 This happened a year ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. No matter how hard I try in quiet times, my mind goes back to that night. The night I found out, you really should be frightened of the dark. My sister lives in a backwater town, a bit of a drive away. I hadn't gone to see her in such a long while. I decided to use my week vacation to drop by. She's a fantastic cook, spending a week having some good home-cooked meals and no reliable internet was just what I needed. I packed up and got on the road pretty excited for my week away, but I'd been so busy tying up loose ends for my trip. I got going very late in the day. The sun was already setting by the time I got on the highway. She knew I was going to be late. I might arrive by 1 a.m., and I'd call her when I was close, and she could greet me by the door. I found myself on a dark highway surrounded by farmland for miles. When it wasn't farmland, the highway cut through dense trees. While I was driving, I saw something I never thought I ever would, something that made me pull over. Speeding along, I saw a figure walking along the side of the road, my headlights reflecting off the white sweater they were wearing. It was a small figure, so I felt safe stopping and at least looking to see if they needed help. In my entire life, I'd never seen someone just walking along the side of the highway. I hadn't seen a house for a long time or a car that had been pulled over. I had no idea where this person came from or where they were trying to go. I stopped my car and got out, trying to get a good look at the person in the dark. They had also stopped when I pulled out in front of them. I lifted my hand and gave a weak wave and got one back. Do you need help? I called out and waited. When I didn't hear anything, I started to walk towards them. I was concerned because the figure was clearly a child. When I got close enough to see, I could tell he couldn't be older than 13. I was guessing it was a boy, but it was hard to tell with the baggy clothing and shoulder length wavy hair. White, wavy hair. I had my cell phone out. And using the flashlight function on it, I checked to see if the boy was hurt. I stopped a few steps away from him and he looked up at me. One side of his face was covered by his hair, but one red eye looked back at me. I froze in fear for half a second, but mentally berated myself for such a reaction. The boy's hair now made sense. He was albino. I never personally met someone with a condition, but I'd seen it in photos. Would it be possible to get a lift to the next town over? The boy asked in such a low and soft voice, even standing as close as I was, I could barely hear him. Of course. What are you on the side of the road for? Come on, get in the car. I have some water. He followed behind me silently. He wasn't carrying anything. And the odd thing was, he wasn't wearing any shoes either. It was just so strange. I had to call the police. I knew that, but I wanted to make sure he was all right first. He climbed into the passenger seat so I could see him more clearly. He was so pale, his skin almost looked silver. He looked so small and frail. He would have had no chance with someone with bad intentions. I gave him a bottle of water and let him drink before asking any more questions. What's your name? I asked. Ellie. Again, he spoke so softly I could barely hear him. I at least got a name out of him. I needed some more answers though. So what were you doing on the side of the road? Do you have someone I should call? I asked as nicely as I could, hoping it would make him speak some more. I'm heading to the next town to meet an acquaintance. He's an officer. I have no one you could contact. If it's possible, it'd be nice to get a ride to the police station, but please do not go out of your way for myself. At least he was a polite kid. I debated on what I should do. He wasn't injured and he wanted to be taken to the police. If that was the case, I could just drive him and not bother calling someone to pick him up. It really wouldn't be any trouble to myself and he wasn't a threat to me either. He was so small, even if he pulled a weapon, even I could swat it away. I decided to take him where he needed to go. Alright, I'll take you. Are you sure there isn't anyone I can call? I asked once more. He only shook his head. Either the poor kid really didn't have any family or he was running from them. At least he was on the way to some help, so I decided not to press the matter. I started up the car and put indirections in my phone to the police station he wanted and we were on our way. The whole thing was a bit weird, but not supernatural weird. That came after. Ellie didn't talk while we drove. The poor kid must have been so exhausted from walking he nodded off. I'm glad he trusted me enough to take a nap right beside me. I would send a message to my sister later, telling her I'd be late. We drove in silence for a little while. When I saw yet another thing I never expected to see. A car just sitting in the middle of the road. I saw it soon enough that I slowed down and stopped a few feet from it, just staring at the odd sight. We were on the highway, but it was the dead of night and I saw no cars. Plus any cars coming up behind us would see both cars stopped soon enough to break safely. The car had both the doors open. It sat on a strange angle, idling. When I reached to undo my seatbelt and get out to see what was going on, I felt a small hand on my arm and it made me jump. Keep driving. Ellie's voice was so stern it froze me in my place. It was no longer the voice of a soft-spoken child I'd heard before. But someone could be hurt. I stammered, not knowing how to react. They're already dead. My mind couldn't process those words. I suddenly started to question who I'd led into my car and if I was safe. But my rational mind said that the car in the middle of the road was a trap. Once I got out, I could be dragged into the middle of the woods by whoever put the car there to start with. Movement made me pull my gaze away from Ellie and to the road. Out from the front of the car, a large dog came trotting out, staring at us. At first, I thought it was a breed of husky, but it took me a few moments to realize my mistake. That wasn't a dog, but a wolf. I'd never seen a wolf in person before. They were much bigger than I ever thought. Its yellow eyes stared us down, waiting for us to react. Then another came from the trees. This whole thing was crazy. My mind couldn't put together the two facts of a car in the middle of the highway and wolves wandering around it. Wolves weren't native to the area, coyotes maybe, but not wolves. If the car was placed to ambush people, then why were wolves in the area? I didn't understand any of it. I understood less when the wolf by the car started to stand up. My throat and body tensed as I saw the creature seamlessly turn from a wolf just standing on its back legs to a hulking monstrous form that towered in the darkness before us. Drive, Ellie ordered, and his hand gripped into my arm, hurting just enough to bring myself back. I… I don't understand. I said still a bit dumbfounded. Silver king, oh silver king, a pleasure running into you here. Come out to greet us. The figure standing in the road roared at us in a booming voice and outstretched its clawed arms in greeting. It was covered with a dark, rough fur, with a body similar to a man. Its head was large, but looked like the wolf that had been looking at us seconds before. Its legs were the same of the wolf also, and I wondered how it was even standing. Behind it, a tail nearly half the size of its body moved back and forth. Is that… is that a werewolf? I asked, the idea sounding completely insane. Monsters weren't real, they just weren't. