I Dare You...

C

Alec had lingered around my place for a couple more hours, before he decided that it was time to go home - he claimed that he'd have his sister to deal with otherwise. He hadn't mentioned his parents and honestly it was none of my business anyway: we may have just 'bonded' over being targets of a homicidal psychopath girl in the woods, but that doesn't mean I have any right to go nosing into his personal life.

My Dad got back before my Mom; looking tired and worn and smelling a bit like rotten guts, he only grunted at me in greeting before dragging himself into the shower. It wasn't exactly unusual - if I'd been up to my elbows in gore all day I wouldn't be in the mood to chat either. Dad would come to me when he wasn't in such a pissy mood. But, yeah, at first, I didn't think anything especially weird was up: I mean, it was still only 7:45pm according to my phone and my Mom said she would be home by 8 at the latest. However, that was before I got the phone call. It was my Mom: apparently she'd tried to call Dad a couple of times but he didn't pick up, leaving me as the living message service for my parents. She needed Dad to come back into the station. She wouldn't tell me why, only that it was incredibly urgent.

Now, now I was beginning to get a little nervous: I had told my dad the second he walked in the kitchen, handing him a milky, sugary coffee as I did so. "Dad," I said "Mom says that they need you back at the station. And no it can't wait: it's urgent."

"What? Really?"

I nod.

"Ugh, and I just got home too." He glanced down at the coffee in his hand, still steaming. "I'm sorry, Honey, I've got to go. Thanks for the coffee, even though I didn't drink it."

Shrugging, I smile and take the faded red mug from his hands, draining the frothy mixture down the sink without care. Turning back, I see my father rubbing his lightly scruffy face thoughtfully, warm hazel eyes creased in concern. "Will you be okay here by yourself for the night?" He asked me softly. "I'm sure that I could ask Joanne to stay over... I don't think that she'd mind."

Joanne was my Auntie and she lived about half an hour away with her boyfriend Martin. "Dad," I chide him, pulling him into a hug. "I'll be fine, I'm always fine remember?"

"But-"

Sighing, I said hoping to appease his worries. "Look, I'm sure that I'll be okay for one night. But if it makes you feel better, ask Auntie Jo to call me a couple of times, just to check in. Would that be ok?" My Dad wrapped his arms around me in a short but affectionate hug.

"Yeah, alright. Don't wait up Honey."

"I won't. Bye, Dad." I waved slightly as he grabbed his woollen coat off the rack. "Love you."

"Love you too."

And with that, he was gone and I was alone again. I had the house all to myself.

It's a very big house...

I felt a cold shiver cascade down my spine at the thought, but quickly dismissed it. In a moment of deep unease, I pulled across the chain on the door - something that I almost never did - and doubled the lock. My fear ebbing away slightly, I turned around and walked into our wide, wooden-floored living room, the warm beige of the couch adding a homely touch to what would otherwise be a clinically white room. Taking comfort from the soft sound that my feet made as they brushed across the wooden surface, I slippedy-slided across the floor to our mantelpiece, which was crowded with familial memorabilia from previous holidays and old school pictures. Picking up one photo in particular: it was a picture of my mom, dad and I in Switzerland, we had gone skiing with some friends that year and I treasured the memories fondly. It has been a long time since we've had any real time together as a proper family - mom and dad are always so busy down at the station...

And you're always alone...

I slam down the picture and whirl around.

There was someone reflected in the glass. 

I swear I saw them.

Not them, her.

But there's no-one here?

"Shit!" That girl was in my house, she was actually in my house! Panicking, heartbeat thrumming in my ears, I run out of the doors to my right, my bare feet slipping slightly I catch myself on the frame and sprint up the stairs.

Shoving my hand in the back pocket of my jeans, I am met with euphoric joy as I pull my phone out. I am so not gonna be the next cliché horror girl: I'm calling Alec ASAP and grabbing a gun. Pressing 'dial' on Alec's name, I held the shaking phone to my ear as I yanked open the door to my parents' bedroom, concern over whether or not he would even be able to hear me: we do not have good reception at my house. The line connected.

"Alice?" Alec's confused voice echoed in my ears, vague and distant, as I tuned into the slow creaking of the stairs as someone stepped on them. "Oh thank God! Alec," I whispered into the phone, loud enough for only him to hear. "she's here! She's in my house!" My hand was still desperately rummaging through my mom's drawers as I searched for her spare pistol. "She's on the stairs and she's here. I'm not shitting you, please help me!"

"Fuck. St-" The call dropped.

There was a second of silence - and it stretched until I refused to admit to myself that so much terror could be experienced in so little time. I did not breathe, my skin went numb and a wave of black flashed across my eyes, causing my ears to ring.

Someone knocked on the door.

'knock. knock. knock.'

She was behind the door. And I still haven't found the gun.

************~*~**********

A/N: This is honestly just a short little filler chapter to set the mood for the next one. I know that I accidentally published it earlier this week before it was done and I'm really sorry if that spoiled it for you!

I have a book that I REALLY want to recommend to all you guys, but I don't think that there are very many people reading this so I'll promote it on another one of my stories officially, but it's called "An Unacceptable Mate" and it's a Vampire romance, which is a genre I don't usually read but this is an exception. Plus, the author is a Brit like me! Yippee!

*Ahem* So back to business: yes, short filler chapter, yes okay, this was to give me just a little headstart to get into some action in the next chapter because I want it to be a long one with symbolism in that will be relevant for later - I just have to find the time to write it!

Thank you so much for reading! X