After Midnight

1

It happened at the playground.

It was a warm spring day, warmer than usual for that time of the month. In fact, the weather was the whole reason my dad took me to the park in the first place, to enjoy the fresh spring air. My parents were summer people, they craved the heat, and so when winter began our activity levels dropped. I mean we went ice skating and sledding and all but we didn't stay out that long, it just got too cold. So when this beautiful spring day came out of nowhere my dad was more then ready to get out of the house, taking me along with him.

When we got to the park my dad had dragged me over to the play area and offered to push me on the swings since he knew they were my favorite, but I refused. I had just learned how to handle the swings by myself, and my five year old self became very independent when I learned how to do things on my own. So my dad nodded his head and pointed to a wooden bench that sat a little ways away, telling me he would be right there if I needed anything.

I could care less at the moment, I just wanted to get on the swings.

I had started gaining some momentum when it happened.

They came.

It was hard to tell if it was a very large family or an after school program, but there were a lot of them. Five boys and two girls in all, with an adult couple ushering them along.

Immediately they ran towards the huge play house. It was fitted with slides, ladders, monkey-bars, the whole nine yards. I was admittedly scared of the whole contraption, it seemed too confusing. The swings were simple, and I liked simple things.

Looking at the group I noted that they didn't look that much older than me, maybe by a year or two. I felt a little uneasy at the thought. All of the older kids at my school, even if they weren't that much older than me, picked on me and all of the other kids in kindergarten because we were the youngest. I didn't want that to happen here. I glanced over at the bench where my dad was sitting at. He was too engrossed in the book that he was reading that he didn't sense my eyes on him. Tearing my gaze from my dad to the kids in the playhouse, I noticed one girl sneak out, rushing over to the swing next to me.

She smiled up at me but didn't say anything. Her red curly hair wildly whipped around in the breeze, hiding her freckled face from view. I watched as she gave me another glance before hopping on the swing, minding her own business after that.

The two adults examined their children, a sliver of concern on their face. The eyes of the man that stood there met mine, his grey orbs seemingly looking into my soul. His curious stare on me was cut off though as one of the boys ran up to him, crying about a cut in his wrist.

Suddenly I fell forward.

I lay sprawled out on the gravel confused, but despite the few scratches on my hands I didn't cry. I got up from the uncomfortable position I was in and dusted myself off, turning around to face the swing.

I didn't expect to come face to face with another set of grey eyes.

The boy looked like a younger version of the man that had been staring at me, only he had a different nose and fuller lips. His hand was wrapped around the chain of the swing, indicating to me that I hadn't just fallen off the thing, he had sent me flying.

All he did was stare at me.

He didn't move an inch, didn't try to say anything, I wasn't even sure if he was breathing. His strange behavior made me knit my eyebrows in confusion.

I looked down at my dirty hands, trying my best to avoid his gaze. I was a little mad that he had made me fall off the swing and wanted to know why he did it.

Only when I looked back up to confront him he wasn't in front of me.

He was behind me.

And then it all happened at once.

A hot, shooting pain seared from my neck throughout my entire body. My fragile little frame shook and my eyes watered from the sensation. It hurt and I didn't like it.

I let out a scream.

The couple, who had been helping the boy that cut his wrist snapped their heads up, pure horror evident in their eyes. My father was fast to follow, quickly striding towards me and lifting me off the ground.

"What the hell is this?" He snapped while inspecting my neck that was dripping with blood. "What happened?" He asked me while wiping the tears from my face.

"I- I-" I pointed to where the boy had stood before, earning a confused glance from my father.

"Did you fall? Is that what happened?" He asked.

"No, it was-" My words got caught in my throat when i realized he wasn't there anymore. I looked around for the couple, for the children in the playhouse, the girl on the swing.

Nothing.

They were all gone.

"It's okay honey." My father soothed into my hair. "We'll go get you cleaned up and then get some ice cream, okay?" He asked and I nodded my head eagerly. He held me in his arms, carrying me to the car. Stealing one last glance at the swings from behind my dad's shoulder, my breath caught in my throat.

The boy was there again, standing at the swings. No emotion graced his face as he looked at me being carried off, nor when he mouthed his words to me.

I'll see you soon