Maybe!

It was the perfect summer weekend. Malorie enjoyed the sunny Saturday on her back porch, reading a novel while the kids had a blast outside.

Running around the backyard, playing whatever pretend games kids play these days.

After dinner, Malorie allowed the kids to stay up late, as long as they kept it quiet. They were having way too much fun building a blanket fort.

A thunderstorm approached, announced by the wind chime hung by the back door.

Malorie disliked wind chimes, it creeped her out whenever she heard them during a quiet night. She never cared to take it down, and the kids seemed to enjoy it.

“Oh my, I hope you guys build me a big and comfortable room in this fort.” Malorie said while taking a peak inside the kid’s bedroom.

They laughed and continued to work on their masterpiece.

Malorie blew them kisses, wished goodnight and went to bed to continue reading her novel.

The clock on Malorie’s nightstand marked 2:23am.

She was deep asleep when the power went out, the storm was punishing outside.

The kids were fully awake and not scared of the dark. For some reason they actually enjoyed it.

The back door opens slowly, a dark and wet figure cautiously enters the house. The wooden floor creaking as if trying to announce the intruder.

“Did you hear that?” The boy asked.

“Yes, be quiet.” Replied the sister.

The intruder tripped on a toy left by the stairs.

The boy slowly opened the bedroom door, stepping into the hallway. He knew for sure something was coming up the stairs and quickly went back to the fort, leaving the bedroom door open.

The lightning revealed a shadowy figure standing by their door. They couldn’t see the intruder eyes, not because it was too dark, he didn’t have eyes. Only empty black cavities.

The kids quickly shut their eyes and laid still.

The intruder walked into the room, wet footsteps announcing he was getting closer to the fort.

Another lightning revealed he was standing right in front of the kids, a blanket away.

“No! Let me go! No!” The boy screamed, exploding in pain rubbing his little hands over his eyes.

Malorie watched by the door, powerless, as the intruder crouched near the girl and emptied a second small container with some kind of fluid or liquid over her eyes.

The girl didn’t scream, she didn’t fight. Her body shook violently in shock and then stopped.

The intruder got back up and turned towards Malorie.

She couldn’t move.

The man, with empty eye sockets approached her.

“Malorie, do you want your kids to live?” his voice was calm.

What kind of stupid question was that, of course she wanted her kids to live.

She wanted to shout the word yes, she wanted to ask the man to leave her kids alone. But nothing would come out.

“Do you want to give them a chance?” the man asked again.

Malorie tried nodding her head, nothing.

“They will come Malorie. And when they do, you need to be prepared. You know what to do.”

Malorie was confused, she tried to stop the intruder from leaving the room. She wanted to know who was coming. She wanted to know why she needed to be ready.

What happened to the kids?

The man whispered behind her.

“Can you do it Malorie?”

“Maybe, MAYBE!”

She screamed and opened her eyes, dropping the book on the floor.

Sitting on her bed, confused. The sun bathing her room.

“Kids!” she shouted.