Haunted by Screams (Jeff the Killer)

Chapter 18. Closer

One does not own beauty,

One creates it.

In their dreams,

They feel they can obtain it.

- Unknown

*_*_*_*_*

The last sunlight from the pretty much absent sun lately made Nora squint her eyes at the bright light as all she could see was the contours of the person standing there. Before whoever was standing there said anything to her she could hear Jeff move somewhere at the end of the hallway - like a predator ready to strike at its prey if the odds were on his side. Just in that moment she nearly had a heart-attack.

What if it's the police who's showed up because I wasn't at my time at the interrogation...

"Oh hello sweetest Nora. I was afraid you weren't home dearest"

The nervousness in Nora's fluttered heart took a jump before she could recognize the old and a bit withered voice coming from their closest neighbor Mrs Fendry. She was an old widow who'd spent most of her days alone since her husband died early during the Vietnam War. Nora had always felt sorry for her due to her lost but Mrs Fendry never seemed to let her grief be seen by anyone or to be burden anyone else down except herself. Nora had spent plenty of hours at her house when her dad had been working late and he didn't want her to be home alone when she was younger. Of course now she hadn't been at Mrs Fendry's home for years. Nora wondered if the house with those old black and white photographies and funny-looking furnitures still stood at the exact same spot as they had back then.

"Oh Hi Mrs Fendry" Nora managed to say. She couldn't help that her voice stuttered a bit as she spoke.

"May I ask what brings you here?" Nora turned around and glanced behind her after she asked the question to check if Jeff was standing there.

But there were no signs of anyone else in the house except Nora.

"Oh yes."

Mrs Fendry opened her handbag and pulled out Nora's Iphone in her old and wrinkly hand before handing it over to Nora.

"I thought this might be yours or? I found it on the street when I was out and watered my flowers and figured it must belong to you, since you're the only one living further down this street. And your father of course but I doubt he has a pink phone. Or am I wrong?"

Nora took the phone from Mrs Fendry's warm hand and squeezed it a little bit too forcefully in her own. 

"Oh. Thank you so much. I didn't even notice I dropped it, hehe."

She had to let go of the door she'd held with her other hand the entire time so as little as possible would be seen of the hallway and the kitchen from the outside. She hadn't even stepped outside - she was just leaning her body out from the doorway and the coldness from outside gave her goosebumps. She searched with her hand in her pocket only to find that there had become a huge hole right through it where she'd placed her phone before she dropped it - she now of course understood why.

Nora forced a smile onto her lips but it probably looked like something similar to when Jeff smiled because Mrs Fendry looked at her with folded brows.

"Everything all right dearest? You seem a bit on the edge" As she spoke Nora could tell she tried to take a look inside the hallway - but Nora just quickly placed her hand at the inside of the door and forced it a bit more shut.

"Yeah yeah. Ehm, I-I'm just a bit stressed right now you know. Much to do and this thing with this creepy killer hiding somewhere in town is getting to me. And I had to walk home by myself and-" she stopped and looked at Mrs Fendry who only looked at her with sincere and friendly eyes.