In certain myths, there appears a creature who brings about the worst in people. The creature haunts people to madness, turning them all to drunkards, addicts, gamblers, or insomniacs. To their dying breaths, the people would cry, "just leave me alone!" No story shows any person finding a way to get rid of them or any ways to get along with them. Everyone suffers to death.
See, Sera has one such shadow haunting her right now. That, is why she did all this research to try and find something.
The only truth she found is the part where all the 'victims' yell at the shadows to leave them alone (she's been doing that too). But, the only reason she's shooing it is because it keeps telling her, "you should sleep soon. You have work in the morning," and, "if you eat the same thing 7 days in a row, you won't get proper nutrients. Buy some grapes, you like grapes," and even, "tell her you don't need extra shifts. You need proper rest."
See? It is annoying! Sera can understand why someone would drink or smoke upon seeing hallucinations, though she doesn't think gambling or addictions are related to seeing hearing shadows move.
It doesn't even look that scary! It appears like a shadow (hence the name). It's shaped like a cloth ghost wearing a plague doctor mask. It isn't 2D but it does not have a physical body; it's like a hologram! You can see it and hear it, but you cannot touch it. It would be wrong to say you cannot *feel * it. Sera felt it before she saw it.
She had been drowsy at work after working overtime three days in a row. She'd been on the brink of passing out dozing off when a large warm blanket like thing cascaded from the sky and draped itself around her body.
It was like someone had zapped all her exhaustion out of her body; she felt like a toddler awaking from their slumber. She was so rejuvenated that she almost asked her manager for another shift when 'someone pulled the blanket off of her' and all her exhaustion returned. That was when she first heard it speak, "I can take just as much as I can give. Do not force my hand."
Back then, Sera assumed she had started hallucinating from the lack of sleep and slept for eight hours in one night (instead of her usual two to four hours throughout the day). And, yeah, she felt like a toddler again. The shadow had spoken to her again, "do this everyday and you will lessen your neck cramps and headaches."
It was standing at the foot of her head, looming on her sleeping body. Sera had freaked (naturally) and rolled off her bed. But, she felt no pain as the 'blanket' had caught her before she hit the floor, "your bedside table is the wrong size. It would have hit your head."
It went on to explain itself later. It said it came to help Sera, "humans cannot help but have habits. Schedules and routines make you who you are. But, you have too many bad ones. I, Behemoth, am here to intervene."
Sera didn't look convinced. She was sure she needed a shrink appointment. But, the therapist or whoever would probably make Sera fix her life telling her that 'the only way to get rid of it is to fix your life'.
Bleugh. Yeah, no. Sera was perfectly okay with her life as it was. She did not want to go through such a hassle. But, she did want to get rid of her hallucinations; that is why, she hit the library and read a bunch (for the first time since highschool).
"You enjoy reading. Do this more often," Sera didn't know she was smiling until she felt her smile fall at Behemoth's comment. Dang it! It knows me too well!
That's when she decided to ask it, "how do I get rid of you?"
"I suggest not to talk aloud in public. It makes for a bad impression," she swung at it with a book in reply when it continued, "I will disappear when you are better."
Ah. So Sera's would-be therapist had would-have-been right. There is only one way to get rid of him. She sighed in defeat and muttered to it herself, "it's easier said than done! And, I don't even know where to start."
Behemoth's warmth embraced her just like the first time two weeks ago, uplifting her spirits just a bit, "you can take as long as you need. I will assist the whole way."
Sera wanted to ask it why it would do that for her or why it came to her and not to someone more in need. But she held back from giving in to her bad habit, making it the first step of her long journey of her life with Behemoth.
