Friday Frights

The Man in the Closet

The Man in the Closet...

It was his first night in the new house and already he didn't like it. His room was too big for just him alone to sleep in it. Of course it made playing with all his toys during the daytime a lot more fun but it's after eight at night and he had school in the morning, the first day at a new school. He fretted having to leave behind all his friends back in the small town of Dinwiddle County in Virginia, especially Tommy, Emily and Bruce. The four of them were inseparable. Jacob was only seven years old but already felt as if he had lived and experienced eternity, the youth today.

Jacob and his mother, Doris had moved to a slightly bigger town in West Virginia three years after an incident involving his father who was a prime suspect in an ongoing investigation. A town like Dinwiddie was small where everyone knew everyone and everyone knew your business before you did. Doris couldn't take it anymore so she pack all they had and Uhaul it to West Virginia where they knew nobody. Doris preferred it like that, "a chance at a new beginning." is what she called it. Jacob didn't, like moving, he was too young to understand grown up things. 

He was already tucked in bed despite him being wide awake, staring out into the darkness of his room, paranoid of all the possible things kids his age could be afraid of. His bed was positioned in the corner and allowed him to directly face his closet on the opposite side of the room. There were ominous phone calls all day with mere breathing which freaked Doris out, and Jacob remembers her reaction, scared and terrified. 

Creeeaak...

The closest slowly creeps open, slightly enough to cause alarm to Jacob who perks to life, sitting up clenching his blanket tightly,  close to his chest. He stares directly at the closet to see what could caused it to open, but nothing happened. A few minutes later he relaxes, laying back for as he tries to close his eyes and go to bed.

Creeeaak...

It happens again and Jacob pops right up, eyes focused on his closet door which is opened enough to see the darkness within it. A chill runs down his spine causing what hair he has on his body to stand right on up.

"Mom." He cries out in a small timid, unsure voice.

A chilling presence overcomes him that frightens him but also draws his attention to the emptiness inside of his dark closet. He wants more than anything to look away, wish it would all go away, better yet wishing he was home, his 'real' home. The chilling presence gets stronger, becoming more intense as suddenly something hits against his window startling him. He jumps as he turns his attention to his window not seeing anything. Once he felt comfortable that nothing was there he turns his attention back to the closest where as clear as day a dark colored eyeball stares directly at him from inside the closet. Only an eyeball and the white of the eye stares, demonized at him. Without hesitation Jacob screams and ducks under his covers, afraid to move for in order for him to escape his room he would have to go near his demonic closet.

He was still yelling when Doris pulls away his covers, revealing Jacob balled up in the fetal position.

"No, leave me alone! Mom!"

"Honey it's mom, Jacob it's mom!"

Doris tries to comfort him but he fights back, kicking and swinging his arms. She manages to subdue him, bringing him into her breast and caressing his head. He begins to calm down as his breathing deescalates.

"It's okay baby, what's wrong? "

Tears rolls down his face as he points to his closet. Doris looks at the closet recognizing it is open. She walks over to it.