Short Story

It all started that cold December night, when mom and dad left for dinner with Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Everything was completely fine; it was a normal evening at 7:15 pm.

            Being home alone, I decided I should just relax and watch some TV; I had the weekend to do my work. A sudden trailing thought came in my mind as to whether I had turned on the alarm or not, so I got up and headed downstairs. The alarm was definitely on, and the lights were switched on too. I felt safe inside the warm secure home. As I walked back upstairs a sudden sick feeling came to me, like something was wrong. I decided I was probably just hungry, so I grabbed some food along the way and headed back upstairs again. Being a fourteen-year-old girl and home alone, it was sort of scary, but I had done this before many times so I was okay. Mom and dad were best friends with Roy and Mary Smith; they had been friends for many years. They decided to go out for dinner tonight because it was Mary’s birthday, and they wanted to celebrate. Obviously an awkward fourteen-year-old girl would not appear to be there.

            I turned off the TV because I got bored, and decided to go on my laptop instead. I went to twitter and started reading poems and deep quotes. Along with that I started to listen to some calming music and it felt well, a nice calm evening to myself.

            All of a sudden I heard a creaking sound, something more than just a creak. I started to get this horrible feeling inside of me; a feeling of not fear, but of unanswered questions. What if I die? Who was there? What if I never see my parents again? What if someone takes me far away? I didn’t have a choice; I had to get up. The sickness became worse, I felt as if I would explode, but I held on and grabbed the glass vase on my dresser. I didn’t know what I would do; but I had to do something. I grabbed my cell-phone as well, in case I needed to call 911.

            I opened my room door, slowly and gently. I stepped out of my room, looking down the stairs and around the hallways. The stairs curved into a circular shape, so it was a little hard to see. Nothing appeared to be there, but something was there; I could sense it. I looked around again moving closer to the stairs. There was nothing, no movement, and no sounds. I stepped down the first step, and then it came. I heard the creak, gentle but forceful. The sound was still there so I moved closer to the railing and looked down, there was still no appearance of anything or anyone. My heartbeat rose faster and faster, it was the only thing I could hear. I could feel my breathing becoming harder, and the sickness was rising into my chest. It hurt, I felt like I was going to explode like a bomb, in little pieces.

            I slowly stepped down a couple more stairs, being quiet and faint. I looked around me, noticing every little thing. I couldn’t see anything different; everything was almost the same. I was halfway down the stairs when I saw it. Clear, in front of my eyes, my heartbeat stopped. The door way was in front of me, and I could see the doorknob moving. The creaking was still there, gentle and faint. I stepped back up the stairs, this time faster. My heartbeat was faster than ever, and I felt like I was suffocating. I didn’t know what to do, but I had to get out, I had to leave. I reached up the stairs and went to my room, slowly closing the door enough to still be able to peek through. The doorknob was still turning, and then I heard the click. I shut my door and locked it, without looking. I was dying. My heart was exploding, I couldn’t breathe. The suffocation inside me was drowning me, and I couldn’t. I moved to my bed and grabbed the water, I drank some; I had to help myself. I could hear the steps, slowly walking around the house; tip, tap, tip, tap.

            I grabbed my phone and called 911, there was no way I could do this alone. A woman picked up, “911, how may I help you?” I spoke on the phone, I explained how there was someone in my house, they were messing with the doorknob, and how I ran up the stairs and locked myself in my room. I was crying, I was scared; I wanted to be with my parents. “Okay, listen just calm down, you’ll be fine; we have sent a dispatch, they will be reaching there very soon,” the woman spoke. The woman told me to stay as quiet as I can and stay on the phone.

            I heard steps up the stairs; they were coming here. I stopped myself from screaming and hid under the bed. “Listen, hey; they will be there in two minutes, you will be fine, please remain calm,” she spoke. I was panicking the steps got louder and louder and so did my heartbeat. I heard my doorknob turn, they were trying to get in. I heard banging; they were banging on my door. I was going to die, and no one could save me. I heard the woman say “hello,” last and then it went black.

            “Christina, Christina!” I heard a voice. It was faint at first and then became louder. “Hello, wake up dear!” It was my mom. “Hmm, what?” I spoke. I woke up to see my laptop on my lap, twitter open and my music still playing. “Mom, MOM!” I was so happy, I gave my mom the biggest hug; I was safe. “I had the worst dream ever, it was horrible mom; it was horrible.” She looked me in the eyes and said, “it’s okay honey; I’m here.” I decided I would never stay home alone again. Everyone was going to sleep, so I decided I would too. It was silent, calm; the way it was supposed to be.