In The Blink Of An Eye

Uninvited

For the rest of the day, we spend our time enjoying each other's company. We listen to music, continue snacking, watch a movie, laugh, talking and have a great time. It felt like my life was finally back to normal, back to my life before all this misery started. I remember the days when I would have my friends over and we would spend time together without having to worry about anything. I wanted to bottle up this day and just repeat it forever, but the reality that the one person I wanted here more than anything wasn't with me hit me like a ton of bricks. This wasn't my old life. This wasn't a life I had been used to and wanted back. The life I had now was completely different. I had to face the reality that my life might never be back to normal again.

As the hours passed by, all I seemed to be able to do was pay attention to the sound of the ticking clock. It sounded so loud that it distracted me from everything else. With each tick of the clock, my nerves and fears started getting back to me. Even though my friends were all still there and I wasn't alone, I couldn't stop thinking about what tomorrow would bring. I guess the ticking clock was just another reminder that the time was approaching, which would change my life.

As it got late, it was time for everyone to go home so they wouldn't have to drive home way too late at night. We all hugged and kissed each other good night, and one by one, they left my house. As each one of them walked out the door, I felt my heart beating harder. I was scared that this would be the last time I would be seeing them, at least alive. Richy must have noticed how nervous I was getting so he reached over and put his arm around me while rubbing my arm and said; "It's going to be okay, take a deep breath and relax." I take one deep breath and look at him and smile. "You're right, Richy, everything will be okay. Call me when you get home and drive safely."

And just like that, I was all alone standing in the middle of my living room as the sudden quietness filled up the air. I kept telling myself to relax and breathe, I was not going to allow anybody to scare me from being alone in my own house. Not even the man without a face, not Michael, not Duskwood, not any of it. I had fought so hard to get to the place I am right now, and I was not going to let anybody or anything take that away. I clean up the mess we left behind and head to my bedroom to try and get some sleep.

Tomorrow was going to be a very long and stressful day, and I had to be ready for anything it would throw my way. I change my clothes and lay down. I opened a text message I had from Jake that he left me a while back when I was scared that we would never find Hannah alive. His words always gave me the courage I needed to continue, and I know he wouldn't allow me to give up now. He would tell me that he was there for me and that he wouldn't let anything bad happen, but now he wasn't here. He couldn't help me or stop anything bad from happening. As I go through his messages, I fall asleep. It seems like I had slept for about an hour, at least when I heard someone trying to open my door.

I probably wouldn't have woken up, but I had just fallen asleep, and I was paranoid, so even in my sleep, I wasn't really fully sleeping. At first, I thought it was just a dream or my mind playing tricks on me, but then I heard the door open and quickly shut. Someone was definitely in my house!!!

For a quick second, I thought it might be Richy, but then I remembered that he didn't have a key to my house. I didn't know whether to get up or pretend to still be sleeping. The worst-case scenario is that it was the man without a face, and he was here to kill me. Either way, even if I was up or in bed, I had no chance of protecting myself. So I decided to pretend to be asleep! I don't know how smart of a move that was, but I had no other choice.

After all, if it wasn't the MWAF (man without a face), I might get a chance to see who has been coming into my house. But this time, I was in the house. As I hear footsteps coming up the stairs, my body freezes in fear. My heart was beating so loud that I was sure whoever was in my house would be able to hear it too. He was there! At the door of my room. I don't know if it was actually a man, but I assumed from the shadow of his body on my wall that I saw while peeking to see. For a good few minutes, he didn't move a single body part. He just stood there. I was in so much fear that I could have sworn my whole body was shaking under my bed covers.