Monsters. You And I.

   Do you ever watch Horror movies? If so, you would obviously notice most horror scenes take place in an eerie house owned by the main character and of course there is the monster which chases the scared silly victim all over the place. The audience would laugh or remark at the dumb efforts of the terrified characters to escape from the clutches of evil. However, dearest reader, wouldn't you do the exact same thing? As humans, it is natural to fear. To feel cold sweat drip down the nape of your neck, to lose control of logic, to feel a deep pit growing at the bottom of your stomach as death dawns closer. Oh, I do get ahead of myself sometimes but it is important to understand why the character reacts the way they do. You must be wondering if this tale is mainly of fear. No, no, no, my friend. This particular tale of mine begins with Fear itself but weaves onward to the ones that create it.

   It was an average night, well, a seemingly average night. As per usual, families were gathered in a brightly lit dining room feasting on the usual Sunday Roast as they chattered and argued amongst themselves. Only one family did not sit around for this usual tradition. The single child of this house was found crouched in the corner of her bedroom, shivering , from fear or cold we shall soon find out. Her parents had left her alone for a Sunday night out, which of course she didn't mind. In fact she begged them to leave her so she could spend her time doing what she wanted without the constant nagging. Now she regrets her decision. She tried taking deep breaths to calm herself but instead she felt the urge to vomit. She waited another five minutes, fighting the bile down before she finally crawled towards the door and turned the knob. Of course, the masked intruder didn't burst inside for she had locked it when she ran to her room. She knew she couldn't stay in there forever. She had to run away, to a police station or a payphone. 'Anywhere but here.' She thought to herself as she unbolted the door.

   Tears formed in her eyes when she found the front door left wide open, inviting her outside. She knew it was probably a trap to lure her out but she felt she had nothing to lose. So she made her way down the stairs, slowly, without looking away from the open door. So close. She picked up her pace when she got to the last step, desperate to get out of this house. Within three heart-stopping minutes, she reached the door and took a step out. She smiled despite the stream of tears rolling down her cheeks. 'Thank god.' She thanked all the good in the world, promising to be a better person as she sucked in a sharp breath of cold air before taking her next step out. Then something grabbed her arm, pulling her back into the house. She yelled trying to pry her arm from the strong grip. Trying to escape from her own warm home into the dark, cold street. What a cruel joke. Don't you agree, my friends? 

  "Please don't hurt me." The girl wanted to say but the strong fingers wrapped around her thin neck just turned her words into a pathetic squeak. The intruder understood her plea and shook his head with fake sympathy. "I must harm you. That is the whole point I'm here." She pleaded with her eyes, all this while wasting what little breath she had on sobs. "If you think I'll let you go because there's a good side you see in me, think again." He leaned closer until he was inches away from her ear. "I'm all evil, Honey." He whispered before pushing her roughly against the wall, his grip already crushing her windpipe. She gasped and clawed and coughed and thrashed but all her efforts were wasted in vain. Her eyesight became blurry. Her lungs screamed for air. It was horrible. Especially when she wanted it to end, for Death himself to rescue her from this suffering. She actually thought He did come after all until oxygen filled her empty lungs. She gulped the air hungrily without paying attention to the yells of her neighbors. Neither did she see her neighbor getting socked in the jaw or the sadistic trespasser rush out of her once cozy home and into the wintry night. Instead she doubled over, spitting, coughing everything out as she cried yet again.