Hello Dolly...

Footsteps

The house is a beautiful one, big yard​ with a giant white picket fence, going all the way around it. A red brick house, with a grey roof made dark in the night; it had two stories each window faced a beautiful scene during the sunrise. There was a long driveway leading to a big garage, full of expensive tools and equipment. A flower garden cared for to the extreme, was planted right up against the house. Then there was the green-green grass, with not a hint of brown spots anywhere. It all looked sinister in the night.

The family that slept within were completely quiet, except the father who snored like a bear, until his wife pushed on him causing him to roll onto his side. No noise came from the house. No mice to scurry around. No rats to keep the Mom up at night. Complete silence.

The neighborhood was a good one, everyone knew each other. No one felt the need to be afraid or concerned. With their lack of fear, came lack of awareness. The family like any other on the block, even if slightly new, didn't feel a need to lock the doors. So no one knew the danger that awaited, as the back sliding glass door opened slowly. No one saw the little figure creep in, as calm as the night breeze. Nobody heard a thing as the shadow crossed the living room, and crept up the stairs.

The oldest daughter, a sixteen year old sophomore in high school did however get the sudden need to use the bathroom. So the girl, Mandy, quickly got up and out of bed. She walked sleepily to the bathroom across the way. She left the light off not caring to turn it on, but shut the door.

She had begged to have the room with the bathroom attached, but her parents had insisted, that she'd like the other room better. They then promptly moved into the room she had wanted. Typical parents, she'd thought. Now she was too tired to care, and her bladder needed relieving.

As she did her business, she didn't notice the darkness interrupted by a darker shadow beyond the crack, at the bottom of the door. She didn't hear the little click, as it entered the room farthest down the hall. The room she had wanted.

As she finished, she had an overwhelming urge to get a cup of water. Forgetting to wash her hands, she exited the bathroom and entered the hallway, hurrying to the stairs. She cursed leaving her precious cell phone on the charger; as the lack of light made it hard to see the steps. Holding the hard wooden rail, she descended the stairs slowly, yawning.

She entered the kitchen, the room was dimly lit, by the small light above the stove. She walked over to the sink and reaching up to the covers above, she grabbed a large glass. She filled it up, and promptly drained half of it. The clear water eased her thirsty throat. She gazed out the window before her seeing the stars shinning outside. They were pretty she decided. It was strange however. Usually when she got a glass of water the family's dog, Lucky, would come scratching to be let in. She'd always go out and sooth him, then walk him back to his dog house were he'd lay down, and glare at her. She decided he must be getting old, or the day before had worn him out. It had been a very long and adventurous day at the beach.

Her family had laughed and played in the water. Getting along, for the first time in what seemed like, forever. Picnicking by the water and splashing each other in the sun. It had been wonderful. A day she would never forget.

Finishing the water, she put the glass in the dishwasher, and turned from the window. When she left the kitchen and she neared the stairs, the hairs on the back of her neck went up. Her heart started to hammer in her chest. She felt a cold sweat break out all over her body, and she found herself shaking chilled.

She didn't understand why she did it, but she backed away from the stairs and, very carefully, opened her little brothers' super secret hideaway (a little door hidden under the Father's computer desk). She hurried inside and quietly shut it behind her.