tips for pulling all-nighters to do homework

• gather all of your assignments. mark them, label them, scribble over the top in bright red sharpie, do SOMETHING to indicate the papers you need to do. keep track of all of these assignments. make sure you get them all finished. make sure they don’t try to take them away from you. the ones at school are far more terrifying than the ones in your room with you.
• decide where you will be working for the night. make this decision apparent and clear by pointing to the place and stating out loud, “this is my space, and mine only”. be confident in your tone and posture. they will be able to sense your fear and will not leave you alone if you show it.
• always keep three pencils within reach, in case one goes missing. keep them sharpened, in case someone decides to join you.
• keep your workplace well-lit. they are afraid of light and won’t bother you if you do so. as an added strategy, if you wish for the dark corners of your room to stay unoccupied, light them as well. that way there will be nothing staring you down or standing behind you as you work.
• if your calculator starts malfunctioning on its own, leave it be. ghosts have to do their taxes, too. you will anger it if you tamper with it while one is occupying it, and your homework may be the price you have to pay for a peaceful night. if you need the calculator while it is being occupied, ask for help out loud. they may work the equation out for you.
• likewise, the others in the room with you may know a bit about other subjects. don’t be afraid to try your luck. the worst that could happen is getting your assignments confiscated.
• keep track of your assignments.
• it is best if you refrain from listening to music with earbuds or headphones in while you work. music transcends reality, and so do the beings that surround you. you would not want to be somewhere you don’t want to be.
• do not fall asleep. if they know you gave into your urges without finishing your work, they will become annoyed, or worse, cause a ruckus in an attempt to wake you up. this may take form in shrieking, flying papers and writing utensils, flickering lights, and other paranormal activity. keep yourself busy and focused. do not succumb to the darkness.
• don’t obsess over the time. time is a social construct and all of its rules disappear with the sunset. seeing the time on the device that is most convenient for you will only confuse you, and they will take advantage of that. the goal is not to work until a certain time. the goal is to work until your work is done.
• keep track of all your assignments.
• the rattling noise you hear from outside your room is just the fridge making ice. don’t think too much about it.
• the rattling noise you hear from inside your room is just the vents. don’t think too much about it.
• it is best if you keep your blinds and door closed while you work. others may peek into your room out of curiosity, and as unbothered you may be, you want the least amount of company as possible. do not peer outside at all. you may find something disturbing peering back.
• don’t mind the long, lanky figure underneath your bed. he won’t harm you if you leave him be.
• do not give up on your homework. there will be a punishment, and it’s much worse than a bad grade.
• keep track of your assignments.
• you may start hearing someone or something knocking on your door a few hours into your work. ignore it. they’re just playing tricks on you.
• don’t worry about wrong answers. they won’t judge you for putting in your best effort. only worry about the rest of the factors you need to keep up with.
• if you wake up in an unfamiliar place, that means you fell asleep and they took you away. all i can help you with is to obey them. don’t act out. the better you are, the higher your chances are of getting out of there. prayers will not work. god will not be able to save you. all you can do is comply.
• remember. don’t forget. all you lose during the night is lost forever.

they dance in the withering sunlight

each one of their steps further weakening the stage they waltz on

their laughter sounds through the empty house

echoing off the peeling wallpaper and the dusty floorboards

be mindful of the noises you make if you stay and watch

they are wary of their surroundings

they dislike being disturbed

do not worry if you won’t make a sound

they are passive if you comply to their wants.

it is pitch-black. you do not know if the chill is from the breeze rattling through the tree branches above you, or if it is from the cold glimmering of the thousands of stars above your head.

you turn your gaze upwards. countless unanswered questions take form in your head, yet most do not even elicit an answer. the stars seem to hold the secrets to the universe, but will you ever know them?

you do not know now, and you certainly do not know if you ever will.

you return your gaze to the dark forest beyond you.

the stars blink, silent.

she beckons you closer, staying hidden within the thick layer of forest.

she seems to shimmer in and out of existence. her skin seems far too pale to be human. her eyes seem far too bright to be anything but.

you take a step closer.

she grins. she has too many teeth to be human.

the forest seems to chuckle ominously, as if you have made a mistake.

you feel the air grow cold. you feel the hairs on your arms rise up. you begin to panic.

you dare to take a glimpse behind you.

you turn back.

she is right in front of you.

your vision goes dark.

somewhere in the deep crevices of your mind, she giggles.

the cottage in the woods is showing signs of decay. you can hear the wind groaning through the holes in its walls. she is afraid. she does not want you to come any closer. but you are impulsive. you are curious. so curious, in fact, that you find yourself helplessly taking cautious steps towards the front door of the place. the groans grow louder, as if she were warning you to turn back. but it is too late. you are already pushing the door open.

the blood on the wall and the body crumpled on the floor was enough to send you bolting out the door.

so that’s where your cousin went.

tips for driving down back roads at night

• check to make sure all of your headlight bulbs are working before you depart from your starting location. not only are broken headlights against the law, you could potentially be blindly stumbling into some dangerous territory. the more area you can see, the better. the last thing you want is to be stuck on their land.
• do not let your eyes linger on the wheat fields. some have reported a sudden drop in temperature in their car. some have spoken of a tugging sensation coming from the fields. some have claimed they saw the devil himself grinning back. you do not want to find out what lurks within the wheat fields.
• if you happen to come across a hitchhiker, check for wounds or anything out of the ordinary on their person. if their eyes reflect your headlights, drive faster. do not stop under any circumstances. do not slow down until you are absolutely sure they cannot catch up to you. they are not human.
• do not slow down or stop to marvel at the cottage in the forest. do not go inside or get out of your car. you will not return unscathed.
• if you see yellow eyes watching you from the corn, continue on. they are just the ravens.
• if you see red eyes watching you from the corn, continue on. they are just the crows.
• if you see green eyes watching you from the corn, get out of there as fast as you possibly can. they will follow you. they will hunt you down.
• objects in your side mirrors indeed seem closer than they look. don’t glance over too often, though. they come nearer with every look.
• the creatures in the woods are rumored to attack pickup trucks more often than any other type of automobile. make sure all of your windows are shut and your truck bed is empty and uncovered if you drive one. you wouldn’t want to ferry one of them home without knowing.
• do not stare at the empty, broken-down cars on the side of the road. they do not welcome the gazes of strangers. it is best if you only say a quick prayer for them and drive on. you do not want to be next.
• the radio may spit out some inaudible blubber occasionally. white noise may come through for a few seconds before reverting back to what you were listening to. just convince yourself you’re driving through a spot with patchy satellite signal. don’t mind what they’re saying through the static. ignorance is bliss.
• some travelers claim they often hear shrieking while they are driving. contrary to popular belief, they do not want to hurt you. they are just playing tricks on you. just don’t slow down. just don’t stop.
• whatever you do, don’t fall asleep. pull into a rest stop, at least. do not fall asleep on the side of the road. you may not wake up again.
• the witching hour does not apply when you’re on the road. they roam after sunset. they are bloodthirsty. stay aware of your surroundings.
• that stain on the grass over there was definitely from a deer. don’t think too much about it.
• right?
• not everything that you can see is real.
• not everything that is real you can see.
• the devil never sleeps. he is out for blood. he is nothing like anything you’ve ever seen before. you have been warned.