The Madness Within ✓

VI.

„Seems like it was always like this, miss," the repairman next to me spoke while checking the window by the staircase. „It's been broken like this for a while now. But I could easily fix this, no problem."
I nodded and closely inspected the window. It was unable to fully close, which is why it opened at night. I'm not sure how it managed to stay closed for that long, but today marks the day when it definitely gave up.
The man grabbed all the tools he needed and began working on fixing the window. While he was doing that, I went downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed an apple from the basket that stood on the counter, then took a few bites from the fresh, red apple and looked out of the kitchen window.

While I still had no idea what was going on in this house and this forest in general, I had to admit that the amount of times that I got scared here was becoming a bit too much. If a window opening managed to scare me, who knows what might surprise me next? My own shadow? Or maybe my own reflection in the mirror?
But then again.. if something weird happened, these situations could be scary as well.
I shook off these creepy thoughts from my mind and took another bite from the apple, then looked out at the forest. The snow was beginning to turn into liquid as the sun continued to shine at the whole world. But even though the whiteness on the grass was melting away, the weather forecast reported that it will return again very soon.

I finished eating my apple and threw the remains into the bin, then returned back upstairs. As I walked up the stairs, I noticed that the repair person has already finished repairing the window and was now putting his tools back in the toolbox.
„It's all done, it should be closing properly now," he said as soon as he saw me with a bright smile on his face. Once all his belongings were back where they belonged, he walked to the window and tried closing it. And it worked! The window was closed again, this time fully. He tried pulling at it slightly to see if it would fall out again, but it stayed shut.
„Thank you, hopefully it won't happen again," I responded and chuckled, then paid him and escorted him to the entrance door.

„Well, please do call me in case anything happens," the man said, then walked out and left. I sighed and smiled at my own foolishness, then turned around and went to the living room.

But as soon as I walked in, I froze in place. What I saw at that moment made me question just about.. everything. There is no way this is real, I thought. This has to be a dream.
I saw a tall, pale creature standing by the corner of the room, crouched down under the ceiling. Its skin was surely white, but as it hid in the shadow, its skin got very dark, since it was pretty far away from the window. Its six, bright eyes were scattered all around the front of its head into different directions, but they all still stared right at me. Its bright smile proudly revealed its large, sharp teeth, that seemed ready to attack and kill someone at all times.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to get as far away as I could, yet I was unable to even turn my head, let alone my whole body. I couldn't stop staring at the tall creature.
Its long, slim legs were scrunched up together just so it could fit its tall, skinny body in the corner of the room, and its lenghty arms were in the same exact situation as its legs. One of the creature's arms was pushed against the wall, and the creature's sharp fingertips kept tapping on the ceiling of the living room, making a gentle and repetitive tapping sound echo through the room. Other than that sound, the whole house was surrounded by complete silence.

The creature didn't make any other sounds, it just stared and smiled. I also made no sound or any movement, my whole body was paralyzed. My heart was beating faster than ever, almost feeling like it would soon stop beating altogether after so much panicked beating. My breathing got faster as I eventually began getting back to my senses. I looked around the room and tried to find anything that I could use to protect myself with. But I stood by the door, and there was unfortunately nothing that could keep me safe from this.. thing.