Where? (A Short Story)

Rosel's POV

With another loud boom of thunder and lightning striking to follow it, I woke up with a scream, sweat beaded across my forehead. My little brother crying from the next room over, another strike of lightning comes from the sky, illuminating the red walls that surround me. I sit up and put my head in my hands, rubbing my eyes. Now fully awake, I look around my room noticing a jet black shadow in the corner of my walls. I scream a bloodcurdling scream and close my eyes, putting my covers over my head trying to find some sort of safety. I count

1....2....3......4.....5.....6.....7.... 

I peek my eyes out of my covers, just enough to look out, and see the shadow disappeared. My brothers cries are getting louder, I'm curious as to why my parents haven't gone in to calm him down. I take my covers off fully, stepping out into the cold of my room. I jump as I hear another loud boom and get goosebumps all up and down my arms and legs. I tiptoe into my little brothers room, his screams the only sound in this empty house. I carefully pick him up, making sure not to hurt him, and rub his back, whispering different variations of it'll be okay  in his ear at an attempt to calm him down.

I go into our parents room only to see they're missing. Okay, so there was a shadow man in my room and our parents are missing. Our grandparents weren't so far away, I could bike there in less than 10 minutes, leave Alex there and figure out what the hell is going on.

With Alex still in my arms, I sprint downstairs, into the garage, grab my bike and get ready to go out into the pouring rain. I put Alex in the basket of my bike and put a tarp over him so he wont get wet. I pedal as quick as I can, going out into the surprisingly empty streets. I feel as if something is following me so I push myself, pedaling faster. I reach our grandparents house and ring the doorbell consistently. No answer. I twist the door handle and the door is unlocked. I turn on the lights before I go in to make sure everything is okay, and theres nothing in sight. I go inside, closing the door behind me so no one, or nothing can get in and get out.

I put Alex in a highchair and go upstairs to scope things out. I hear a rustling in my grandparents room and grab the coat hanger, ready to beat the living hell out of whatever comes at me. I open the door to find my grandma, huddled in a corner with a bat in her hand.

"Oh thank goodness its only you Rosel! I heard someone come in and I thought it was them"

"Grandma, who's them?"

"The things who took your grandfather, they- they just burst in and took him, shoving me out of the way"

"Thats where mom and dad went" I whispered

"What dear?" My grandmother asked

"Mom and dad, they went missing.. and.. and this morning, there was a shadow man in my room. I bet thats where they went and he took mom and dad!" I said

"Grandma, Alex is downstairs, keep him safe okay? I'm going to figure out what happened"

"Be safe Rosel. I know you'll be cautious just, stay safe"

"I will. I promise" I said as I walked downstairs, my grandma following.

We got downstairs and grandma started feeding Alex as I thought of what could have happened. I have to pay attention to details. Details... The paper! There was a piece of paper on my parents night desk, I was too busy worrying that I didn't open it. I unlock the door, going out and shutting the door. I grab my bike and pedal back to my house. 

Its following me again

My hands start shaking as I swerve into a ditch, my foot getting stuck in the wheel of my bike. I see the same shadow figure as in my room coming towards me. My breathing gets heavy as he gets closer, I pull my foot out of the bike and try my best to get out of the hole. I get out and start sprinting to my house, the shadow figure close behind. I reach my house and slam the door shut, locking every other lock on the door.

I run upstairs and into my parents room. I find the note on their nightstand and it says:

Dear Rosel,

If you find this, that means that they've gotten us. Listen to me, go open the drawers in this dresser but DO NOT open the last drawer. We love you so much

Mom and dad

I set the note down, looking in the drawers and I pull out each one

The first one, it had food in it

The second one, Diapers and bottles for Alex

The third one, well, she told me not to open it. I mean, whats the worse it could be? I slowly open the drawer and see a white light, I close my eyes, shielding them from its sun-like rays. When my eyes flutter open again, I'm in my room. 

It was all just a dream