Chapter Text
Erid is dark.
Extraordinarily, and almost uncannily dark.
Even at night time on Earth, there is the light from the stars, the moon, neighbouring cities producing an orange haze on the clouds.
The xenonite dome which Grace is housed in is transparent, even though it is completely useless, he cannot see anything out there. He wouldn’t ask them to re-make it. They’ve done enough for him already. (Too much.)
The fear of the dark is just as engrained into humanity, as the fear of sleeping is to Eridians. The fear of absolute unknown; a predator, a monster lurking just outside of what the eye can see. The human mind can also play games. Horrible, cruel games. Convincing yourself that there is something… there. Right there, behind you. Or perhaps even right in front of you, and you wouldn’t know it.
Grace usually sleeps with the lights off. He’s a bit sensitive that way, and is the kind of person who needs total darkness or else it would keep them awake. But in his bed with the lights off, it is absolute nothingness, and his mind starts to wander.
There is a long-limbed eyeless figure right outside his door. It joins him quite often in his slumber. Sometimes while he’s walking to class, he can almost see it on the outside of his dome. It’s his minds mockery, he knows it. Something that is so close to being a human, but it just quite isn’t there.
He knows there isn’t a human. He knows he’s alone.
He is the only human here. But it doesn’t always feel that way.
Often, creatures fly up over the roof of his dome. He can’t figure out if they are real or not. He doesn’t want to ask Rocky, because if they aren’t, then he will know that he’s starting to go insane.
Sometimes he hears English. A word that he didn’t speak, coming from to his left, his right, behind. It sometimes says psst, or Ryland, or hey! He’s the only one on this planet who can speak English, and he knows that. But hallucinations aren’t logical.
Occasionally there will be something that is real. A tap on the xenonite from outside, of an Eridian wanting to get his attention. He tries his best not to flinch. He can’t let them know he’s afraid to be here.
It’s just, so dark.
He works tirelessly to try and build floodlights that can be set up outside his dome. The main light built into the top of his dome only spreads so far outside. But no matter how many lights he sets up, there will always be a barrier of darkness, an edge into the unknown.
And if a conjured horror from his mind, or a caring friend, stands beyond, he can’t always tell.