I've started writing with prompts recently to get my muse working again. So far, it really isn't working. :,) Entered a competition with this one, waiting on results.
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She didn't know what she had expected to see through the keyhole, but it certainly wasn't that.
Dusk was falling with a speed that envied my steadily rising anxiety as I scurried towards home. I had never held a fear of the dark, but today was an exception. My eyes had been glued to the sky ever since I had made my hasty departure from Miss Clanstine's home, my mind filled with silent pleas. With the dark came the creatures Miss Clanstine had so gleefully filled my head with. They would sweep in and scoop me off to my doom the moment the dark aided them with cover, chittering and nibbling on my toes as Miss Clanstine has said they would. "A delicacy in their world, toes are," She had reminded me in a cackle as I had made for the door. She always had been a rather odd woman, but today, she had gone completely off her rocker. I would never have openly admitted it, but she got to me. Her tales of te other worldly monsters that ruled the night had spooked me. Had I not been carrying such precious cargo, I would almost certainly be bolting home.As it was, I was left speed walking and counting down the paces to my front door. I had counted them out before one lazy summer afternoon, now it was only a matter of remembering exactly what that number had been. At the moment, I was under the belief that I was only seventy or so paces away. Just under a block left, and I would be safe.My package shifted in my arms, and for a moment I was forced to take my eyes from the sky that had held their attention thus far. From amidst the blanket wrapped in my arms, the quiet whine of an animal met my ears. "Shush now," I whispered to the blanket, gaze dancing nervously about. did the monsters dine on canines as well?This thought put a little more urgency in my step. Sixty paces, now. Again, my eyes went to the sky. The sun was steadily dipping behind the row of houses that lined the street. Already, the shadows were beginning to take over the street. they crept between the houses, claiming yard by yards in a silent, menacing crawl."Just a little further," I told myself, clinging tighter to the packet I was carrying. The pup inside let out a muffled whine of protest, but at the moment I was too wound up to care.Behind me, something let out a horrible clash. I yelped and bolted forwards, all thoughts of caution leaving me as my wits jumped ship.All thoughts of the paces I had been counting left me as well, my only thought to get home before whatever was behind me caught up to me. I tore down the sidewalk with speed I didn't know I possessed, swaying and slipping every so often but ultimately keeping my feet. My house was in sight now. Instead of slowing for the sharp turn, I sped up.I rounded the corner up the the front patio at such a pace that it was nothing short of a miracle that I didn't slip and hurt both myself and the dog.I entered the house like a whirlwind, slamming the door closed behind me. The poor dog jumped from my arms the moment it was safe to do so, darting behind the nearest piece of furniture to eye me as if I was some sort of madwoman. Which, upon consideration, I probably appeared very much so as such.My fingers trembled as I slid the deadbolt home, despite my desperate mental attempts to calm down."You're safe now." I told myself, leaning back against the door. "You're indoors. They can't get you in here." Slowly, my heart began to return to it's normal pace, my breathing catching back up to itself and ending my pathetic gasping.My gaze fell to the dog, who was still acting as if they would avoid me at all costs. "1" It was probably best to alert mother to it's presence. She would know what to do with it before her father got home and the surprise was spoiled.Turning from the dog, she padded off down the hall in the direction of the drawing room. Her mother spent most nights in there in front of a roaring fireplace with a book in hand. I had little doubt that she would be doing exactly that right now, judging from the heat of the house.The house was not an overly large one, but I still had to make my way through several halls before I was in the wing of the drawing room. It was there that I slowed my pace, my ears catching onto a deep, rasping cough of a sound.What was that? Mother never coughed like that, and no one else was home. Warily, I paused, becoming aware of a gentle draft coming in from a nearby open window. At once, my heart and my breathing jumped back to their former, overly excitable timing. It was dark out there by now. Could the creatures have come inside?The cough came again, deeper and more coarse this time. It seemed to be getting closer. I took a step back, away from the window and what lay outside, my eyes as wide as dinner saucers. Another sound was soon to join it, this one trailing shivers up and down the length of my frail body. It was a high pitched screech, followed by a blubbering hiss.They were here, I reflected. I needed to run. I needed to get out of here before they could get to me. I started to back up, only to pause as I heard my mother's voice drifting down the hall. Mother. I needed to warn her, she would know what to do. Doing my best to skirt around the open window, I rushed wildly for the drawing room door. I tried the knob, but to my dismay, it was shut tight. Had they already gotten to her?At a loss for what else to do, I dropped to me knees, scraping them on the coarse wood of the doorframe. I pressed my face against the cool metal of the keyhole, inwardly steeling myself for whatever grotesque remains of my mother might be soon lying within.I took a deep breath. and then let my eye drift open.At first, I saw nothing. The room was lit by the soft orange light of a fire, just as I had predicted. I turned my head to get a better look, a quiet gasp leaving me as the sight met my eyes.Sitting across from my mother was none other than Miss Clanstine. She held our cat on her lap, petting it despite it's loud protests."Yes," She was saying, voice laden with the rough notes hinting towards a bad cough. "I do believe I cured her wanderings, ma'am. No more late night adventures for her, I dare say." She cackled. A scowl pulling over my lips, I sank back, no longer scared. I had been played, and there was a fair chance that I deserved it.
Time Taken - 18 minutes
Word Count - 1,196
Character Count - 6,192
