Nightfall

Nightfall is a scary horror comic about a young boy who is convinced that there are monsters hiding in his bedroom at night. It is from Eerie #60 (August 1977). The story is by Bill DuBay and the art is by Bernie Wrightson.

The story begins with a little boy named Nemo who is kneeling beside his bed, saying his prayers. His mother overhears him say, “Please God, don’t let Igor hurt me!”

“Igor? Who’s Igor?” his mother asks. “And why would he want to hurt you?”

“He’s the monster who visits me every night,” the boy says. “He comes when you turn out the lights and leave me in the dark. He wants to take me away, but I don’t want to go.”

“That’s nonsense,” his mother says. “There is no such thing as monsters! There’s nothing there in the dark that isn’t there in the light. Now go to sleep and don’t be afraid.”

His mother switches out the light and closes the door, leaving the boy alone in the darkness.

All of a sudden, Nemo sees something crouching at the foot of his bed and lets out a scream.

His mother comes rushing into his bedroom to comfort him.

“What’s wrong?” his mother asks.

“It’s Igor, Momma,” the boy cries. “He’s here, hiding over there in the dark.”

“It’s just your pants hanging on the back of the chair,” his mother says. “Your eyes were playing tricks on you in the dark.”

“No Momma,” Nemo protests. “Igor is real. I know it. He’ll come back again when you switch off the lights. He doesn’t like the light.”

“It’s time you realized that Igor is just a figment of your childish imagination,” his mother says. “You’re getting too big for imaginary playmates, Nemo. No go back to sleep.”

“Okay, Momma,” Nemo replies.

When his mother leaves and shuts the door behind her, Nemo lies down on his pillow, his eyes wide and peering into the darkness.

All of a sudden, four monsters appear at the bottom of his bed.

Nemo screams again and his father comes rushing into the room wanting to know what is wrong.

“Father, make them go away!” the boy cries. “They’re hiding in the corner in the darkness!”

“Don’t be silly!” his father snaps. “There’s nothing there but your toybox! You’re imagining things. Now go back to sleep. I don’t want to hear another sound from you!”

As soon as his father leaves the room, the monsters come back. They gather around his bed, threatening him.

“You come play with us, Nemo,” they growl. “We play together forever…”

The monsters pick up his bed and begin dragging it across the room.

Nemo screams for his parents to help him.

His mother and father come rushing into the bedroom and are shocked by what they see. Nemo’s bed is hanging halfway out the window.

“What are you up to?” his mother demands.

“I’ll give you the trashing of your life,” his father threatens.

“They’re here!” Nemo cries. “The monsters really are here. They’re waiting for me in the dark.”

The parents see that their son is genuinely terrified and take pity on him.

“Alright, you can sleep with us tonight,” his mother says.

“But just for tonight,” his father warns. “Tomorrow, you’ll have to learn that there’s nothing in the dark that can hurt you.”

When they leave and shut the door behind them, the monsters return to the empty room.

“Is Okay… We get him tomorrow night,” they say.