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A clutter in the night. It sounds like a stack of cans falling. I wake up with a start at the sound. It is completely dark in my room. The echos of the day filling it as if that makes it any less empty. I flip on a lamp and put on my robe. I couldn’t sleep much anyway. I flicker on the lights as I walked slowly down the hall. Each step causing the floorboards to creak. As I turn on the lights, the kitchen lights up ever so slightly. It’s just around the corner of the hall all I have to do Is turn. Ignoring, the rock that set itself in my heart I turn on the light in the kitchen and see a furred creature eating what looks like the spilled contents of soup cans. I nearly scream when I realize what the furred creature is.
“Donnie, how did you manage to knock those off the counter?” I speak to the dog as if he is a child and pick him up. “Look at the mess you made.” I laugh, somewhat relieved that it was just Donnie causing havoc. Though, this was rather out of the ordinary for him. He never caused problems, he even seemed to play nice with his toys. A shiver ran down my spine and a wind kissed my cheek. I set Donnie down (who quickly returned to eating the spilled can of beef stew) and look at the open window. Did I leave that open? I close it and lock it. I must have, otherwise it wouldn’t have been open. I pick up Donnie again and walk him to his dog bed in our room. He quickly gets comfy like a dad who ate too much at thanksgiving. I return to the kitchen and look to the mess. I look at the window. Did I leave that open? Luckily for both me and unlucky for Donnie only to cans had spilled. I cleaned up what Donnie hadn’t and put the remaining cans in a cupboard. I look out the window. Did I leave that open? I leave slowly, and turn off the light as I do. Did I leave that open?
Sleepless hours pass. I can’t sleep alone and Donnie jumps up to the bed and snuggles up near my back, but isn’t enough to keep me company. I normally share the king size bed with Sam. It feels almost childish to call him “boyfriend” but that’s what he is, not husband, not finance, not really really close friend, boyfriend. About a year ago we almost ended it between us, sometimes I wonder why we didn’t. Donnie kicked his feet and kicked my back though the covers of the bed. I turn to him and scratched behind his ears. A shiver ran down my spine. Did I leave the window open? Why did this bother me so much? Did I leave it open? Again? I was sure I closed it. I don’t think I did. I did. I did, I did, I did. I got up.
I marched out of the bedroom and to the kitchen. I didn’t turn on any lights on my way. I had a mission and for some reason the uneasy of not knowing that the window was closed was stronger than the unese of the darkness. I walked into the kitchen. That same shiver and kiss of wind hit my body. Open. I was sure I didn’t leave it open again. Looking at it now I was sure I closed it but it was open. I closed it and locked it again. I finally turned on the lights and searched for any sign of intrusion. Nothing. So why was the window opened?
Just above the sink. It creeked and the little curtains swayed ever so slightly in the soft wind. I stared at it. I closed it two hours ago. I was sure. Why is it open again? I closed it. The clock read 2:47 am. I couldn’t sleep anyway. I sat in front of the window, in front of the sink and stared. Waiting for it to open again. It had to open. Donnie wandered in, looking for something to eat no doubt. The poor pup probably thought that since I was awake, it was time for breakfast.
I picked him up and put him in my lap. Donnie was quick to cuddle up and go to sleep, at least he could sleep. I stared at the window. Then my eyes became heavy… Why now? My body became heavy, a fog filled my head that weighed it down. My thoughts drifted into a soundless subconscious.
A creek. A creek woke me. I shook my head when I realized I was awake. I saw I figure opening the window. The yard behind it was lit by the moonlight but the figure’s back was to it so I couldn’t make out its features, only that it had big hair. I grabbed a nearby pan and walked slowly to the window. The moonlight was outside, there was no way it could see me in the darkness of the house. The figure slid it open. The window opened up so all I had to do was close it down. The figure stuck its head in. I took my moment, I hit with the pan and slammed the window shut.
I flipped on a light switch that lit up outside. The figure lit up. My mind took in his features quickly. Faster than they would for anyone else. His face was all too familiar. “Sam?” I asked when the word finally came out of my mouth. Sam sat on the ground, rubbing his head, presumably where I hit him. I set the pan aside and opened the window. “Sam? What are you doing it’s four in the morning and you scared me half to death and aren’t you supposed to be on some big business trip two states away?” I stuck my head out the window to get a better look at him. “You hit me half to death. And it was three.” Sam joked and he stood up.
“I was going to surprise you with my arrival back home, but it appears that hit me in the head.” Sam leaned on the window sill, I leaned on the sink counter. “Why didn’t you use your keys?” I questioned but still enjoyed his little gesture. “I lost them and I thought we never leave this window locked so I could go through that way and surprise, surprise, you’re awake.” Sam tried to play it as a joke then he shivered. “Well Romeo, come to the front door and I’ll let you in that way.” I laughed and Sam nodded.
I walk to the front door and open it to a smiling Sam. He stood there, smiling but now moving. “Are coming in?” I ask, slightly confused. “Yeah, yeah… you’re letting me in?” Sam asked, his tone becoming timid. “Yes, as long as you kiss me.” I held out my hand. He seemed like he was asking for permission, he must think I’m mad at him or something.
Sam took my hand and walked in. I shut the door behind him. He was quick to squeeze me in a tight hug. Too tight. “Sam, I can’t breath.” His arms squeezed me tighter, my ribs felt like they were about to break. My arms were loosing circulasion and my chest could rise to allow air in. I felt my head becoming light. Then there was a crunch.
A bone cracking crunch, but it wasn’t my bones being crunched. A sharp point popped out of Sam’s back and through his shirt. There wasn’t any blood, as if it was a part of his body, then it grew. It grew into long, gray, hairy, spider leg. Then another and another and another. Eight spindly limbs now rose.
A stinging pain though my back and chest. An arm impaled through me. I looked at Sam’s face. I was now contorted to something less human. His mouth was a gaping hole that looked like it had no end. His normal eyes shrunk and became two in a pool of hundred glowing yellow dots. His nose had sunk into his face leaving a blank hole similar to the mouth. His head elongated his hair was now gone. His legs held him up and his human limbs were limp like a puppet with no puppeteer.
I wanted to scream. I tried to scream. I couldn’t even breathe. The arm that impaled me was slid out with a discusting gurggly sound. My body fell with a thud. It hurt to move. Then it didn’t. My head was light. Everything was cold. I closed my eyes.