It Was a Cold Winter Night

What

I lay on my bed reading The Outsiders. My record player has reached the end of the vinyl, but I'm too zoned in on my book to even hear it in the first place. I don't notice the light coming in through my windows fading.

Stay gold, Ponyboy

I take a deep breath and shut the book. This book fucks me up every time. My phone is gone. I stand on my bed and flick on the light hanging from my ceiling. The dim orange light fills the room.

Where is my phone?

I look over to my door.

Mom didn't say goodnight?

The record player starts up again. It's still Elvis, so the vinyl wasn't changed.

"Pretty pretty." Says a voice.

"Did you really think you could kill us?" Another says. I begin to back up to the wall, specifically speaking, where I keep my bat. I get a grip around it with one hand.

Who are you?

My eyes shifted around the room. No one is here. Who am I hearing though and why can't I talk? I feel tiniest breath on my cheek and I swing. Full force, into the wall.

That was a waste.

"Tsk tsk, it won't be that easy."

Suddenly, a invisible hand is around my throat. I gasp, and try to make any noise. Nothing comes out. I claw at my neck, and try to kick out my legs.

Coward.

"Excuse me?"

You're hiding.

The force presses harder onto my neck. My vision begins to fail and any ounce of strength I have is about to run out. I let my eyes close, there's nothing to see anyway.

One

Two

Three

A creature stands over me, or at least I think so. The hospital power must be out, because I don't hear any heart monitors. The tile I lie on is all I can rely on. The only thing that makes this real.

"Who are you?"

All I get out of them is a giggle.

"You do realize the police are probably on the way. This is pointless, you don't even have a mask on. You do realize there's cameras all over the halls?"

Nothing. I feel a slight vibration in my pocket, and see a faint light shinning through my pocket.

"Go ahead, check your phone Mads."

   I know that voice. It can't be though, I saw their dead body. Em is dead. I comply and slowly reach for my phone.

Todd: Em is not there

Todd: She is not real

I turn my phone light on and face it above me.

And what I see,

Is there in every way.