hurt her.” He said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper that I had to strain my ears to listen to him. “I wanted to hold her… but as my hand moved to her back, I saw it. Blood, Vince, blood… I accidentally hurt her. There was blood on her back… and blood in my hands. It wasn’t intentional, I swear…

“I was afraid… but she only smiled at me and said that it was enough for the night. I must’ve gone home because I now find myself here… But that dream…” He shuddered. “Those eyes of hers… they stared at me and she said it clearly. ‘We were killed by the Dead Days.’ I heard her as clearly as you can hear me now… She’s not real. She’s not real. Those eyes… Those eyes...” He shook and turned his head away from me, saying no more.

Could you blame me for not trusting him that night? I was in love with a woman, and here my friend said that they were killed by the Dead Days – by him. I did not believe that the Dead Days can kill, and if you’re wondering, the Dead Days is simply the gap between Christmas and New Year. Why they called it the Dead Days is beyond me and up to this day as I’m writing this story now, I cannot say for sure. All I knew was that the dream scared Daniel – or, more accurately, it petrified him.

I left him for the night and went into my own room to sleep after staying with him for about half an hour. He calmed down somewhat after that, much to my relief, so I retired to my own bedroom where I could have my own rest that night.

I was surprised, however, to see him ready and packed by morning the very next day, wanting to leave as soon as he could. And no matter how much I protested, Daniel would not listen. He had left me and Rowan, merely because of the nightmare he had. I was so frustrated at that time that I couldn’t manage to get my feelings right that day and decided to sulk in my house for a few days.

I never saw Daniel again after that, and it has been a year since then. An exact year, to be precise, since he had the dream and, surprisingly, since Rowan disappeared without a trace. I never knew where he had moved, or where Rowan had went to, but I received a letter ten days ago from him, which was what inspired me to write this, I’m sure. The letter itself is quite long (not to mention tattered, old and rough, surprisingly), so I shall only make use of what is relevant to this story;

'Leave while you can, Vince, for the Dead has taken Rowan away from me during the Dead Days and shall do so to you. Remember her eyes, Vince… those eyes haunted me every night that I think I’m driving myself insane. Death is a better place than being trapped here with my dreams… I am a grown man, Vince. But still, I cannot overcome the grief. Leave while you can, Vince. You don’t want this… you do not want this…'

It seems as though the letter had been written for quite some time, but hadn’t been posted until now. Either that or it had been directed to some other place those months back and only found itself to me now. But I shall check the envelope now… and see if there’s anything which might give me a lead..

Slowly, Vincent placed his pen down and took up the tattered envelope beside him, examining it carefully. It was quite an old thing, he realised - a very old thing, yet, as Vincent examined it, he then realised that his name and address were written on a different piece of paper which was then stuck onto the envelope. Slowly and carefully, Vincent peeled off the address and saw the familiar handwriting on the cover of the envelope.

You do not want to be dead just yet. Being dead like this is not an easy thing…

“Vincent?” Vera’s voice broke Vincent’s thoughts and abruptly, the young man placed a letter back into its envelope and smiled tightly, placing the letter on top of the pile of papers. He took the sheets of paper he had written on in his hands and tucked it into his drawer slowly.

“In a minute, Vera.” Vincent said lightly, though she could have sworn that he looked rather pale.

Gently, Vera stepped forward and held her arms out which Vincent then took, embracing her with a small smile. “Everything alright, Vince?” She asked innocently as she stroked his hair lovingly. “You look pale.”

“Just old memories, Vera. What’s the date again?”

“The 30th, Vince. Of December.”

“The Dead Days…” Vincent whispered, his voice only audible to himself. Vincent tensed slightly and broke the embrace to look at Vera, but as he did so, he wished that he had kept the embrace intact for what he saw was one too frightening to even describe.

Those eyes… those little, green eyes are poking me through the darkness... those two orbs… The eyes of a ghost… silence me forever...put those eyes away from me! …let me die in peace... just not those eyes again…