SHORT HORROR STORIES

DON'T LET IT GET IN

The sound of him breathing was not normal, in fact he made a terrible wheezing sound as he inhaled and exhaled. The oxygen mask didn't seem to make his breathing more comfortable. My grandma Martha placed a damp cloth on his forehead to ease his pain. We had covered his body with layers of blankets but he would just not stop shivering.

The past six months had been really difficult for us. Grandpa Francis came home one day from the fields with a terrible chest pain we had to rush him to the hospital and found out that he suffered a cardiac arrest. That was the beginning of his downfall, his health deteriorated from than onwards after a few weeks in the hospital the doctors said that there wasn't much they could do and grandpa can go home. So we did bring him home, it turned out to be nothing more than a small hospital set up in his room. He did not move anymore or stayed awake.

He did not eat either and his eyes was always closed. He had been sick before but he had never been sick like this. I felt really bad looking at his state, it was like he was not dead but he was not alive either. Well the doctor came by this afternoon for a check up.

He was becoming worse day by day and as I assumed the doctor even broke the news to us. "I am extremely sorry but he will not survive the night as he has very few hours left", the doctor said.

My grandma broke down into tears as the doctor left. I did not know how to console her, she was only this sad six years ago when my mother died of cervical cancer, I never knew my father I was told he left me before I was born.

She never spoke for the rest of the evening once she had quitened down she moved around the house cleaning every corner and pulled down every curtain in the house and replaced them with black ones and finally bolted the doors and windows shut. I did not dare to ask why she was doing that. It became night soon and I was beginning to wander if we were going to have dinner.

After cleaning the house grandma was now sitting on the sofa, she was quite and very still. I think she has gone into shock after she heard that grandpa won't survive. I walked up to her really quietly and spoke to her. "Grandma what would you like me to make for dinner", I said. "We are not going to have dinner tonight Rebecca and since it would be your grandfathers last night we will be observing prayer", she said softly.

I nodded my head in agreement and sat beside her. The hours rolled by as mid night neared , the wheezing sound comming from his bedroom was becoming slower I realized he was nearing death. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I recalled all the happy memories we had together, he was so supportive with my mother and never let me realize that I had no father, the thought of him leaving us made me devastated.

My prayers was disturbed by a faint knocking on the front door.

I looked at the wall clock it was sharp twelve o clock, who could be here at this late hour.

"Martha, Rebecca its me Francis", said a faint voice.

I stared at the door in horror that was grandpa's voice how was he outside. I started to get up but grandma held onto my wrist firmly. "Don't move", she whispered, her eyes were still closed. "thats grandpa, he's okay", I said. "No, Francis is in the bedroom", she said and held onto me. "Than who is at the door and why does he sound like grandpa", I asked in shock. " I can't tell you who is at the door but you must know one thing do not draw the curtains, do not look out of the window and don't open the door", she hissed.