They think I can’t hear them when I sleep, but I do.
Little creaks, thuds, pops. I used to think it was my house stretching at night, but I was wrong.
One night, I woke up to a gulp in my kitchen. The next morning, I swear there was a glass in the sink I didn’t put there.
When I come back from work, sometimes the hair stands up on the back of my neck. When I open a door, I half expect to see someone standing, waiting for me.
There are days I come home and things feel off. I walk slowly through my house, not making a sound. I feel a compulsion to check the bathroom. It feels like the place someone would wait. I tiptoe to the bathroom slowly. I swing open the bathroom door and whip back the shower curtain to see bare porcelain.
When I brush my teeth at night, and my feet are under the bathroom vanity, they could grab my ankles to get me.
When I drop something by my bed, I’m hesitant to pick it up. What if I look down and see a face smiling back at me?
When a sound wakes me up at night, I refuse to look around for my own good. There’s a chair by my bed, and I don’t want to see someone sitting there quietly.
Things seem to be getting worse these days.
I did close that closet drawer before going to work, but I convince myself I’m wrong.
I did turn off that light before leaving for the day, but I convince myself I’m wrong.
The trash fills up quicker than I’m throwing things out. I’m spending more on groceries than I’m actually eating.
I tell myself they won’t come out if I leave the lights on; I can’t sleep anymore. If something was actually wrong, I would’ve noticed something bigger by now.
Last Tuesday, when I was brushing my teeth, I saw a shadow behind me in the mirror. I turned around and saw a blur. I don’t know if what I saw was because of my head spinning around or whether something else was moving. When I turned back around to catch my breath, I was grinning in the mirror, but I could feel my mouth pursed, straight-faced. My hand slowly reached up. I touched my lips. I wasn’t smiling. I felt it. I stood there. 5 minutes. Eyes widening. Head tilting. I smacked the lights off and ran for bed.
I’m trying to forget.
I must be really tired. I should sleep more.
I think they know they have me. I could’ve called for help by now.
I hear the wind gusting hard one night. The temperatures drop and hail pelts my window. I’m so warm in my blanket.
Then, I hear fingers tapping on my bedroom door.
I hear breathing.
Lights turn on in the hallway outside.
My breathing swells my chest. I can hear my heart in my neck.
I see two sets of feet under my door. They’re both shaking.
One of them starts jumping up and down loudly.
One person’s in my slippers. The other’s barefoot.
The door knob turns.
The light outside turns off as my bedroom door creaks open.
Someone’s trying their best to breathe through their nose.
I can’t move. I can’t scream. I can’t do a thing.
I feel someone lie down beside me.
I can’t move.
I feel someone’s hands touching my toes.
I open eyes my eyes but it’s too dark to see.
I close my eyes trying to catch my breath.
Eventually, the weight on my bed lightens. The person touching my toes stops.
I hear my bedroom door closing. The light in the hallway stays off.
I hear a gulp in the kitchen.
The next morning there’s another glass in the sink.
Love it! So much suspense. What was it? anxiety, a spirit, your thoughts?
Wow! Super creepy. Made me feel all kinds of weird haha. Great job!