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but it was in front of me, standing there, beckoning us out. I looked over at Ellie, expecting him to disagree or even call me crazy, but I only saw a look on his face, saying not to ask him to say the ridiculous truth out loud. Before I could ask again, the creature outside spoke. Come out. We have such treats tonight. On its odd legs, it walked over to the open door of the car and reached to bring something out. My blood froze when I saw he was holding a stuffed rabbit, a child had been inside that car. My head started to swim, and I felt sick. Again, my hand went to the seatbelt, even though I had no idea how I could help in any way. I told you, they're already dead. Do not leave this car. I can't protect you. Ellie warned in his gravely stern voice. Didn't he just call you the Silver King? What's that about? I demanded. That is my title. I am the king of them, the king of everything born in the moonlight or the dark. And as I could easily kill them, I cannot do so in order to protect a human. I am their king, not yours. So stay in the car. I couldn't help but stare silently and helpless at this boy. He no longer looked like the weak and frail child I'd picked up on the side of the road. He looked more frightening than the monster outside. But I couldn't help but trust him. His hand gripped into my arm one last time, then slowly pulled back. He was done warning me. If I got out, I'd be killed. I may have already been killed if I hadn't picked him up. I turned my attention to the dark beast still on the road, teeth gleaming in the moonlight. Without a second thought, I got the car out of park and I slammed down on the gas. Ellie was jerked forward in a seat as my car sped forwards directly towards the monster in front of us. The thing could have jumped out of the way, but I think he wasn't expecting it and his reaction had been delayed. My car slammed into the werewolf, knocking him back. I expected more damage to both him and the car, but we got off pretty alright. That was until I pulled the car in reverse and ran directly over the creature's legs, it howling in pain. It wasn't good for my junker of a car, but it was worse off for the wolf. I could only risk running over it once though. I saw more of the wolves in the woods glaring at us. Slamming on the gas once more, we sped off leaving the monster with a set of broken and twisted legs in the road. Even as I drove, I could see that his legs were healing and snapping back into place. I doubted I did any lasting damage, but I was sure I heard its pride. The others in the woods could have caught us before we got away, but my passenger must have scared them enough to stay away. We were silent for a very long time as I drove along the empty road, listening to my car make grinding noises from time to time. Was that stupid? I asked finally. Yes, but justified. I wanted to laugh. The whole night had been so out there, I didn't know what else to do, but I held it in thinking it would be in poor taste once my racing heart slowed down. I noticed I was going well over the speed limit. I thought to slow down, but would rather the ticket instead of those creatures catching up. Ellie didn't talk to me again until we arrived at the police station. Are those things going to find me? I asked slowly. No, I doubt it. They're unaware of your relationship with me. If you had some future use and they killed you, I would be very upset with them. And creatures of the night do not wish to upset me. I sighed in relief, but it came too soon. However, since you have encountered something like them, you are more likely to encounter something else you humans would call supernatural. You are almost guaranteed to be killed by a supernatural threat after surviving the first one. I am unsure of when that shall happen. It could be when you're a hundred or a week from now. Going by your luck, seeing as you came across myself and a pack of wolves in the same night, I think you don't have a long life. I should have been worried about my bleak outlook, but I couldn't help but want to laugh again by Ellie apparently being embarrassed calling them werewolves. I wonder why he disliked it so much. So is there anything I can do about that? I asked, hoping for a good answer. Enjoy the life you have left. You humans could die in any second. You just so happened to know the most likely reason why you are to perish. I would suggest not to fear it. Just live the way you would like. It wasn't the answer I was hoping for, but I take it. My face fell trying to figure out what my life would be like from now on. How I'd be able to live knowing there were things in the dark just waiting for me. Ellie noticed my face and let out a small sigh. He looked from me to the police station we were parked in front of. You did do me a favor, so I shall grant you one in return. If you come across something of the night and if you have time to do so, tell them you are useful to the Silver King. However, you may only use my name once and I do not promise the thing you face shall spare you. It only gives you a better chance of survival. I didn't know much about his world, but even I could tell that was a great big favor he was giving me. I was thankful for it. Just dropping his name may give a few more years on to my life. He saved me twice that night and all because I just gave him a ride. Thank you. I gave him a smile and watched as he got out of the car. I waited until he was on the steps of the police station out of habit. He could handle himself, but I still wanted to make sure he got safely inside. I sent my sister a message saying I was late, but I was going to be there soon. Then I drove off, leaving that odd child behind. Since then, I haven't seen anything strange. I sold my car while I stayed at my sister's place and got a new one just in case a certain wolf remembered what hit him while I drove back home. I didn't tell my sister what happened aside from finding a kid on the side of the road and turning him in. There was a report of a car found on the highway, but I didn't want to know any more information about it. I don't want to know who was lost that night and how I couldn't do anything to help. I still can't help but wonder how Ellie's doing and who he was meeting that night, but it's best if I never see him again and if I never find these answers.