Protection

Tired

There are footsteps audible from next room. It can't be Brandon, he walks differently. Also I can hear him snoring right next to me. I don't know if I should check it. Probably not. I jump into a sitting position when I hear the cupboards in the kitchen bang, in a tact of three. Isn't it enough for one night?

My bare feet feel warm on the cold wooden floor. I know it's probably not the best idea to go downstairs, but I'm so tired of being scared of this spirit, whatever it might be. Also, the telephone is downstairs and the telephone means Lorraine.

The door squeaks when I open it. My gaze quickly finds my husband, he's turning around. I don't move an inch, but then I hear him snoring again. He was just moving in his sleep. Just after I walk out of the room on tiptoes the door slams behind me. I yelp but quickly hush my mouth with my hand. Brandon didn't hear me, did he? And I know he doesn't wake up anymore by doors slamming or cupboards banging.

Slowly I look up. On my left I only see the window. I turn my head to the right side. Suddenly a silhouette of a man is standing right in front of the other bedroom. It's looking at me. But in the blink of an eye it's gone again. I tell myself I will be okay and do everything in my power to believe it.

Through the window in the hallway I can see the full moon, it lights up the room. Downstairs it's dark, because the next window is in the living room. Maybe it is incredibly wrong to do this and maybe I should just stay in that stupid bed, but if that demon really wants to get to me, it would do it either way, right?

The creaking of the stairs is the only sound filling the house since the rain stopped. I can still hear the cupboards slam in the kitchen and just as I step onto the floor I can hear footsteps from upstairs.

Now I do consider being scared, but the telephone is only three steps away. Just as I'm about to dial the number I remember. The phone doesn't work, at least it didn't the last time I tried to call. The panic rises up to my chest to the point it seems impossible for me to breathe. My back hits the wall and I'm back to the position I was in this night and last night. Even though my breathing is incredibly fast I feel like I can't get any air in my lungs. I get dizzy, so maybe I really don't?

I look into the kitchen and see the cupboards opening and closing. I never saw that before, only heard it. Why did I have the stupid idea to go down here? The clock in the hallway still reads 3:33, but when I look at the watch on my wrist I see it's already 6:13. The sun will rise soon and then Lorraine and Ed will come. "It's gonna be alright." I tell myself, but everything else in me screams nothing is alright.

Due to the light from the door behind me I see the multiple marks on my arm. Earlier they were red, blood stained, but now they're bruises. I gasp in shock when I see a new red one appearing, right next to a bruise. It's weird it doesn't hurt and for a moment I'm actually relieved about it. I glance to the floor on my left, spotting the rosary. It was just a brief moment of peace though.

Suddenly I get pulled away from the wall behind me and I can feel my side hit the floor. Maybe it's another wall. I'm not sure. The next thing I feel is something hard on my back, maybe it's wood? I can't count how many times I get thrown around, I just know I'm screaming from the top of my lungs. Someone has to hear me, at least Brandon.

My lungs are tired when I finally hit my head and my vision goes dark. But I'm not passed out. Maybe it's not my vision, but the room I'm in. Everything in me tells me to not move, to just stay in my position. But then how could I do that, knowing I'm most likely in danger.

My arms are incredibly tired when I use them to sit up and my whole body's moving with my breaths. Even though I blink multiple times I still see nothing but darkness. Also it's freezing. When I sit up straighter my head hits something, presumably wood.

The relief I just felt is quickly replaced with the all too well known panic. What if I'm in a room only half my size? What if I can't get out of here and no one knows where I am? What if, what if, what if. Lorraine told me I think in too many what if's. But right now, how could I not?

I actually find myself thinking the situation can't get any worse. But that's only until I hear someone whooping. I can't locate where it's coming from exactly, but it's close. My hand slaps on my mouth, trying to stop me from making a sound. Do demonic spirits feel the presence of people?

When I put my hand back down it hits something in front of me. Even though the sound was barely audible I stop in my tracks. Could the spirit hear that? My mind is at a million places at the same time. I'm not just scared, I'm scared to death. And I know I was never afraid of dying, but when you face it, it can be pretty fucking scary.

Sure, last month I was aware of the things I haven't done yet. The same as now. But at this moment it seems so much more important.

My eyebrows furrow when I realize what detail I just missed. There's something right in front of me and it didn't feel like a wall. Slowly I put my hand in front of my body again. Even though I can't see it I can feel it's shaking.

It turns out the thing in front of me is some kind of door. I gently push it open, careful to not push it too far. Finally I can see light, it's shining through a window. It takes a short while, but I can make out the features of a room. A familiar room.