Contest Entries

Blackbird

Prompt: It was there, staring at me. | 2,321 words

Valentino was alone.

His siblings were all at a friend's house, celebrating something or other. They knew he didn't like loud music...or lights...or people, really, so they decided it was best to leave him home and promised they would be back by midnight or so.

At least he had the dog.

Valentino sat on the couch, staring at the television as if its blank screen would give him answers. He felt all too aware of reality, and yet disconnected from it at the same time. He jumped as something entered his peripheral vision, but felt silly when he realized it was just Cinnamon trotting into the kitchen for water. He sighed, trying to ease himself of adrenaline. He put his elbows on his knees and held his head in his hands.

Everything seemed to finally be calming down. His siblings finally trusted him enough to stay at home alone. He didn't blame them, though, after the attempt on his life almost a year ago. His school was out for summer, which helped alleviate stress. He had gotten over his bulimia. His dog was healthy. He finally felt okay, for the first time in a long time.

Though, he wasn't cured of every problem. A storm endlessly brewed inside him. It messed up his thoughts, his sight, everything. It altered his reality, though it didn't affect anyone else until they started noticing how he was going crazy. He was so scared of it and when it would show up again that it would start up because of his own anxiety.

But that was what Cinnamon was here for. When she saw the signs, she'd snap him out of it with a quick bark and maybe a nip if needed. She protected him from his own mind, keeping him happy.

A burst of anxiety shot through Valentino as he realized he couldn't hear her drinking water anymore. He jumped up from the couch and sprinted into the kitchen, but ending up tripping over something on the way and landing on the floor with a hard smack. Cinnamon barked, as if to ask if he was okay.

Oh. He had tripped over her. She was laying on the ground, giving him that tilted-head look all dogs mastered. He gave a sharp laugh, relieved that she was there. Internally, he berated himself for letting his nervousness get the best of him. He pushed himself up, sitting on the floor with Cinnamon across from him. He pushed his soles together, trying to distract himself from how stupid he could be sometimes. Cinnamon stared at him with big, doe-like eyes.

"You should go to bed, Cinnamon," Valentino told her. "It is late."

She blinked.

He sighed.

"Okay, I will go to bed with you," he responded, getting up. Cinnamon wagged her tail and followed him into his bedroom. Valentino felt a cold chill as he entered his room. He immediately went to the windows and checked that they were locked. He closed the curtains, stood there for a few seconds, then checked that the windows were locked again. He told himself to stop being so obsessive and got into bed. Cinnamon laid at the end of the bed, watching over him until he fell asleep.

However, Valentino didn't fall asleep. He laid there in bed, staring at his room, before getting up and making sure the closet door was completely closed. He went back into bed, then felt as if his bedroom door should be left open a bit in case Cinnamon needed water or food. He repeated the cycle a few more times, completely restless and caught up in trying to keep himself safe. Cinnamon barked, making him jump a foot in the air. He swiftly turned, catching her gaze.

Cinnamon's eyes seemed to glow green in the darkness. With her body merely a dark lump on his bed, he felt he saw a creature on the edge of the bed. It was thin and hunched over, gripping his bedpost with gangly limbs. He slowly backed out of the room, not wanting to make the creature notice him. However, before he was even a foot away from the door, the creature unhinged its jaws, revealing an entirely dripping green mouth that looked to be stitched together. It made a horrifying sound akin to the screech of a hawk combined with the bugle of an elk. It removed its arm from the bedpost and reached out towards him. Valentino bolted out of the room and slammed the door shut. He heard the creature land on the ground and start scratching at the door. It screeched again, desperately wanting to reach him. He sprinted away from the door, hoping the creature didn't have opposable thumbs.