NOTE: This story was translated from the Italian version of the wiki.
When I was little, my grandfather, coming home tired from work, told us that if you screamed at night, the devil would come and get you.
It was a great way to keep us quiet, at least for the first half hour. But after all, when we grandchildren were all together, it was impossible not to revel. The first of us who broke the silence began to speak in a low voice, then the second responded with a little less restrained laughter. After a couple of minutes, we found ourselves screaming excitedly. Then, out of the blue, we remembered grandfather's words and silently holed up under the covers, waiting terrified for him to come for us.
We didn't last long and, within twenty minutes, we were all asleep.
One day I told grandfather that I no longer believed in his story. I was now 10 years old, too old to still believe it. After all, none of what he told had ever happened. He scolded me and said that we shouldn't joke about these things, and that if I had never seen the devil, it was because I was sleeping, but there he would have been, staring at us, waiting for the first of us to wake up during the night to take them away.
He couldn't convince me with this story, but I was curious all the same.
A week later, my cousins and I were all gathered again and eating the cutlets that grandmother had prepared for us, when I explained my plan to everyone. We would scream on purpose and then go to bed. Afterwards, I would stay awake to see if the devil really came. I was a very determined child and had prepared for my task with a nice afternoon nap. We all agreed, except Annie, the youngest, who, frightened, threatened to tell grandfather everything when he got home.
In the end, we convinced her too. We told her that it was a test of courage, and that if she didn't participate, she would be a coward, and if she ever mentioned it to grandfather, we would never play with her again.
After dinner, we all went to put on our pajamas and brush our teeth. We sat in front of the fireplace and waited for grandfather to return, then we said goodnight to him and went to the bedroom. I counted to three and we all screamed in unison, then, following the plan to the letter, we all got into bed.
After a very short time, when no one was sleeping yet, the door opened. It was grandmother who, hearing our cry, had come to see if anything had happened. We pretended to be asleep and she left. A few minutes passed and everyone fell asleep, except me.
I stood staring into the dark, waiting. In my heart, I hoped no one would come. From the alarm clock on the bedside table, I counted the passage of a couple of hours, before I grew weary and my eyes closed. A rustling woke me up, but, sleepily, I at first didn't remember our plan. I rolled over in bed and closed my eyes. I reopened them immediately, because I thought I had seen something. Suddenly, I remembered everything.
A being was there, standing in front of the door. It looked like a shadow and had large, piercing yellow eyes, without pupils.
I forced myself not to move or scream, even though I felt the need to. He didn't notice I was awake. I just stood there staring at it until, as dawn came, it turned and disappeared through the door. I waited a few minutes and then let myself go into desperate tears. When my cousins got up too, I told them everything. They said nothing.
After a quiet breakfast, we played and ignored what had happened. Before lunch, our parents came to get us.
I went home and, seeing me upset, my mother asked me what had happened. I told her everything, sobbing. She told me that it was surely just a suggestion-induced dream, and that the only reason you shouldn't scream at night was so you wouldn't disturb people who wanted to sleep. Even though Mom's words reassured me a lot, when it was time to go to sleep, I insisted on going to sleep in bed with my parents.
I felt secure between Mom and Dad, and fell asleep effortlessly.
But I was woken up by a strange noise. It sounded like heavy breathing, and I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. At the foot of the bed, there was nothing, as well as in front of the door and near the wardrobe. Then I looked up and saw the black figure sprawled on the ceiling, and its huge yellow eyes turned towards me.
I froze in fear as it descended towards me. When it was only a few centimeters away from my face, I made a huge effort and yelled "Mom!". She, having woken up, looked at me, but it was evident that she could not see it. When she embraced me, he moved away, remaining at the foot of the bed. I didn't say anything. I couldn't. I stared at it for a few minutes, then finally, it disappeared.
At that moment, my mother squeezed me tighter. Too tight.
When I raised my head to look at her, I noticed her yellow eyes. Gradually, she became a dark shadow. Despite my efforts, I was unable to free myself. At that point, it got up, holding me close, and opened the window. We jumped down, and the last thing I remember is the image of my parents sleeping peacefully as their little girl was taken away.
That night the devil took my life and my soul.
Child, never assume that you are too old to believe the story.
Please remember that at night, you mustn't scream.