The Spider Tattoo

Chapter 10

The blood pounded in my ears and panic threatened to take over. I forced myself to think straight.

I knew had to have some way of defending myself. I frantically looked around the room, searching for something, anything that could work as a weapon.

My eyes fell on a pair of scissors on my desk. I slowly sat up in my bed, careful not to make any noise. I still felt underequipped even once the scissors were in my shaking hands.

My fingers twitched and the scissors landed on the ground with a soft thud. Who was I kidding? They wouldn't do me any good against some mysterious killer. As I picked them up again, I felt hopeless and terrified. At least I could try to defend myself.

I could almost picture them walking up the stairs. I knew they hadn't because my stairs were the creakiest things in the world, but I dreaded the time when I might hear the footsteps landing on the staircase.

As my head woke from the adrenaline-filled daze I had been in, I shook myself awake. I needed to call 9-1-1.

Just like the day my mom died.

The spotless dead body laying on the floor. The closing and opening of the window. The spider tattoo, with its long, jet black legs draped over the man's shoulder.

I ripped the memory from my mind. I had to get to a phone.

There was one just down the hall, sitting pleasantly on the bookshelf. There was only one problem.

It was in front of the stairs.

I decided it was now or never. If the man with the spider tattoo wasn't at the foot of the stairs now, he was going to be in a few minutes. I suddenly received a stroke of realization that my dad was upstairs too, sleeping calmly without a care in the world.

Both of our lives were at stake.

A sudden burst of adrenaline shot through my body. I sprinted towards the bookshelf, reaching for the phone. I didn't even bother to look down the staircase to see if anyone was there. I ran for my life.

I hit the ground hard. My body slammed into the wall and the doorknob jabbed into my arm.

I clutched to the doorknob and it twisted when I put my weight on it. I saw a dark figure before me, and I kicked wildly, hitting them in the shins.

The figure delivered a strong kick to my side and I lost my grip on the scissors. All of my weight was now on the hand clasped on the doorknob, and as my hand slipped off it it opened the door.

I delivered an awkward kick to the back of their knees and watched their legs buckle under them. It gave me just enough time to jump to my feet and swing one arm at them.

Before I could hit them, they grabbed my wrist and flung me into the room. In the dim light from the street lamps outside the windows, I could barely make out the figure's features.

I could now make out some features of the former dark, faceless blob. It was a strong woman with bulky shoulders and short, jet black hair. There was only one problem.

I can't remember her face.

Even through all the action and frenzied attacks, there was an empty space in my memory where her face should've been.

I ran to the back of the room, trying to avoid her.

"Dad!" I cried, realizing I had backed myself into the corner. "Dad, help!"

The woman charged at me, and I leaped to the side. I slammed into the wall, just barely avoiding her grasp. I made a mad dash for the door.

I could hear the blood pounding in my ears as I ran towards the exit.

I shot through the door and sprinted down the stairs. I was almost at the bottom when I felt my foot twist sideways. I lost my balance and toppled sideways, slamming my shoulder into the wall. I scrambled to my feet, but as soon as I put weight on that ankle, pain shot through it.

I crumpled to the floor, clutching my injured ankle.

The woman charged at me, hurtling down the stairs at a million miles per hour. I knew there was no escape.

I collapsed onto the floor and slowly blacked out.

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Author's Note: Hey guys! Thank you so much for reading this far! I'm sorry I haven't been updating much lately. I've been really busy this past week. Hopefully I can update more soon! This was my first time writing an action scene, so if you could leave some comments that would be great! Thanks!