Friday, July 9, 2010

Fear

Everyday is like any other day. Nothing is out of the ordinary from the friends at school to the family at home. Everyday is a usual day. People often dream of adventures or journeys to other places, something different from their lives. Oh, how we call imagine that. Often we stare at the picture of the one place we wish to be. Paradise. But when our minds wonder to dreamland the reality before us changes, and sometimes we don't even notice it.

One day, coming home from school or from work you walk into your house. Everything is as it should be. The one place where you feel the safest, and you're all alone. No sound comes from the other rooms as you stand in the living room deciding what to have to eat. No lights are on yet, and the only lighting in the room comes from outside. Down the hallway there is darkness. For a moment, you just stand there taking in your surroundings and savoring the silence. Breathe in, breathe out. You can hear your own breathing and your heart beat slowly. Bump bump...bump bump... 


Click. You hear a high pitch ring coming from the TV. The news flashes on the screen talking about their Most Wanted list. A serial killer had recently escaped from prison and is now loose on the streets. The public was in danger. His face is shown and where he was last seen. Surprisingly it's not too far from where you live. You walk over to lock the door, when the thought just occurred to you. How did the TV turn on by itself? The possibility stopped you in your tracks. The very thought of the killer being in your house was impossible. There would be broken glass from breaking in or some sign of forced entry. Unless the front door was unlocked, but you were good enough to remember to lock it earlier. How come the dog wasn't at the front door waiting to greet you? In fact, where is your roommate who is usually home before you? You saw her car didn't you? They must be here. Either your mind is running wild or the truth of a dangerous killer is in your house. You're silent as the TV plays. Nothing at all. The house is completely quiet. You pick up the remote and turn off the TV. If there was some killer here, there would be evidence of it. Slowly and silently, you walk towards the hallway.

Click. Ring. The TV is on again. Your heart is racing faster than ever. Someone is in the house! How could this have happened? Earlier in the morning you were having coffee with your friend, and now there is a killer in your house. Your life is in danger. You need to call the police. Where is your phone? It isn't in your pocket or in your bag. Fear has frozen you in place. What do you do? You can't find your phone, and there is an intruder in the house. The only thing you can do is defend yourself as you look for your roommate. You slowly walk to the kitchen to grab a knife. Something slippery is on the ground soaking your socks. The smell of blood fills your nostrils. In fear of what it might be, you don't look down. You feel the cold steel of the knife from the sink and you gently pull it out. Your heart is pounding in your chest. Bump! Bump! Bump! You can barely hear yourself think, and your hands begin to shake. What will you do? What will you do...?

There's a slight creek from the floor where your foot landed. You are right in front of your roommate's room. The door is slightly shut, and you can hear the TV is on inside. You hope against all odds, that your roommate just didn't hear you come in the front door, and the blood in the kitchen was an illusion. Your hand presses against the cold door, and it slowly swings open. There, you see your friend sitting on the bed watching TV with their eyes open. They're alive after all! There is no killer in the house. However, just as your about to relax, you notice something. Your friend isn't moving, and there is blood dripping from their mouths. All the color is washed away from their face, and their eyes have glossed over. Fishing wire is wrapped tightly around their neck, wrists and ankles. Your friend was dead.

Fear. Sadness. Horror. Hopelessness. All these emotions are overflowing. What do you do now? Your friend is dead, and the killer is no where in sight. Again you are frozen in place and your eyes begin to water. Everything suddenly feels very cold, and the air behind your shifts just slightly. Soft breathing can be heard, and you can smell something retched. The killer is behind you. This is it. Your death has finally come. There is nothing that can be done. Two hands come around you, one of them gripping the fishing wire, and the other grabbing it. I just hope this ends quickly.


A voice whispers in your ear, "You guys are only the beginning."