Alone

“I don’t need a babysitter,” I screamed sending echoes crashing through my house. “I am fourteen years old and I can stay home alone for one night,” I said my voice booming with anger. I could feel my parents eyes moving towards each other, the official sign of defeat. Could it be true had I finally talked my parents into leaving me alone for a night. I waited for my parents to utter one word,  one word could make or break this deal. Minutes later, of awkward staring and my parents expressions giving away every thought in their head, my mother sat and explained what I already knew. She’d said that they would be back by seven in the morning and that if I felt scared or unsure at all throughout the night to call my neighbors who’d been informed that I’d be staying home alone all night. Was it too immature to scream and jump up and down, would it make them think I’m not mature enough for this yet? I decided against it. I had been waiting for this moment for so long and I had every part of my night planned out.

After practically shoving my parents out the door, I finally had the house to myself.  I had already completed the first movie in my scary movie marathon, and I’d begun to dance around the house listening to songs too explicit for my parents to stand. I didn’t care how ridiculous and immature I looked, I’d been waiting for this moment for so long, and now that it was here I didn’t want to waste one second. But then suddenly there was a sound, a sound that could only be described as footsteps. Although I knew better, I couldn’t help feeling like someone was in the house, I’d gone around to check the doors and they were all still locked as they had been all evening. So the question still remaining is, what’s making that sound and is there someone in the house with me. Not ready to give up my night of freedom I started to look around the house myself instead of calling my neighbors.  If only I’d known what was in store for me, I would have clung to my parents legs screaming, “don’t leave me in this house with him!”

I’d searched almost every room in the house and found nothing, but still I kept hearing creaking boards and the pitter patter of footsteps always coming from above me. There was only one room left to check and I was dreading it, but I knew I had to suck it up and go to the attic. I slowly stepped up the wooden creaky staircase, getting spooked with every step I took. I finally got to the top and skreeeechh, like nails on a chalk board, my ears ringing and my heart pounding. I look frantically around the room for the source of the sound. My eyes stopped along with my heart, when I saw this dark shadow of a figure standing in the corner of the attic. Hoping that if I don’t scream the figure wouldn’t see me, but to my misfortune the figure’s head slowly turned, it’s milky white eyes connecting with mine. Slowly it started to step out of the shadows of the room  becoming more and more visible. It’s nails long, sharp and jagged, reaching out for me. I could hear it moaning my name, “Emily,” it moaned it’s voice sounding rough and hoarse. Slowly my brain beginning to comprehend what was happening I took a step back, which only seemed to anger it. The figure moved closer to me almost completely backing me into a corner, but with one swift movement I sidestepped out of the corner. It’s reflexes too slow to catch me it reached out with its long nails scratching me as I ran.

The blood oozing from the gash in my arm seeps through my hands leaving a thin trail of blood droplets for the creature to follow. Within seconds I’d gotten most of the way down the stairs, my heart pounding in my ears. With no time to think I raced to the only place I’d ever felt totally safe, my room. Unsure of the amount of protection I’d receive hiding in my room I raced into the darkness of the back of my closet crawling into to fetal position, hoping, praying that somehow the creature from my attic wouldn’t think of finding me here. I heard the steps slowing, which only meant one thing, he was unsure of where I’d gone and had stopped to look for a trail. I thought to myself that I must have done well keeping my bleeding under control, because I heard the footsteps start again heading the opposite direction of me.

It must’ve been at least one in the morning, I was starting to get tired. But I couldn’t sleep, not with that, that, thing walking around in my house. My eye lids felt like weights pulling me closer and closer to sleep, the only thing that kept me from passing out from exhaustion was the feeling that if I fell asleep the creature would find me. I was sweating, my arm was losing a lot of blood and I didn’t know what to do to help it. Then after sitting in gut wrenching silence for so long. I began to sleep.

The morning sun greets me through the window and I see it’s nearly six in the morning, but I fear going back to sleep will bring the monster back. Had it all been a horrible nightmare? Was I safe from that creature in my dream? Ready for my parents to get home, I turned on my light and started to walk around my room and everything was just as it was supposed to be. I laugh reassuringly, but a scream gets caught in my throat as I look down at my arm. The gash is still there.