You Are What You Eat

3.

I woke up and expected to be accompanied by the bright morning sunlight to be gleaming through the windows, but it wasn't. I looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand beside me. It was midnight. How have I only been sleeping for a couple hours?

I just couldn't seem to fall back asleep. I thought that I would be out like a light since this has been the first bed I have been sleeping in for a while. But I couldn't fall back asleep. I got up and shuffled across the dark room and flicked the light on. I left the room but was sure to be quiet and not to wake any of the girls. After using the bathroom and washing my hands, I walked back into the hall. My hand wrapped around the doorknob to the room I'm staying in, but I decided not to go in. Maybe I need a glass of water.

I continued to be as quiet as possible as I trailed down the stairs and passed the living room, dining room, and finally entering the kitchen. It was eerily quiet, I could hear myself breathing. I grabbed a glass from the cabinet and walked over to the cooler. As I was drinking the crisp water, I heard rustling and movement. It sounded like a raccoon or some other animal got into the basement.

Then, that's when it happened. I heard a thud, and a "HELP ME!" I was so frightened that the glass of water slipped out of my hands and smashed against the hard kitchen floor. I didn't know what to do. That was definitely another man's voice. It didn't sound like any regular cry for help; it was pain. You could hear the pain and agony and, death even, in their voice. And I was frightened.

I was frozen, but I wanted to run and scream. But I couldn't. I stared at the door leading to the basement. I was terrified to open the door and investigate.

Then I felt a presence behind me. I turned around, and there she was,

Anne.