The day was coming to a close as I walked home from my bus stop. I was coming back from my first day of grade seven. I knew I was going to be alone when I arrived; my sister had gone off to sleep at a friend's house and my two brothers went away for the week with my dad. That left my mom and I, she was going to visit a friend for the night. She'd be back for breakfast, of course.
I turned on my street, it didn't take long from the bus stop to my street, the only thing making it look menacing was the fact that the street lights were flickering on and off. This set off my paranoia that I have had since I was around seven or eight. I'm a little twelve year old girl turning thirteen pretty soon. I thought I was brave.
I was walking down my gloomy looking street, thinking of what fun it would be to suddenly see a cop chasing some bad guy down; sirens a blaze, blinding everything in its path. Then suddenly out of know where, the cop's car would flip and tumble down the road, causing destruction and panic to everyone on my street. The car would burst into flames and light the path to where I was destined to walk. The car would stop in front of me; I would look at it and grin. Continue walking down the street, everyone gawping at me, unsure how to react. I'd feel superior and cool. Then reality would kick back in as I opened my front door.
Click!
I enter my dark house; the front hall is a mess as usual, shoes everywhere; winter boots, summer sandals, spring sneakers, etc. I move a couple to place my winter boots back to their usual spot. I shrug off my black winter jacket to reveal my army green shirt that said "Hilfiger" along with my black pants with chains on them.
They clinked together when I walked. My house was dark and empty. I looked around my house, making sure everything was in place. The living room was the same as when I left, the kitchen was clean, the computer was up and running.
The second floor was quiet, everything was quiet. This was the first time my house was ever quiet. Usually it was filled with angry roars, hurtful comments, sarcasms, but not this time. It was peaceful, until something crept up inside my brain. I wasn't sure what it was, so I ignored it.
I checked the clock; it was 4:30pm. The sun was going down and I knew it would be dark soon. I knew that I would have to cook my own dinner. I was prepared. I knew what to do, but dinner wasn't until 6:30pm. I thought to myself that I'd wait it out as I made my way to the computer. I played some music as well as checked my Facebook until I got bored of it. By then it was around 5:10pm.
I started to imagine again, having a very imaginative mind. I walked around my house, thinking. I pictured flying around my house at first, got bored of that. Continued walking around, went to the basement, which was cold. I shivered at the coldness of the room and wondered why it was so cold. I felt something brush my neck and jumped slightly, looking around with fear in my stomach and eyes, searching for the source. I went down and sat on my couch in the basement, debating whether or not I should watch T.V. Try to ignoring what previously happened.
I heard a soft pounding upstairs in rhythm with the beating of my heart. Unsure of what it was, I decided to see if it was my mom coming back home early. Something brushed my neck again on my way up; I searched, wanting to know this time. Not being able to find it, I ignored it and cautiously walked up to the laundry room which was connected to my basement only by the stairs. Through the laundry room I could see my kitchen. I looked around for something out of place, nothing. Then, on the floor, a shadow moved on the floor. Too fast for my eyes to recognize the form I immediately thought someone or something is in my house. Paranoia settled in and I panicked a bit. I quickly regained my senses and I thought first thing I need is protection. The knives in the kitchen were my first choice.
Moving carefully I reached my kitchen and got the biggest knife we had. I had decided to search my house top to bottom. My mind was whirling, sending myself from one room to another, thinking that the man or monster was in this room or that one. Each time I found a room empty, it added to my unease. I began to think that it was a monster that could go through walls and watch me from the shadows. In order to lure it out, I turned on all the lights in my house. Still, I didn't find anything. I checked and re-checked every room. One more time wouldn't hurt, is all I thought. My sanity was slowly slipping into what felt like madness. I would feel the shadow following me, mocking me in the deepest, darkest corner of my mind and house. Top to bottom I searched for this monster. I finally gave up and decided I'd let the monster come to me, and then I'd kill it. I hoped it wouldn't kill me first.
I waited in my room, no knife from my kitchen, I put it back, but I did have a secret pocket knife with me, hidden under my bed. I'd pull it out when the monster opened my door and attempted to "collect" me. We'd see who would have done the collecting. I waited and waited, not daring to venture out of my room, not even for food, nor the bathroom. The clock had now turned 10pm.
I was tired and the room was beginning to become foggy. I thought it a good idea to go in my covers, convince the monster I was sleeping then stab it twenty times. Nodding to myself, sleepily, I went under the covers and turned in my favourite position for sleeping, on my left side, facing the door. I waited and waited some more, until everything went black. I could see nothing. I remember falling, falling, down and down into black nothingness. I attempted to scream but something grabbed my mouth and dragged me down further into the darkness.
I awoke in a panic; I gasped and sat up straight on my bed. Breathing hard, I checked my surroundings; I was in my room, it was light out, my stomach was growling, I smelt food and someone was moving downstairs. I got up and changed out of my clothes that I wore yesterday.
With new clothes, I ran downstairs, dark thoughts crept inside my mind; the monster, the darkness, the cold. I looked around the corner to see my mother cooking eggs and bacon. Relief filled my body and mind as I sat down at the kitchen table.
"Good morning, sunshine."
