My Dark and Stormy Night

Chapter 6; Who's at the window?

Tap! Tap! Tap!

…

Tap! Tap! Tap!

…

Tap! Tap! Tap!

I rolled onto my black and heard sick popping sounds as my eyes fluttered open ever so slightly. As soon as they opened fully and I was now aware that it was morning, I closed my eyes and played in the warmth of my bed and blankets. I could still hear the faint tapping coming from an unexplained source.

I took a deep breath and tried my best to recall the dream I had that night. It was an odd one, I remember that much. The details were fuzzy but I could remember that all my friends were there and we were playing outside. That’s all I can remember.

My joints creak as I rose like a vampire from a coffin. My left hand comes to my face to rub both of my eyes from sleepiness as my right arm stretches out to satisfy my tightened muscles.
 
A silent satisfied sigh escapes my lips as I slouch and scratch my head still trying to figure out what to do next. My body was functioning properly, but my mind was cloudy from drowsiness.

I probably look like a drained zombie. I thought.

My head snapped to a small mirror that resided on my desk across the room. It was a small handheld one but I felt compelled to see how dead I looked for myself.

I swung my feet over the side of the bed and stayed in that sitting position for a moment.

Do I really wanna see how much I let myself go these past months? I contemplate, Yeah, why not. No one besides my mom will see me anyways.

I plant my feet on the ground and shuffle across the unbearably soft carpet to my white desk to grab the lilac mirror. I don’t know why, but I couldn’t shake the feeling I was being watched my whole trip over to the desk.

Once I got there I took a deep breath and gently grasped the glass mirror and took a long good look at my reflection. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would have been. My hair grew a bit and needed brushing and washed badly, my face was paler and also needed to be washed, I had dark bags under my eyes, and my teeth needed brushing but besides that, I looked pretty much the same.

Ok, I let myself go a little more than I would have liked. I knew this even before looking in the mirror.

I set the mirror back down and caught a glimpse of a framed picture of me, Cole, Nike, Adrian, Nadria, Alan, and Nike when we were all a lot younger than we are now. Five maybe? Doesn’t matter, what matters is seeing that picture makes me miss the paradise our lives were before this cursed rain started. I miss it.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

…

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Wait? What?

Tap! Tap! Tap!

What’s that tapping?

Earlier I pushed it off like a bird, but it can’t be. I haven’t heard a bird in four months!

What is it? I shout in my mind.

I spin in circles for what feels like hours trying to locate the sound. I just kept spinning and spinning and spinning.

It has to be close! From how loud it is, it can’t be far right?

My mind is spinning just like my body trying to wrap itself around the short tapping. My movement only slows once I begin to get dizzy.

Nothing… I reflect, Nothing in my room.

I tipped-toed to my slightly opened door to look for the noise out in the hallway. Once at the door, I carefully peeked my head out and looked left and right twice each.

Nothing out here…

I was starting to fear I was becoming crazy and hearing noises that aren’t there. I quietly shut my door and locked it just to be safe. It surprisingly helped calm my racing nerves significantly.

If I stand still I should be able to pinpoint where the noise is coming from. I reasoned, Please don’t come from under my bed!

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Not from behind me…

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Not from my left…

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Not from my right…

Right in front of me?

I looked up from the floor and towards my grey curtains that looked like they had just finished bouncing to the mysterious noise. My heart dropped but I felt a little better knowing whatever it is tapping on my window wasn’t watching me sleep.

Time seemed to stop as I slowly made my way to the large curtains. Each step felt painfully long but terrifyingly short at the same time. My ears were filled with a loud silent ringing. While passing my bed, I swear I could hear my corgi plush wish me luck on my deadly mission.

I was finally halfway there when my body froze up.

What if it’s a creepy old man? What if he breaks my window and runs off with me? What’ll I do? What’ll happen to Mom? What’ll happen to Little Corgi? My mind was flooded with eerie questions that I dare not linger on for too long in fear of them coming true.

It felt like lifting a twenty-pound weight as I picked up my foot to continue walking to my window only three feet in front of me. Half of me was happy to be over with the sufferable journey while the other half wishes I still had twelve miles to go. Before I knew it I was face to face with the dreaded grey fabric.

My shaking hands graced the fabric before clutching onto the curtain for dear life. I was soft and helped the lump in my throat disappear and regain my courage. I scrunch up my face as my eyes closed so tight they could be a bank safe.

Let’s find out what’s tapping on my window at this time of day…

My arms tug the fabric in opposite directions to reveal the window, but I dare not open my eyes. My fear got the better of me as I stood in the open, closing my eyes and trembling. My legs became weak but I tried my hardest to stay standing.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

What?

Tap! Tap! Tap!

No shattering glass?

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Who is this?

I warily opened my eyes to see who was tapping on my window. It’s not even like I’m on the first floor of my house. You have to climb onto a part of the roof to just be at my window! Who is dumb enough, to climb onto my roof to get to my window?
  
Once my eyes were open and fully adjusted to the light spilling into the room, I got my answer.

Oh, It’s just you. I signed.