The flash light clattered to the ground, light clicking off at the impact.
"This little light of mine…" a child muttered between sobs, hidden in the darkness with only a crack between two doors to see out of.
Two small hands picked up the plastic device, waving it around a bit, then bringing it up to a face chubby with baby fat.
"I-I'm gon-nna let it shi-ine…" he hiccups between a sob, looking out as a floorboard creaks. The child clutches the flashlight closer, attempting to be quiet even as he sobs.
"Sam, I think the flashlight's broken! We can't tell scary stories now!" The child calls out to his friend, walking over to a pillow and blanket fort. Another child pops his head out from between a sheet and a towel.
"Aw, but we gotta have scary stories! Maybe it needs new batteries."
"Th-this little li-ight o-o-of mi-ine…" The blonde child whispers, as the creaking becomes more frequent, louder and louder as it approaches. The child's breathing quickens and his heart beats faster. "I-I'm gonna l-l-et it shi-ine…" Not even quiet a whisper, his voice barely passes through his lips.
"Yeah! I know where dad keeps them." Sam smiles at his friend before crawling back into their fort.
"Okay Miles, you get the batteries."
"This li-ittle light of mi-ine…" The creaking stops, and the child peers though the crack, looking through the narrow window to outside his hiding spot.
"Did you find them?" Sam calls from inside the dark fort.
"Yeah, hold on!" There's a scraping of wood on wood.
"I'm gonna le-et it shine…" The child trembles, searching for something with limited success. Then he hears one more, longer creak and a metal face appears, red eyes glaring at him through the crack.
Miles reappears, crawling into the fort with the now working flash light. "Okay! Me first!" Sam pouts, but sits still as Miles puts the flashlight under his own chin.
"Goodbye, fleshling." The child screams as metal pierces though the wood of the wardrobe and his own flesh, choking wetly and dropping the flashlight. "Pathetic." The metal beast sneers, retracting its tail from the small being. 'Target terminated. Further orders?'
'Return to the present.'
'Acknowledged.'