Fright Bites - Anthology

Runaway Halloween by talawrence

Runaway Halloween by talawrence

Sat alone in the house on Halloween, Brian felt on edge as people continually knocked his door. With each knock, his body jerked with dread as he grew more anxious for the evening to end. This one night of the year had always filled him with dread, leaving him to wonder why children wanted to try and frighten their neighbours. In reality, Brian knew ghosts and ghouls did not exist, but that didn't prevent nervousness seep through his body with each knock.

Sat in the dark to hopefully distract any knocks, he heard the clock on the wall tick heavily, generating the only noise throughout the house.

Ignoring the knocks, he sat in his chair as still as he could and tried to keep his breathing steady in the hope it would not betray his presence to the visitors.

As the clock heavily struck midnight, Brian rose from his chair to turn on the light, thinking everyone would be back in their respective homes. As he did, he kept his body low just in case there were other prowling the streets and went to the light switch. No noise from outside, his hand crept up the wall to turn off the light. As soon as his finger touched it, he heard heavy bangs knock the door.

Quickly pulling his hand away, he fell back to the floor and crept back to the chair he had recently occupied. Sliding himself onto it, he remained low as his legs sprawled themselves across the floor.

More bangs.

Sure he had felt himself stop breathing as he tried to make no noise in the hope that the people who were knocking would soon disappear, he soon saw it was no use.

"I know you're in there!" a voice called as it banged on the door. "There's no use trying to hide from us. We saw you move to turn on the light."

Brian left him unanswered as he felt his heart hammering inside his chest and heard the heavy footsteps outside move around his home.

Through the closed curtains, he watched a silhouette press its face against a windowpane.

"Come...out...before...we...have...to...come...and...get...you," the figure gave one heavy knock on the window after each word.

Brian curled himself further into the chair, hoping he would remain invisible.

"It is no good trying to hide. You cannot run forever!" the voice warned. This time, the words were not spoken with any breaks for a knock.

How long had he been running? From whom had he been running? He felt unable to provide any answers to his questions.

He watched frightened as the figure morphed itself through the window, lighting up the room, before pointing a finger at Brian. "We have finally caught up with you," it said as four others followed.

Brian felt his eyes lock onto theirs as he witnessed that terrible scene again through the visitors' eyes.

"You can't live in this world anymore. We have come to take you with us. It's time for you to move on," the figure said, banging its stick on the floor as a circle of light pulsed from it.

The figure neared the chair where he was sat, and Brian could only feel inclined to watch as it held out its arms to spread the cloak and embrace him. He wanted to resist, but the figure immersed the both of them.

Both disappeared, and the only sound left in the room was the loud tick of the clock.

Brian never knew how long he had been dead, but what did that matter when you wanted to run from death?

***