Ficlet: Fear grows in darkness
You always thought it was hearing the sound of footsteps nearing your door which frightened you. How they'd pause in front of it, the sound of your own hitching breath as they did. How you'd let out a shuddering breath when the lock wasn't turned. When the footsteps would slowly fade away. Or perhaps what frightened you most was what would happen when the footsteps wouldn't fade, when the key was turned in the lock and the door would open -
But tonight there are no footsteps. No sound whatsoever. Not even your sister running up and down the stairs, the guard dogs barking outside or your mother pacing the kitchen.
You didn't hear them leave. Don't remember hearing anything after the loud thud of your skull hitting the basement floor.
There's no doubt the door is locked. It always is. So the fact that you can't seem to move your arms has nothing to do with why you don't even bother to get up.
Nor do the darkness, the increasing pounding of your head or even the trickling of blood down the side of your face have anything to do with why you're still down on the floor.
It's the thought that right now you're all alone. That realization makes breathing far more difficult than it should be. Frightens you more than anything else ever has.
You could die like this. Perhaps you will.
Funny, that.
But tonight there are no footsteps. No sound whatsoever. Not even your sister running up and down the stairs, the guard dogs barking outside or your mother pacing the kitchen.
You didn't hear them leave. Don't remember hearing anything after the loud thud of your skull hitting the basement floor.
There's no doubt the door is locked. It always is. So the fact that you can't seem to move your arms has nothing to do with why you don't even bother to get up.
Nor do the darkness, the increasing pounding of your head or even the trickling of blood down the side of your face have anything to do with why you're still down on the floor.
It's the thought that right now you're all alone. That realization makes breathing far more difficult than it should be. Frightens you more than anything else ever has.
You could die like this. Perhaps you will.
Funny, that.