I heard his footsteps coming up the staircase.
My heart was beating inside my chest, loud as thunder.
I had no idea what to do.
I laid still in my bed, not moving a muscle.
His feet walked soft and swift down the carpeted hallway.
The door to my brother’s room creaked open.
The sick feeling in my stomach told me there was nothing I could do.
My brother would be his first victim, and I, his second.
I continued laying completely still in my bed,
Under the blankets, that were getting extremely hot by this point.
I was tempted to remove them, except that it’d be easier for him to get to me.
I would suffer through the heat. Until it was over.
It was all I could do.
I was too small to run away, down the stairs and out into the backyard.
I could only lay flat on my back, making my breathing slow and soft.
I prayed he couldn’t see my chest moving up and down,
That he couldn’t hear my heart beating.
I counted to five, every second my heartbeat growing faster.
One, two, three, four, five.
I didn’t hear my brother’s shrieking. I didn’t hear him cry.
I did hear the man’s footsteps come back out into the hallway.
Instead of moving toward my room, like any other time,
His footsteps carried away from my doorway.
I found this interesting and somewhat bizarre.
This stirred all new emotions inside.
I was afraid, terrified even, but then there was also a sense of relief.
A relief that he wasn’t coming to my room after all.
The sick feeling in my stomach came again.
Only this time, I didn’t know what to feel.
It was a gut instinct. But what was it telling me?
That my time was finally coming?
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I slowly, ever so slowly, removed the blankets.
Taking a break in between, I lay still again, making my breathing slow and soft.
I counted to five while laying completely still and listening.
There was nothing.
I carefully sat up in my bed, keeping my eyes locked on the open doorway.
There was no light, black as a cat.
All that kept going through my mind was a scenario where he suddenly stood in the doorway.
Looking right at me.
But that didn’t happen.
I took a deep breath, maybe the last one I’d get, and slowly rose out of my bed.
I could only hope that I’d miss all the creaky spots in my floor, making a silent exit.
I had succeeded. Not a sound.
I skimmed my head out the door. Looking down the dark hallway.
The dark stairs only a few feet away. Could I make it?
I wanted to check on my brother.
But I didn’t have enough time.
I could hear the clock on the wall ticking. Tick tock. Tick tock.
Just the sound of it made me nervous.
I had no idea where the man was. Absolutely no idea.
For all I knew, he could come up behind me.
But that didn’t happen.
I prayed that he wasn’t in the kitchen.
Where the knives were.
My breathing quickened.
I almost wanted to just drop dead right then and there.
So I wouldn’t have to suffer anymore.
I moved out into the hallway,  carefully sidestepping the creaky hardwood floor.
Once at the stairs, I glanced down.
It looked awfully dark, but the faint glow of a night light lit up the bottom of the stairs.
I would have to be more careful. There was a chance he could see my shadow now.
There was some rummaging that sounded like it was coming from the kitchen.
Where the knives were.
I heard a drawer slam shut. I jumped in my spot on the stairs.
I couldn’t do it anymore. If this freak didn’t ****** me, I’d die just from my own fears.
Slowly, ever so slowly, I started stepping backwards.
Carefully sidestepping the creaks in the floor, making my way back to the doorway of my room.
I stood there, silent. Listening for him.
There was nothing for a long time. My imagination started roaming.
Had he left? Could I lay back in bed and sleep peacefully? Not a chance.
Backing up into my room, I kept my eyes locked on the doorway.
I felt the edge of my bed against the back of my legs.
Slowly sitting down, and applying weight to the mattress and bed frame, it creaked.
I closed my eyes, immediately expecting the man to come up the stairs and into my room.
But he didn’t. I continued sitting. Slowly easing the creaks out.
When all of my weight was on the bed, I carefully lay my head back on my pillow.
I pulled the covers up to my chin, covering my shoulders and hiding myself.
I took a deep breath and lay silently, listening for anything.
My eyelids grew heavy with sleep, while staring at the open doorway.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, there were loud, thundering footsteps coming up the stairs.
My heartbeat quickened and my throat grew constricted. I tried to relax my breathing.
My eyes were dead locked on the door. Several times, I thought I saw someone walk by.
The footsteps slowed and grew quiet while my heartbeat did the exact opposite.
Then, there he was. Standing in the doorway. Looking into my room. Looking at me.
Could he see me? Could he hear me?
He started coming inside. Toward the bed. My time was now. I wouldn’t be waking up.
I closed my eyes, hoping to make it hurt less.