FEAR

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

         It was beginning to get late. I had been at work for nearly twelve hours now and for the whole day I had been here, I was unable to concentrate. All I kept thinking in my head was about Abigail, and how she coped on the first day of her new school.  I'd love to walk through that door and see her smiling again. Her old teachers described her as 'a bright, kind young girl, who could never stop putting a smile on people's faces'.  It kills me to see how she is now. She's changed. She feels like a completely different person.

I pull the car up just outside the house, finally! It was a late night again, finishing just after 10:00pm. But there was so much work that needed to be done, and I couldn't afford to not take the hours as the house had been very financially expensive.  But I could not stop feeling guilty for the affect that this has all had on Abigail. It has been very hard for us both ever since the tragic passing of her mother, because we were such a close family. It had been especially difficult for me, unexpectedly finding myself becoming a single-parent and having to make time for Abigail while also working to pay the bills. It had been a very tough couple of years for us, so I had hoped that this could become a fresh start for us both.

I exit the car, standing out in the bitterly cold street. All the street-lamps were turned off, except for the one at the far end of the street which always flickered on and off. It felt very eerie, and made me feel quite uncomfortable that I found myself quickly approaching my door with a shiver that was running down the back of my neck. I felt like someone was watching me, and when I turned around to look, I thought I saw an shadowy type figure looking out from one the house windows that was in complete darkness. But after a few seconds, it was gone. Perhaps it was just my imagination, or my mind that was playing tricks on me.

"Hello, I'm home!" I yell as I enter the door-way and turn the light on. "Hello, anyone there?" I ask again, awaiting for a response.

"Hey there Mr Harper," Michelle says appearing from around the corner with a bowl of popcorn in her hand, and wearing a very baggy grey top. Looks awfully like my one come to think of it.

"How's everything been?" I ask as I walk into the living-room to see The Exorcist playing on the TV. Always hated that film. I immediately grab the remote and switch off the television.

"Everything has been fine Mr Harper; Abigail is upstairs in her room. She said she was feeling tired and that she was going to bed."

"That's great, thanks for waiting this long," I say to Michelle, handing over to her the cash. "I shall see you tomorrow."

"Thank you Mr Harper, see you tomorrow," Michelle responds, dressing herself up warm and smiling before she leaves through the front door.

As Michelle leaves, I quickly rush up the long-flight of stairs and down the hallway towards Abigail's room. I slowly open the door, looking inside the room to see Abigail peacefully sleeping in her bed, holding onto her teddy-bear that I first bought her when she was born. I quietly enter her room, placing myself on the edge of the bed and brush the palm of my hand against her soft skin as I watch her sleep.

"Sleep tight angel," I quietly whisper to Abigail as I kiss her gently on her forehead.

I start feeling quite uneasy, as if something is once again watching me which brings the shivers back down my spine, as I turn over and look towards the wardrobe, which is slightly open that looks like it's an entrance to some kind of dark-cave. I quietly walk over towards the wardrobe, a weird feeling that began to churn in my stomach that I felt as if I was approaching something dangerous as ridiculous as it sounds. It was just a wardrobe.

"Daddy, don't go in there!" Abigail yells which startles me as I quickly turn around. I felt like my heart just skipped a beat.

"I'm sorry Abigail, did I wake you?" I say walking over to her and sitting next to her again on the bed.