top, but at least a simple pretty, what with my unique hair texture and my honey brown eyes, but right now I looked ghastly. My usual olive complexion was now washed out and my eyes were rimmed in red.
Stepping away from the sink, I grabbed my towel from off it’s hook and dried my face before turning out the light and exiting the room. Once the lights were out, an all too familiar fear swept over me—dread about what, or who, could be hiding in the shadows. Once I made it to my room, I flipped the light on and closed my door, locking it behind me. Then I hurried toward my bed, jumping onto it and tucking myself under the covers. The book on my nightstand was an old horror novel I’ve read multiple times before, but tonight I just wasn’t in the mood. It’s different when your life is average and you can get a good scare by reading a book, but when you’re practically living in a horror novel yourself there’s no time for added fear.
I pulled out the drawer of my bedside table, rummaging through my random novels, DVDs that were missing their cases, and sheets of loose-leaf paper until I found what I was looking for. I pulled the worn paperback from my drawer and settled into bed, bending the cover back as I began to read. Though it was hard to focus on the book with my thoughts racing and eventually I found myself climbing out of bed to peek out my window. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stay away. David’s house petrified me, but I had to admit that it also intrigued me. I wanted to know what was going on in there and why David was the way he was. The thought terrified me, but I was curious.
I pulled the curtain back slowly, peering out of my window. To my surprise, one of the lights in David’s house was on. I squinted down at his little eyesore of a home, my gaze flitting all over until I saw a movement come from the backyard. I gasped at the sight that lay before me. David had a shovel in his hand and was digging. Lying next to him was a large black, trash bag. Considering the distance, and how his yard was enveloped in shadows from the night, I couldn’t quite make out what was in it, but what really registered with me was that the bag was big enough to hold a body.
I leaned to the side, trying to get a better look, but my curtain shifted and a long rectangle of light casted down below. David stopped digging instantly, snapping his head up toward my window. I jumped back, closing the curtain quickly. This was too much.
I ran to pick up the landline in my room, dialing 911 as quickly as my fingers would allow it. David wasn’t getting away with it this time.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
My hands shook as I held the phone to my ear.
“Hello, I’d like to report a murder.”
Chapter Fifteen
Cold and Dead
As soon as I got off of the phone, I began working in autopilot. I sprinted down the hallway, bursting into my mom’s room like I had no home training. I flipped the light on and then ran to the side of the bed she slept on and began to shake her awake, which didn’t take long considering it had only been about half an hour ago from when I had woken her up with my screams.
Mom rolled over, shielding her eyes from the light with her arm. “Claire, have you lost your mind?” she asked, sitting up slowly. She rubbed her eyes, smudging the remnants of her makeup from the day before on her upper eyelid.
“No, Mom, this is serious. David’s a murderer.”
Mom raised an eyebrow before she opened her mouth slowly. I expected her to laugh, as she had in my dream, but instead she let out a loud yawn. Then groggily repeated my words. “David’s a murderer ?” She fixed me with one of her ‘I don’t condone lying’ stares. “Claire, you had a nightmare. That’s all. You can stay in here with me, but I really need to get some sleep. I have an important meeting in the morning.” She patted my hand, and then attempted to lie back down, but I
Stepping away from the sink, I grabbed my towel from off it’s hook and dried my face before turning out the light and exiting the room. Once the lights were out, an all too familiar fear swept over me—dread about what, or who, could be hiding in the shadows. Once I made it to my room, I flipped the light on and closed my door, locking it behind me. Then I hurried toward my bed, jumping onto it and tucking myself under the covers. The book on my nightstand was an old horror novel I’ve read multiple times before, but tonight I just wasn’t in the mood. It’s different when your life is average and you can get a good scare by reading a book, but when you’re practically living in a horror novel yourself there’s no time for added fear.
I pulled out the drawer of my bedside table, rummaging through my random novels, DVDs that were missing their cases, and sheets of loose-leaf paper until I found what I was looking for. I pulled the worn paperback from my drawer and settled into bed, bending the cover back as I began to read. Though it was hard to focus on the book with my thoughts racing and eventually I found myself climbing out of bed to peek out my window. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stay away. David’s house petrified me, but I had to admit that it also intrigued me. I wanted to know what was going on in there and why David was the way he was. The thought terrified me, but I was curious.
I pulled the curtain back slowly, peering out of my window. To my surprise, one of the lights in David’s house was on. I squinted down at his little eyesore of a home, my gaze flitting all over until I saw a movement come from the backyard. I gasped at the sight that lay before me. David had a shovel in his hand and was digging. Lying next to him was a large black, trash bag. Considering the distance, and how his yard was enveloped in shadows from the night, I couldn’t quite make out what was in it, but what really registered with me was that the bag was big enough to hold a body.
I leaned to the side, trying to get a better look, but my curtain shifted and a long rectangle of light casted down below. David stopped digging instantly, snapping his head up toward my window. I jumped back, closing the curtain quickly. This was too much.
I ran to pick up the landline in my room, dialing 911 as quickly as my fingers would allow it. David wasn’t getting away with it this time.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
My hands shook as I held the phone to my ear.
“Hello, I’d like to report a murder.”
Chapter Fifteen
Cold and Dead
As soon as I got off of the phone, I began working in autopilot. I sprinted down the hallway, bursting into my mom’s room like I had no home training. I flipped the light on and then ran to the side of the bed she slept on and began to shake her awake, which didn’t take long considering it had only been about half an hour ago from when I had woken her up with my screams.
Mom rolled over, shielding her eyes from the light with her arm. “Claire, have you lost your mind?” she asked, sitting up slowly. She rubbed her eyes, smudging the remnants of her makeup from the day before on her upper eyelid.
“No, Mom, this is serious. David’s a murderer.”
Mom raised an eyebrow before she opened her mouth slowly. I expected her to laugh, as she had in my dream, but instead she let out a loud yawn. Then groggily repeated my words. “David’s a murderer ?” She fixed me with one of her ‘I don’t condone lying’ stares. “Claire, you had a nightmare. That’s all. You can stay in here with me, but I really need to get some sleep. I have an important meeting in the morning.” She patted my hand, and then attempted to lie back down, but I
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