Kara screamed, running down the dark corridor at top speed. Lightening struck the outside window, willing her to keep moving. The grandfather clock chimed, only causing her to increase her speed. She had to keep going, she had to get away…
The hallway seemed to be closing in on her, all the walls inching closer and closer. Lights flickered; hot tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision as she dashed down the darkening passage. Glancing in the mirror, a face of true horror starred out at her. White face, scars running down the entire left side, with dark, dilated black eyes staring into her soul.
Hitting the living room, she spun around, searching frantically for her cell phone. Finally locating the technology, she quickly called her boyfriend. Crying to him, she begged him to come right away. “It’s here,” she wheezed, “it’s coming for me.” Replying he was on his way, mid-sentence, he was cut off.
Throwing the phone away, she yelled, her voice shrill and high-pitched. Branches tapped against the dark windows, making the hairs at the nape of her neck stand on end. He was coming, she knew he was, and then everything would be fine, just like it was last time.
Headlights flickered through the window, distorted from the whipping branches of the weeping willows outside. Wind burst through them, causing a frenzy of thrashing leaves. The door burst open, causing Kara to cry out again. She knew she was safe, but still, it was here, waiting for her.
The lights shut of completely, and the grandfather clocks slow, steady ticking came to an abrupt halt. Windows shattered as the rain increased in power, pounding into the pavement outside. Pictures hanging on the wall crashed to the ground with a sickening smack that reminded Kara of the snapping of small, fragile bones.
She ran to her boyfriend, and clung to him. Amazed by his speed of getting there, she held him close to her, crying onto his broad shoulder. He would help her, save her from the bad thing that wanted to hurt her. She had seen him do it before, he would do it again, tonight.
Grabbing her hand, he looked into her eyes thoughtfully, and whispered, “I’m here. No need to worry anymore, Kara.” The soft touch of his reassuring breath murmuring in her ear made all the worries melt away, until the vase cracked.
Splitting from the force of the blow, glass from the antique vase flew around them. Cutting parts of her arm, Kara ignored the stinging as she anxiously watched her boyfriend walk down the pitch black passageway.
Following timidly, Kara plodded her way up the corridor in complete fear. If he didn’t help, they would both die there. The thing would cut them to pieces; killing them slowly to make sure they felt as much pain as possible just to torture them more. At least they would be dying together, Kara considered.
Stopping in the middle of her bedroom, he looked at her with complete love. She knew this was it, and they were meant to be her together. While watching him, the door suddenly banged shut behind them. Kara ran to it, trying to get the heavy wooden door open. Only she couldn’t, it was locked.
Turning to him in fear, Kara’s eyes danced with complete sorrow. This is it, she thought, this is how I will die, this is how he will die. But as she gazed into his eyes, they suddenly became cold, the pupil dilating with increasing speed, the icy blue color of his eyes turning black in a second.
Then, his skin began falling away from his face like withered leaves being blown from their home branches in fall. Flecks fell to the floor, revealing pale white skin underneath, scars on only the left side of his face.
Kara gasped, she knew this face. It was that thing, that thing wanting to hurt her, but why had it just appeared in the place of her boyfriends face? It made no sense, he had not wanted to hurt her; he had come to save her.
Closing in on her, he smirked as he watched to horror cross her beautiful face. Licking his lips, he dreamed about the kill, how wondrous it would be. “Goodbye Kara,” he breathed his voice hard with no feeling …