Swampmoon and Shadows

Chapter 1

"Hi! This is my first time writing, and English isn't my first language. Please be patient with me-I'll do my best to correct any mistakes."

I heard the knock on our door first. My mum looked worried and I didn't like that.

She told me
to wait upstairs, but I stayed on the stairway, watching curiously.

My dad was leaning on the
doorway to our living room. He also looked a bit off and nervous.

Mom opened the door. It
was a stormy night and a full moon. The moon lit up the night with cold light. The rain could
be heard loudly beating the roof, even from downstairs.

On our front door steps there was an
old man. The moon shone on his pack and his face was in a shadow.

'Can I come in?' the
man asked. My mom hesitated, but nodded slightly. 'Poor man didn't have anywhere to go
on a stormy night,' I thought.

The man stepped in and my mom and dad led him to the study.
I watched as they disappeared to the hallway and my curiosity got the best of me.

I followed
them to the closed door and put my ear against it. I only heard muffled voices and from the
light that came under the door, I saw two shadows moving.

The old man's voice was weird.
Not at all old and raspy, but young. Silent, but loud and cold. It almost sounded like he was
always a bit amused in a wicked way.

The voices got louder and I could hear my mum
screaming. 'No not him please I beg you!' I didn't hear any steps but the door opened and I
fell to the floor of the study.

'You disgusting humans,' the old man almost whispered. 'You
didn't keep your promise so I won't either,' he said emotionlessly.

Cold hands with long nails,
picked me up to the air. I was terrified. I saw the pure fear on my moms face and anger on
my dads. 'Put him down now!' he yelled. My mom was on her knees begging. 'Please
anything else!' she screamed.

He took my hand and tried to bite me, but my mom ran
against him. Raspy voice came from my throat, 'no mom.' Immediately my mom was
knocked down and I layed on the floor.

The man stepped towards her and put his hand on
her cheek. My dad had frozen on the spot, hiding behind the desk. My mom was crying
silently, like a prey resigned to her faith. The man stroked my moms cheek with his thumb.
One second, one flash of an eye, one scream and my moms head was twisted backwards. The scream never left. I can still hear it.

The man walked towards me with no emotion on his
face which was covered with dark red dots. He took my hand and bit me.

I felt cold when the
blood ran from my veins. Then I felt warm all of a sudden, but then it hurt so much that I'm
sure I screamed or not. I don't know. I could hear chirping and my moms scream. I could not
see and there were multiple dots running through my vision. The worst part is that I could
feel everything and every second was slower and more painful and then I felt nothing.

Somewhere far I heard my dads screams. Time passed as I was just standing still. I realized
I was looking into the eyes of the man. His mouth was in a light grin. It was genuine, but not
a happy smile and his eyes were too wide to be humans. He was a monster.

'I decided not to
kill you,' he said more to himself than to me. He seemed different. His skin was softer and helooked two decades younger. He held my hand and led me to the living room.

I felt dead and
nothing came from my mouth. I could only hear my moms screams and could not
comprehend what was happening. I sat on the sofa, eyes wide and everything went blank.

Some time later they found me. I saw sirens from the window and people running back and
forth to the study and out.

My head was pounding as I saw them carrying my parents. I felt dizzy
and then I didn't remember anything until I heard someone yell, 'there is a kid in here!'

Two
police officers and a woman came to me. I guess she was a doctor.

They were trying to check if I had
any injuries and I remember them checking my eyes with a flashlight. It hurt and I jumped
up, but they made me sit back on the coach.

Finally they carried me out and the next thing I
remember is my aunt carrying me to her car.