Storm of the Century

Chapter 5 - I See You

I was plagued by horrible things that night. Even now I can't quite recall what I witnessed or what I heard but this over bearing feeling of doom took over me. The only thing I can remember is seeing the blackness. The ever evolving dark that seemed to take form and dissipate back into nothingness. Endless. It was almost the same as when you close your eyes at in the dark. Your eyelids firmly shut but your eyes still functioning and seeing...nothing.

Multi coloured strips flash by and you know nothing is there but your instincts scream at you to open your eyes.

I woke up, sheet soaked and my body dripping with sweat. A buzz of paranoia overwhelmed me. Every limb feeling like static as my nerves were bombarded. Scanning my room everything was in order, no boogie man ready to pounce and no noises other than that rain and wind whistling through the neighbourhood.

I laughed to myself, gave myself a quick pep talk so I could get ready for a long day at work and jumped in the shower.

Getting out of the shower, towel draped across me like a Roman emperor, I heard a quick tapping on the front door. It got louder and louder, whoever was down there must've had something important to tell me. As long as it wasn't one of those idiot door salesmen.

No I would not like your miracle cleaner.

Throwing my dressing gown on, the tapping turned into loud bangs.

"Let us in" rung through my house as I clambered down the stairs.

The wind really must've been picking up as the call for help drifted away and didn't really begin or end from the door.

I got to the foot of the door and swung it open.

"I heard you the first time, I have a doorbell you know!" I said trying to act as alpha as I could.

There was nothing there, again. Nothing except a torrent of water and wind buffeting my porch. The storm was getting into its worst now and I could see the trees swaying as if they had no roots. A piercing but distant sound of sheet metal warping and grinding could also be heard in the distance.

I was shook up from the last few days of panic buying and whatever it was I'd been seeing and hearing, I completely forgot my house was in the danger zone for the storm.

Knowing I wouldn't be able to go into work till this has cleared, I called in and told them I wouldn't be there. They didn't understand my reasoning but I didn't care, I wanted to stay safe and going to work during this wasn't happening.

Instead I decided to storm proof my house. This was an older house and whilst it had been standing strong for a few generations, I wasn't stupid enough to think the house could take the full brunt of the storm without a little help.

I threw my heavy duty jacket on, boots and waterproofs and ventured out to the local hardware store to pick up some 2x4s and nails. The second I stepped outside I was challenged by the ungodly weather. Soaked within seconds. I ran to and from the store, almost getting pushed into the road numerous times.

Getting home, I quickly got to the task of boarding up my windows. I made quick work of it, fighting with the wind as it tried to wrestle the planks from my grasp. As I was getting to the last ones I realised this was where those footprints had been. Surveying the grass I couldn't see them now or the black remnants that should've been burnt into the terrain still.

This eased me a little. Knowing what I'd seen the other night wasn't there and could've just been my imagination brought everything into perspective.

Finishing off, I debated whether covering the windows was enough. After getting weary of the rain within the next minute, I decided to leave it. No need to board the doors I thought, not yet at least.

The storm was predicted to last about another week and things went without a hitch the first two days. Nothing to scare me or entice me out of my home. I painted like never before. Using the visions I'd had as inspiration instead of a fuel to burn myself to the ground.

It was day 3 when I started hearing the scratching. Minding my business and playing with Rex in his corner, the sound of nails on a chalk board screeched through my soul.

It was coming from outside my living room window, where the footprints had been. The slow insidious noise that demanded all attention slowly got more erratic. Walking over to the window, I tried to peer out through the slats of light, staying hidden from the instigator of the sound.

The sky had a red hue to it with dark grey encompassing almost every inch visible. But in front of my window, stood...something.

This wasn't what I was used to. This wasn't something anyone would be used to. This wasn't natural.

Standing directly in front of the window was this thing. It was nothing like what I had encountered in the previous days.

It's body was brown and mummified, shavings of skin hung to its frame, ready to flake off at the slightest shake. The flesh around it's chest had started to rot. I could see maggots poking their heads out as they took in fresh air for the first time. Quickly retreating and burrowing their way back into the banquet.

It's legs and arms were almost completely scabbed over, with dark reds oozing here and there. I saw those bony fingers again...whilst the rest of the thing was putrid, it's hands were bleach white which quickly faded to the rotten brown at the wrists. Usually veins would show like the northern lights on a white this pale but it was completely devoid of any life. Its long nails had cracked and shattered into dozens of sharp daggers. I couldn't quite make out it's face. I didn't want to either. Whatever that thing was, I had already seen enough.

It just stood there twitching unnaturally every few seconds. Cracks traversing it's forearms with each rupture of movement.

It struggled to lift its carcass like arm, but eventually managed to raise it to just about my eye level. So far it hadn't made any signs it knew I was there, angled like a contortionist with my head at 90 degrees with the rest of my body pressed up against the wall.

It's blackened nails pressed against the pane of glass that was peaking between the planks on the other side of the window, and clumsily scraped across it. Each millimetre bringing with it a chorus of pain and suffering. I struggled not to let out the agony in my breath but held it down. It's fingers danced along the glass for another minute before I heard a bark come from behind me. Finally, Rex had woken up. I gave him a little nod and held my finger to my lips, hoping he would be quiet. He seemed to get with the program straight away.

Turning back to the show before me, I saw nothing. No noises, no hideous monster to drag me out.

That's when I looked out the window properly this time. My head no longer dangling at an angle, looking straight ahead I realised something.

It hadn't just been scratching the window...it had written something. Trying to make out the jagged etchings I realised that they were letters.

I SEE YOU

At first I stood there in disbelief...this couldn't be real, could it? As it all dawned upon me, I started to shake, tears starting to caress my cheeks and fell to the floor before me.

Scared to death and worried what might happen next, I started to board up every opening in my house. Any entrance and exit I had was blocked. Nothing in, nothing out. I'd be safe from the storm and whatever it brought with it. The only thing coming through were a few beams of sunlight in most openings, rays of hope to keep me going. Although with the storm showing no signs of stopping soon, those were few and far between.

I shouted over to Rex, thinking my trusty companion would protect me but he was still in his corner. No nod. Maybe he's been as tired as I have. I didn't bother to go over to him allowing him to get as much sleep as he needed. I don't know whether he saw them but with every hour that the cogs in my head would go into overdrive, he'd stay in the corner more, sleep more throughout the day when he'd usually be bounding around. I didn't take it out on him but he must've picked up that I was starting to lose it at that point.