When The Doors Locked

Based on a nightmare

I felt under the doormat, my hands felt the cold metal of the key, I picked it up and turned it in the front door; the door was easy to open, I closed it after me.

There was a note on the hall table addressed to me;

Annie,

Thank you so much for doing this. Just take in the post everyday, we'll be back on Sunday.

Thanks again,

The Johnstons :)

I smiled, there was no post, I was ready to leave when I heard something, music. I turned around and stood at the bottom of the stairs, a number of songs were playing at the same time.

They must have forgotten to turn their radios off I thought, I walked upstairs. They had a big landing, spacious with four bedrooms that all lead into each other. I walked into the first room, an i-pod was blaring music out through its speakers, I switched it off. I walked into the adjoining room, somebody was interviewing an up and coming popstar on the radio, I switched it off. I went into the following room, a CD was playing, I hadn't seen one of those in awhile, I switched it off. I walked into the last room, a tape was playing, nursery rhymes, I switched it off. I expected silence, but no..

I heard whimpering, I looked around, and then I saw it, a little hand reaching out from under the bed. It was the Johnston's son.

"Hey, little guy", my heart was beating so fast with a build up of fear and not knowing, "What are you doing here?"

He stared at me, sorry, he stared behind me.

"C'mon I'll ring your dad", I whispered, taking his hand and bringing him downstairs with me.

Why was he here? What kind of parents forgot their four year old son when they were going on holidays?

When we got downstairs he ran to his toys and I went to the landline, I dialed Mr Johnston's number.

"Um, hello" he said, it must have been weird having a call from his landline when he thought nobody was home.

"Hi, Mr Johnston, this is Anna, sorry to bother you but you seem to have left your son here" I tried to explain, without raising my voice too angrily.

"What do you mean Anna?" he asked, there was almost laughter in his voice.

"Your son Mr Johnston, he's here, I found him upstairs"

"No, Anna, my sons here, in the car with me"

"Mr Johnston, I promise, check on your son, I understand that this may be a mistake, I'll mind him until you come back"

"Anna, I don't know what your talking about, here I'll put you onto my son now"

Panic began to arise in me as a little boy's voice said "Hello" on the other side of the phone.

"See, Anna, he's here" Mr Johnston said.

"But if he's there, who is this child, he is identical to your son Mr Johnston, I've seen photographs"

I could only hear breathing at the other end of the phone, Mr Johnston seemed to be getting just as freaked out as I was.

All of a sudden, I heard a thudding noise above my head.

THUD

THUD

THUD

FOOTSTEPS.

Somebody else was here, it sounded like numerous people were.

THUD

THUD

THUD

I squeaked, "MR JOHNSTON, SOMEBODY ELSE IS HERE, HELP MR JOHNSTON".

THUD

THUD

THUD

They were coming down the stairs, I turned around. The phone still held to my ear.

"Don't panic Annie, I don't know what's happening but keep talking to me, my wife will ring the police" he said.

I was paralysed with fear, I could not believe my eyes.

Mr Johnston was walking down the stairs, there was no phone in his hand, he was not speaking, his wife followed and their older daughter.

"M-M-Mr J-J-Johnston you're here" I stuttered.

"No, Annie I told you I'm in the car"

What was happening? Who were these people.

Every footstep they took seemed like an eternity, every footstep they took was towards me.

Mr Johnston, the Mr Johnston who was walking towards me, reached out for the phone, he grabbed it from me and put it to his ear.

"Hello Mr Johnston" he said into the phone.

"The Johnstons will no longer be needing a house sitter", smiled Mrs Johnston at me, her hand reached for my throat.

Music started playing, radios started blaring, their son started whimpering.

"Goodbye Annie" Mrs Johnston laughed, a cackle of a laugh, "Thank you so much for doing this".

"