“Lilly!” shouted a young girls voice from upstairs, I could hear a tremble in her voice.

“Katie, just stay calm and don’t move. I’m coming!” It was dark and I couldn’t see anything as I was running up the stairs. I pulled out my phone and opened it for at least a little light to find her. Tracing my hand against the wall I feel a deep pain in my foot, “Ouch!” I look down and point my phone towards my foot. Katie’s barbie was sitting against my foot looking up at me with a fake smile. I kicked it and it flew across the hallway and slammed against Katie’s door.

“Ahhhhh!” Screamed Katie.

“Katie that was me it’s okay!” I followed her screams across the hallway to her room and clumsily open the door and trip as I walk through.

“Lilly! I’m so scared!” Katie was sitting on her bed in the corner with her legs pulled up to her body. She was shaking, with her eyes wide open trying to find me and not let the dark get to her. I stand up and walk over to her bed with my arms held out ready for me to fall. When I reach her bed, I cautiously get one leg on at a time.
I hear Katie whimper, more of a cry.

“Katie. It’s going to be okay.” I say with much sympathy. “The light is going to be back on soon.”

“When?” Katie asked and I could feel her look up at me.

“I don’t know. But we’ll just stay here until it does okay? We can sing a song or I can tell you a story!”

“Tell me a story please.” She asks ever so sweetly. The thunder cracked and it made both of us jump.

“That was scary.” murmured Katie.

“I know hun. Just relax as I tell you a story.” I said. I felt her shoulders relax and her head rest against my side.

“BOOM” something in the kitchen crashed and I could feel the floor shake.

“Ahhh!” me and Katie screamed at the same time. Is someone there? No. There couldn’t be.

“Hello? Is anybody there?” I asked. I could feel my heart beating so fast I thought I was going to pass out. I walked to the bed, where my cellphone was lying. I took a deep breath and picked it up.

“Lilly what’s going on?” Katie asked in such a sweet voice.

“Oh I’m calling your mother.” I only said that so she wouldn’t get so scared.
I was shaking as I dialed 911. It rang once, twice, then what picked up to be a mans voice.

“Hello.”

“Yes, yes. I have an emergency!” I screamed into the phone. Silence on the other end.

“Officer! Hello? Please come! I heard something crash in the kitchen. I’m baby sitting my next door neighbor, she’s 5 and i’m so scared. There’s no power so we can’t see anything. Oh my gosh, please come help us!”

“Are you upstairs?” The man asked suspiciously.

“Um... Yes.. Why does this matter! Just get to the house as soon as possible.” I said.

“What room are you in?” The man asked. I could hear footsteps downstairs. Someone was obviously there.

“Ohh no...” I whispered.

“Is there something wrong?” Katie asked. I could her the fear in her voice.

“No no no everything is fine. I Just remembered that your mothers number in on the counter... downstairs.”

“Then go get it!” Katie said like I was stupid.

“I can’t.” I said.

“Why not?” I looked at her, and her eyes widened. Wider than i’ve ever seen.
“Because Katie, I’m scared.” a look of sadness just washed over her face. Mostly fear, but that was in her eyes.

“Miss, are you still there?” I realized that I still had the phone up to my hear.

“Oh.” was all I managed to say.

“I’m going to be there in 5 minutes. I’m on my way.” relief washed over me and I hung up. I sat on the bed next to Katie and I wrapped my arms around her.

“Everything is going to be okay, the police are on their way.”

“Is something happening?” Her hand tightened around my arm.

“No, I just heard something. I just want them to check it out.” I said, feeling bad about not telling her the truth, but at least only one of us is scared.

The footsteps stopped, and then I heard metal clanging around. My heart stops. I think about what’s going to happen if we don’t leave from where we are sitting. I stand up slowly trying not to make a single sound.

“Come with me,” I whispered to Katie. She crawls across the bed cautiously, puts one foot down, and then the other. I flip open my phone for light and there are toys all over the floor. As I scan the room I find a small closet in the corner.

“This way.” I say as I hold out my hand for her to grab. Her small, soft hand grasped mine. I could feel the fear in her grip. Our feet swiftly move across the pink plush carpet. As I open the closet door it squeaks with a piercing high pitch sound that could be heard from anywhere in the house. Then I heard the same familiar rough, loud steps as before. His shoes must have been wet because the sound of every step had a little squeak to it. My phone vibrated and I looked down to see a restricted call. I flipped it open.

“hello?” I whispered ever so quietly. All I heard was the sound of someone breathing.

“Hello? Who is this?” Silence. I hung up and set it on the floor, and guided Katie down onto the closet floor on top of clothes and extra blankets. She puts her back against the wall and slides down. As I sit down next to her I realize I need something to defend us, a lamp is the only thing I see. I get up and unplug her pony lamp and bring it over and set it in Katie’s lap. My phone vibrated again.

“Hello?”

“I’m here.” a man said in a very deep voice.

“Is this the police?” silence and then a click. He hung up.

“Great.” I said in a low whisper.

“What’s that sound?” Katie asked.

“Shhhh...” I snapped. I heard the click of a man’s boot slowly coming up the stairs.

“Oh no.” The door opened with a soft sigh. His footsteps were lost in the pink carpet. His boots left deep foot prints. His shadow was very tall and wide.

“Where are you hiding?” said the man holding a rusty old bat and chuckled a deep, mysterious laugh. And then his figure came through the dark and took my breath. 17, maybe 18 years old. He was wearing baggy jeans and a ripped white v-neck. Katie unexpectedly spoke,

“Torrin?”

“Katie!” Torrin fell to his knees and started crying.

“What? You know this man?” I asked.

“Yes! This is my big brother!” she yelled with the biggest smile on her face. “He got sent to this horrible place where bad people go. He wasn’t supposed to go. Right big brother?” Torrin looked up at me and started laughing that familiar laugh.

“Yes baby.” he said while he stroked her hair like she was the best thing in his world. “I was with a bunch of friends of mine and they were robbing the gas station down the street. I was with them, so I got sent too. I wasn’t supposed to go. Well that’s at least what I told everybody,” there was a long silence. “I killed a man.” he looked at Katie and Katie looked at him.

“That’s right Katie, I killed a man. You can be mad at me later.” he said to her and then looked back at me. “But it seems as if i need to kill another one tonight.” He said as he stood up and walked to Katie’s bed and sat. “It’s been a while sense I have seen this room.” he looked around and soaked in the memories. Then he dramatically stood up form Katie’s bed and grabbed his bat from the floor and gave it to her. “Will you help me with this?” there was a scared, intense look in his eyes. It looked as if he was going to start crying.

“Uhhh...” She stood up and slowly reached for the bat. My heart was sinking hard and fast. I couldn’t exactly believe what was happening.

“But... Katie! I’ve known you for 2 years and I babysit you every weekend! I’m more of a sister than he could ever be a brother to you.” I yelled. I felt a sharp pain against my cheek. A tear slowly fell down my face and landed on my hand in my lap. This is real. I have never felt something so real.

“Don’t you say anything like that to her again! She’s my sister not yours! I left for 2 years and I come to see my replacement as a scrawny girl? This is insane!” He said. His eyes are getting very big now from what I can see.

“Katie don’t do this.” I asked with all the sympathy I could put in my voice. My eyes darted from Katie’s to Torrin’s. Then I locked mine with Katie's.

“Shut up! Katie you ready?” he asked. She nodded and looked at me, the look in her eyes told me that she was more scared than I was.

He raised his gun from his back pocket.

“You're done.” He said. Right before I closed my eye I saw Katie wave goodbye