Jack

Chapter 2

Sheepishly I skulk over to the wardrobe, my heart is beating so fast I struggle to catch my breath. My hands are shaking as I approach the slightly ajar door, I shake them by my side in an attempt to stop it. The temperature suddenly drops, it is freezing, and I can see my own breath. As I am standing in front of the door reaching for the handle, the tune begins to play. This time it is louder and much clearer, the song is now playing again.

Damn, this fucking tune is creepy

"Jack in the box, Jack in the box, quiet and still"

"Will you come out, will you come out"

"Maybe I will....."

Not wanting to show anymore fear, I grab the handle aggressively. Pulling the door open, I jump back and shout,

"Found you"

Except, nothing and no one is in there, the damn thing is empty. I pull my clothes on the rail across to see the back of the wardrobe, kicking boxes with my feet I inspect the floor. There is nothing that could be making that sound.

A chill creeps down my spine, the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. My instant reaction is to look over my shoulder, what has caused this chill?

Without any logical explanation, I storm down the corridor, pounding on my kid sister's door in anger. The light is now coming from under her door again, so I know she is awake, but I get no response. At this point one of my parents would normally come bursting out of their room to ask what the fuss is about, but this time I get nothing. Its only now that I realise that it is deafly quiet in my house, not so much as a whisper can be heard.

I twist the handle on Annie's door and open it, I walk straight in without further warning. I look straight to her bed; I expect her to be laying there watching her laptop. Except the vision I get is different, she isn't there at all.

Where the hell is she?

Turning around, I hurriedly survey everywhere in her room; she is not in here. I walk over to her wardrobe, maybe she is hiding from me. As I approach the door to her wardrobe, the light in her bedroom shuts off. The temperature now drops in here, I can't see my breath this time. However goose bumps rush up my entire arm.

What the hell......

"Annie this isn't funny anymore" I shout in the hope that she will give up this childish game.

A maniacal laugh can be heard from inside her wardrobe, this is getting too weird now. With some of my main senses failing me, other feelings are rising to the surface. My heart is beating through my chest, I can feel the blood coursing through my veins. My hands shake from the pressure and the lump has risen in my throat. I try to remain cool because if it is a prank, I don't want her to know she got me.

Not caring about what is going on I run out of her room as quick as I can, knocking her furniture as I exit. The corner of the unit struck my hip, the pain is shooting through me, but I can't stop. Entering my room again I shut the door behind me, walking backwards towards my bed. My gaze doesn't move as I concentrate it solely on the door, I fall back onto my bed. A gasp leaves my mouth, the fall was completely unexpected. The pain in my hip heightens, I wince in response. From under my door I can see the light has returned in my sisters' room, a loud bang follows.

"Jack in the box, Jack in the box, quiet and still"

"Will you come out, will you come out"

"Maybe I will....."

That damn tune again, where is it coming from now. My attention is instantly drawn to the temperature in my room, I can see my breath in front of me again. I instinctively wrap my arms around my chest, I rock forward in an attempt to warm up. Suddenly I am descended into darkness as the light in my room shuts off. A faint scream rings around the walls, it sounds distant while being close at the same time. Swallowing hard I try to remove the lump in my throat, the hairs on my arms stand on end. The door to my wardrobe creeks opens slowly, I can't see it, but the sound is recognisable. A sobbing can be heard from that side of the room, at least it isn't that god damn tune. Something from deep inside recognises that little sob, but I don't want it to be true. I am compelled to go and check it out, whilst every sense in my body is screaming no.

Standing up I instantly put my hands in my pocket, it's a nervous thing but I am also still freezing. Shuffling to the other side of my room, I get to the doors to my wardrobe. They feel as though they are both open slightly ajar, just like before. Last time there was nothing there, I am hoping it is the same again. Lifting my hand and phone out of my pocket, I try my best to find the torch app. As luck would have it, I find the app and the flashlight on my phone beams on. Not wasting any time, I aim it at the wardrobe,

"Oh my god" I scream. My legs buckle under the shock, I stumble back in response. Almost dropping my phone to floor, I hunch over retching.

"Annie no" I follow with.

Some sick impulse wants me to look again, did my eyes trick me before. My hands shaking more than before, I move the light back at the wardrobe. What I see is real, the horror is painted on both of our faces.