The snow-filled night was eerily still, a strange quiet emanating from the normally bustling streets. Christmas was coming, and yet, everything felt not right. One could almost feel the darkness looming, threatening with its mere presence. 

The night had come earlier that day. It was so dark, it was almost as if it had snuck in, almost as if it knew something that the others didn't. 

Mary, an 18 year old living alone, had been dreading this night from the moment it had arrived, feeling a chill of fear ever since. She had heard so many stories about what happened on this night--stories about kids going missing, about terrifying, unearthly creatures lurking in the shadows.

And yet, she dared to venture out. As she stepped into the night, the shadows seemed to draw closer, and the cold was almost overwhelming. The darkness was thick, the only light coming from the moon, and it seemed that the darkness was growing thicker by the minute.

Just then, a sound made her heart stop--the sound of soft laughter. It seemed to be coming from every direction, as if something or someone was watching her. In that moment, Mary knew she should turn back, but something kept her walking forward. 

Then, she saw it--a man dressed in a hooded cloak, just standing there, staring at her. As soon as their eyes met, the laughter stopped. It was unlike anything Mary had ever encountered before. It felt like the very air around them had become alive with terror. 

And suddenly, Mary knew the truth. This was no ordinary Christmas--this was a night of horror and fear. She knew she must run, but her feet wouldn't move. All she could do was stand there, frozen in fear, as the darkness closed in around her. 

And as the last light of the night disappeared from the sky, Mary was left with a haunting thought: what would happen if the darkness never ended?

> Bonus story:

There was once a fearsome and dark night like no other. It was the spookiest night ever, and the ghosts were out in full force. All of the sudden, there was a loud crash. It sounded like someone had thrown a heavy object against a wall. 

Everyone turned to see what was happening, and they saw a ghost in the distance. It was a frightening sight, and there was something in its eyes that made everyone very afraid. The ghost began to walk towards them, and its footsteps were so loud that it seemed like it was going to crush them underfoot. 

Everyone ran in different directions, but there was nowhere to go. They were all trapped in the middle of the street, and the ghost was getting closer and closer to them. As soon as it reached them, it began to murder them one by one.