T̶h̶e̶ B̶i̶t̶e̶

Paranoid

It was now September 1st.

By this time, Mrs. Muto would have left the farm in your hands. She'd be gone from September to January, visiting her family up north. You continued thinking, wiping the cold marble table down with a wet rag. A slight rustle could be heard from the staircase, resembling the sound of wheels rolling across the floor,

"Ah (Y/n)! You gave me quite the scare! How long have you been there?"

Glancing up at the older woman, you chuckled before nonchalantly responding,

"Hello, Mrs. Muto. I had arrived a few minutes ago. Are you leaving today?"

You couldn't help but allow your curiosity to peak through. Having only worked eight months for the older woman, you weren't sure of her schedule. She beamed, nodding happily,

"Yes. I will be gone for a few weeks. If anything comes up, I will be sure to let you know. Now, can I count on you to take care of the farm?"

She aimed her serious gaze straight at your face. You swallowed thickly, thinking back to how hard your mother worked to get you this job. Your mother and Mrs. Muto had known each other for quite a while. Knowing how determined you were, Mrs. Muto trusted you very much. It was important for you to keep that trust,

"Of course. I shall keep the house clean and supply the animals."

Mrs. Muto smiled warmly before walking towards the door with her suitcases,

"Thank you, once again."

You both smiled at each other, cherishing the peaceful silence in the atmosphere. Once you had both finished your Kiss and cry session, you continued on your previous actions, picking up the vacuum and cleaning away. The moment Mrs. Muto stepped out of the house, a frightening presence could be felt. The hairs on the back of your neck stood. You wearily glanced around, scanning the rooms for any signs of intrusion. Nothing seemed to be out of place. Except for the slight flickering coming from the ceiling. Through the cracks of the attic door, you could faintly make out a dying light bulb. Squinting your eyes, you sighed. It seemed you had to change it. You had no issue accomplishing your job, but you had never been in the attic before.

'There's a first time for everything', you thought to yourself.

As you continued thinking, you couldn't help but feel paranoid. The situation didn't make any sense whatsoever. How would the lightbulb flicker if no one had been in the attic? Pulling the door open, dusty brown stairs rolled out, partly knocking you off your balance. You unconfidently stepped on the brown cracked steps, trailing your way into the attic. Taking a quick look around, you found old furniture, almost antique-like. The intricate designs on the lamps and couches gave them a victorian feel. You quickly stepped toward the only window in the room, attempting to pull the blinds away for some sunlight exposure, but to no avail. Before you could even react, the lightbulb behind you exploded, shards of reflecting glass skimming across the floor. You winced, feeling as a shard sliced through the skin at the back of your calf. By this point in time, you were in complete darkness. Taking deep breaths, you desperately attempted to regulate your breathing. The dark scared you so much. All of those moments where you had woken up in the pitch-black darkness had begun to consume you. You weren't sure if you were over-reacting, but you could've sworn you felt something touch you. Your thoughts were confirmed the moment two, slender hands skimmed the sides of your torso, briefly tightening around your waist before releasing. You sucked in a breath, feeling as a slight body pushed into your back. Whoever they were, they felt cold, almost as if they had been stuck in one of the worst blizzards ever. You completely blanked out, the sound of your heart deafening your eardrums. A dark, rough chuckle resounded against your ear before everything returned to normal. The blinds that had been shielding the sunlight at the small window, slid back at an inhuman speed. Paralyzed by shock, you felt to the ground with a hard thud.