Midnight. The sky was thick with dark, ominous clouds, each of which seemed to hide within its eternal mists a secret older than creation. The wind blew gently, carrying the scent of nighttime, that musky odour so like an aged, dusty cellar. That same wicked breeze did cause the great sweeping arms of the trees to sway and dance while reaching for a pale moon that hung full in the sky. It was indeed nighttime, but more than any night. This was an especially dark night in mood, despite the lunar brilliance.

In the ancient darkness stirred those things that no one dared to speak of, for they were unspeakable, and left to the darkness to know only. I, on the other hand, knew them well as I sat at my open window high up on the third floor, and breathed in the night air to fill my longing lungs. A longing, that is, for the darkness and its company. I so loved the night, and while it was necessary for me to work during the day, I often stayed up late to watch its progress. Of course I allowed myself some time for sleep, but after such a long nocturnal existence I required only a few hours. Tonight was far more special than any other night. Tonight I was awaiting a visitor who had promised me audience in every dream I had ever dreamt. Tonight she was to come for me.

I watched a spider dart across my sill and I smiled. I think he knew, that little spider did. He knew and so was making way for her. It seems to me that all the night creatures made way that evening, for I had seen little of them, except the owl who always sat perched in the tall oak across the lawn from my window. I think perhaps I must have nodded off awhile for I found it necessary to open my eyes and rub the sleep from them.

When I looked out my window the moon was gone, shrouded by the black clouds. Now there was no light and I found myself enveloped in inky darkness. I could not see a thing, and I became worried lest I should miss her arrival. To do so, on this a most solemn occasion, would be devastatingly depressing for me. I know not why, but I began to whine. It was a mournful whine, like that of a lonely hound, which started deep in the bowels of my gut and rose to my throat. T'was still total darkness and I felt the sting of hot, salty tears in my eyes. I was going to miss her! How could this be happening after I had waited for so long!?

" No.", I whispered, " Please, no!", and the whine became like fire in my breast 'till I felt the need to scream. Then, like a moment frozen in time, everything was silent. It seemed like an eternity, but was in fact less than a second. A soft voice came to me on the night breeze and whispered in my ear.

" Do you welcome me in?", it asked most seductively.

I answered, " Yes, please! I welcome you in."

And then the clouds parted and gave up their captive moon, whose light fell full upon me, and full upon her as she stood now before me. She was beautiful in all her deathlike glory. Oh, but she could not be dead! Not this beautiful and dead as well, yet I knew it to be true. Her gown was of white, diaphanous silk and flowed around her beauteous body. Or should I say corpse? For in fact that is what it was, a beauteous corpse from the grave. Her raven-black hair fell long and straight o'er her fine shoulders and spilt down to the small of her back. O', were she an angel she would indeed be the sin that tempted Lucifer. And now this sin that was woman stood before me.