Late At Night

Late At Night

I lied in bed with my eyes wide open, refusing to close. I couldn't get an hour of sleep by any means. Not after what I had just heard. There was something in the house, that had no problem with making itself known. Me being the only one who lives in this dark and eerie place of horrors doesn't help the fact that there was a peculiar sound; and it wasn't me.

There was a thud, a loud thud like ten people jumping onto the surface of a concrete structure. Then, crashing of dishes that had all been put away in cabinets and drawers. How this happened, I can't say, for the cabinets and drawers were closed...

Finally, there was one sound that would stay with me forever. It was a low, deep laugh so faint it was only a whisper; but I heard it. At that point I contemplated whether to see what the commotion was going on in my downstairs kitchen while I'm upstairs in the safety of my own room.

It was totally dark. I didn't want to risk turning on the light because I didn't want to be spotted. But I had to do something. Grab a weapon. Call a friend. Scream for help... Anything I do would get me spotted. Without the light I wouldn't be able to find anything; I would only feel around trying to find something, anything I could do or use. Making thud noises and bumping into everything around me would certainly mean my doom. So I lay there. Just waiting for another sound, or voice.

Sure enough, I heard it. It was footsteps, coming up my wooden stairs treading quietly onto the next. The creaking noise of wood settling under weight frightened me and I froze. I couldn't move a muscle, even if I wanted to. Finally, the creeping stops. I relax, just a bit. That is, until I hear that low, deep laugh again rolling up the vocal chords of some unknown person. Only this time, it's right outside my bedroom door. My heart beats faster than the thudding that was made earlier and I feel as though the assailant can hear them; as though it's trailing him on.

I was too scared to breathe. I find myself holding my breath unconsciously. Slowly, I retrain myself how to breathe, but I made sure that it was slow and silent.

All the sudden, my bedroom door flings open and a burst of hot air rushes in and swirls around filling all the space of my room. The door slams shut, and the wind dissipates into nothing. In the Still darkness, I hear the laugh once more, but this time it is right in front of me.

I stare into my assailants face. The face itself is Grey and almost transparent. It had a wicked smile that spread across showing rows of jagged teeth.

1 breath

2 breath

3 breath

4

No one came in through the door.

1 beat

2 beat

3 beat

4

My heart is pounding more and more.

5 beat

6 beat

7,8

The low laugh rumbles, then seals my fate.