A Collection of Short Stories

The Break-In

"Are you sure you don't want us to stay, Liza? What will you do for dinner?" My mother asked me as she put on her heels and slipped into her red leather coat.

I shake my head and smile at her. "Don't worry, mom. You guys should go, have fun, and not worry about me."

Dad's lips stretch into a knowing smile. "Anna, if we stay with her, you'll barge into her room at least twenty times just to check if she's alive."

Mom rolls her eyes, her lips curling down into a frown. "During exams, Liza forgets to eat, whether it's in the morning, afternoon, or evening. How does someone forget to eat?" Dad and I exchange glances and chuckle at mom.

"I'm going to order some pizza for you, honey. Drink enough water and eat properly. On our way back, I'll bring your favourite ice cream." Mom smiled at me as she opens the front door. "Oh, and don't forget to lock the back door!"

"Got it! Now go and have fun!" I smile.

They walk out the door, welcoming a pleasant autumn breeze in the house. I could feel the hair on my bare arms rise, so I immediately shut the door and lock it before I stride up the stairs and into my bedroom.

I lay down on my stomach, starting on the reviewing notes for my class from the colourful review notes I made for chemistry.

***

The grumbling sound in my stomach erupts after the two-hour mark. I couldn't ignore my hunger any longer, especially after having to skip lunch and eating a granola bar for breakfast. So, I decided to take a small break. I decided I was going to eat, then study chemistry. I left my notes open and tucked my phone in my sweatpants pocket and marched my way down the staircase.

I began to open up all the cupboards that we stacked our sweet stash in, pulling out anything that I could nibble on while absorbing the information on investigating the qualitative and quantitative nature of different chemical systems at their equilibrium.

As I was mumbling to myself if this excessive amount of studying will be worth it in the future and tossing any food that has not expired onto the kitchen island, I hear a strange tapping noise coming from behind me in the backyard.

Thinking of it as a squirrel, I ignore it and get back my snack hunt in the fridge.

A few seconds later, the tapping sound returns, but this time, it was a little more firm and louder, as if something or someone was trying to catch my attention.

I rolled my eyes, growing irritated by the sound.

I opened up a bag of Cheetos and began to chew obnoxiously loud like a ravenous beast, trying to ignore the tapping sound by the crunching of the Cheetos in my mouth. I placed the Cheetos on the granite counter in front of me and pulled out my phone from my pocket to scroll through my social media.

Suddenly, I heard it again, but this time, it sounded more rhythmic.

Tap-tap. Tap, tap-tap, tap tap tap, tap-tap. Tap tap tap. Tap-tap.

Feeling agitated by the second, I straightened up and spun on my heel to confront this stupid squirrel, when suddenly, I drop my phone onto the ground, hearing it collide with the tile floor as I take in the horrifying sight.

Standing on the other side of our backyard door was a creepy, old man with seedy black eyes, wearing a painfully wide, malicious grin on his wrinkly face. His frizzy, light grey hair fell to his shoulders, looking oily and uncombed as if he hasn't washed his hair in weeks.

As if he could read the fear in my eyes, his grin stretched even more, if that was possible.

Adrenaline overwhelms my body; it elevates and beats like it's trying to get out. I think my heart will explode, and my eyes are so wide they probably might roll onto the floor. I could almost taste the saliva thickening in my throat as beads of sweat started trickling down my temple.