It’s killing me inside to hear them again. I try so hard to pretend that they’re not there, like always – so hard I try. They get louder and oh how angry; screaming, always screaming, “How dare you ignore us?!” I don’t understand how they know what I’m thinking. It’s not fair. I don’t want it - take it away.
My feet proceed with furry against the solid concrete. Step on a crack and you’ll break your mother’s back. I’m careful to avoid all splits in the sidewalk.
I can’t remember where I’m headed.
The air is warm but the sun is falling fast. A breeze collides with my body from the west, and tells me that it is time to turn home.
I step through the door and flip the light switch. A strange dark figure is standing with his back turned to me in the foyer; the height of a child – the width of a boulder, but with the features of a very old man. I push the front door closed and press all my strength against it. The figure begins to turn his head towards me, but the rest of his body does not move with it.
Deep wrinkles cascade over his coarse face. Large ears protrude from his oddly figured head. His eyes are piercingly small, like marbles, focusing in on my every move. Predicting what I will do next. He is the predator. I am the pray. His eyebrows are thick and wide. Wide like the knife that haunts my memories.
The grime that is smeared from his forehead to his long chin irks me.
He sweats like me. Profusely. Falling over his eyes like a waterfall. Over our eyes. I quiver from head to toe. Terror screams in my heart. Bump-bump, bump-bump, bump-bump!
I scrape my nails against the mahogany behind me. My throat has fled from my body left with out me. My eyes try to run, but I won’t let them go. I need them something to hold on to. I see the gray carpeted stairs, and glance back at the figure which is advancing towards me. He is half zombie half elf. I am half dead.
But I am half alive. I race up the stairs and up to my bedroom. The slam of the door reverberates in my ears many times. The sound of my safety achieved. The sound calms me.
I sit on my bed and soak up the glory of my achievement. Oh, how proud am I?
The man is back as a blur as I run stridently down the quiet side streets, not so proud, not so glorious. The sound of my breath is unbearable, but the pain in my lungs is worse. This pain, this terrible, horrible pain.
The painted stars on the black sky wink at me. Or do they wink at him?
Now I can scream, and do, scream for me; scream against the sky; scream for the pain - driving the sound into the night with all my force.
Up the streets I run – down the streets I run. Away, away, away. Why can I not get away?! It feels like forever, forever that the voices have talked of. Forever of hell. He is gaining speed as quickly as I. He is going to get me. What can I do? Nothing. I can do nothing. Just run….
The man is as persistent as I, and we continue this chase of cat and mouse.
A face appears in an old oak. A face appears in an old maple. The trees come to life, swaying with the wind that pushes against me, curling like a witch’s nose as the branches try to grab me.
There is an open door to a vacant building on the main road. I sprint to it. Yes! Once I’m inside, I pause for a brief second, but that only makes it worse. He only gets closer.
Inside my steps echo. The stairs are thin metal with gripping holes slightly elevated from the flatness. Each step is more of a struggle than the last. I don’t know how long I can go on. The confined space of the stairwell adds to my horror.
I trip over a stair and crash with an earsplitting blast. He grabs my ankle. I cry out, “Help! Help!” But no one is around. No one but him and I.
I kick and squirm, but can not get free. Why oh, why? Why have you done this to me Lord?! Wh-
I am loose. I’m loose! Up-up-up; at last, I come to a thick metal door and crash through it.
I am in a large empty room with a whole window for a wall. I must be up five stories by now. The man is just inches from me now. There is no time to debate. I press my weight on my back foot. Three… Two… One… Then I put the weight onto my front foot. I’m off.
The sharp glass pierces my skin. Warm blood immediately drips down my face and clouds my vision. I see the man one last time before I close my eyes, outstretch my arms, and fall.