The Lurker | Teen Ink

The Lurker

November 5, 2022
By Pepperboi2 BRONZE, Cupertino, California
Pepperboi2 BRONZE, Cupertino, California
1 article 0 photos 0 comments


All right, back when you were just a baby you would always cry, he began. Your crying would keep us up because the brightness of the street and business lights would reflect off the never ending rain and the bustling city outside would endlessly echo.

We can't sleep like this. I have to work, the husband would say. 

Well what do you want to do about it? We don’t have enough money to buy curtains, she replied. There was an obvious hint of sleep deprivation in her voice.

Next time it rains I’ll just put a blanket over the window, maybe he’ll ignore the sound. she said annoyed with the child.

Hopefully, I can't take this anymore, the man said.


That didn’t take long as the end of the next day got near the rain began again and the crime continued.

The baby was laid down in bed as the street lights turned on flooding the ground in a bright white light. The baby started crying. The wife got up and put a blanket over the window but the sound of city life continued on keeping the baby awake. As she covered the window, a shadow stood in the rain. A dark coat covering its skinny body. Cursing her for the rest of her living.

The baby continued not stopping for hours on end driving the couple mad.

He packed his bags 

I CAN’T TAKE THIS ANYMORE, the husband screamed, I'M LEAVING AND NEVER COMING BACK.

He slammed the door as he left so hard the earth itself shook in fear. 

PLEASE DON’T LEAVE, she wailed.

He got into their beige 2004 KIA Rio and sped off. She ran out leaving the baby in the house chasing him down. The rain splashed down on her as she chased down the car. But as she ran she wasn’t alone. Death chased her down.

The husband suddenly heard the cry of the child. Wailing in pain and misery. As if it lost its mother in the crowd of death.


 Maybe I should go back, the husband said to himself. As he turned around he drove. He looked over. The wife laid on the wet sidewalk. He immediately pulled over. Yelling her name. He called the ambulance. He held his wife, the cold grip of death still lingering on her skin.

The husband came home alone and in memory of her would leave the curtains down all the time.

That's it, that’s the story. The man said to his kid, tears streaking down his cheeks.

The man stood up and walked to the curtains opening them to a sunny day outside. Where death continued to watch.


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