Shadows lurking in the dark

Chapter 1

I didn't believe my little brother at first. When he came back from the bathroom, with his Superman pajamas heaving around his thin ankles. I was busy watching tv. Star Wars marathon on six, barely detecting him.
"Max." He stuttered.
"What is it? I frantically asked.
"There is a wounded woman,"
His sentence was cut short as an excess sound from the tv overpowered Max's panicked voice. I lowered the overwhelming volume and turned around, looking anxiously at Jackie. "What did you say, Jackie?"
His frightened face was pale white, and he still had a crust of toothpaste on his bottom lip.
"There was a wounded woman behind me."I turned impulsively off the deafening volume and stared suspiciously at him. The uncomfortable silence loomed as the wicked words filled the overheated room. I nervously asked my little brother once more, slowly.
"Jackie, what did you say?"
"I saw a deceased wife in the bathroom. She was staring at me with her disturbing eyes. I undoubtedly perceive her behind me when I saw in the bathroom mirror. She had on red lipstick, as our mum has on her sensitive lips, but it was severely smudged all over her face."

My little brother and I have an overwhelmingly massive age gap, so we traditionally don't have a lot to do together. Lately, we have found a new hobby where we try to desperately frighten each other. This works out since we both easily get scared. We would stand impatiently behind open doors, and if one of us went thru, we reluctantly let out an enormous shriek. Normally I would curse horribly at my little brother. When I frighten him, he would usually collapse and cry hysterically. It was humorous until he was screaming in agony after our hard working mum...

Instantly I switched off the tv and stood up. I'm usually dizzy after relaxing on my comfy sofa. My little brother looked horribly frightened and ran frantically behind the green sofa.
"good acting,"
I laughed grimly. I smiled mockingly as I moved forward to the luxurious bathroom. My anxious eyes stared directly at the flimsy door. It was significantly far away. The intense crimson color from the shabby carpet inevitably leads me to the unknown horror my little brother witnessed.

I had regretfully taken a few nervous steps before I instantly froze. I severely felt my weakened muscles inside me stiffen up, the abnormal heartbeats drastically increased and I was prepared to turn impulsively, but it was impossible. The flimsy door swung up, as some wind brandished it. Nobody touched the dull handle, but still, it felt as if a ghost was present in the room for the pure purpose of scaring me. I stared hopelessly into the heathen darkness for several uncomfortable minutes. I gazed piteously at the ruined walls, carefully observing the black and grey patterns painted on the cracked surfaces. I spotted red spots splattered on the wall, as someone undoubtedly suffered a deep cut, running away from something. I wouldn't have bothered if I hadn't seen those marks before, but the particular marks were fresh and leaky.
I scarcely felt a cool chill flow thru my bruised body. It was impossible to move, instantly as if someone had glued my ragged shoes to the filthy floor. I build up all my raw strength, to prove my little brother I was dauntless when he comes up with his ridiculous lies.

At the last moment, I laboriously dragged my body toward the bathroom. As I walked aimlessly, I remembered with satisfaction the black towel hangs right beside the door. It is possible Jackie merely imagined the used towel as a wicked woman? He is ironically only 7 years old, in this way his disordered mind is full of creativity and an overactive imagination, inevitably why he scared himself. Even now, it made little sense. Typically Jackie would not describe typical persons with such precise details, but this time he naturally came with an accurate description of youthful blood. My absurd thoughts just became odder as I got closer to the door. If I unwittingly encounter someone hides in the bathroom, what will I conceivably do? Maybe a low-sweep kick and punch her until she forcibly stops moving, strike savagely her bleeding head and run away with my little brother as quick as possible. My anxious mother and foolish father went out to an overpriced restaurant.

At last, I stood right beside the cracked door. My exposed legs shacked. My calloused palms were moist, and my upset stomach cramped up. Suddenly everything darkened. Every odd light inside the house shut off. "The electricity must have gone off," I mumbled incoherently. I barely heard our antique clock ticking back and forward.
"Jackie, Not funny!"
I squealed. The dying echo of my careless words unusually lasted several seconds. The solitary light I had appeared merely from the oversized window next to the bathroom door. The helical path to the living room seemed sinister, piercing, haunted and dead. It clamps down on my intact legs, intentionally delaying me down, severely impeding my movement. Suddenly I invariably heard giggling from our living room. Conceivably I went hysterical, but I swear furiously I unwillingly recognize two desperate and horrifying red eyes observing me. My groundless fear grew intenser as the unusual sound of laughter rose. I bitterly felt my nervous system instantly rising to the critical point where I could not direct my own movements. The icy feeling of a terrible ghost going reluctantly thru me turned more distinct as I heard a movement in front of me. I hardly squeezed my palms until they were wet, tiny drops dripped on the gritty floor. I slipped and bumped the cracked wall. Abruptly everything went dark. The lights outside disappeared and pure stillness emerged. I could scream horribly, but I trembled uncontrollably and stubbornly refused to tell the creature where I was.

I heard footsteps stomping on the floor. The monstrous eyes reappeared, closer this time. I saw a dark shadow emerged in the distance. I assumed the shadow was Jackie for a moment. The figure was small and tiny. It moved abnormally slowly, like a sleepwalking character. I felt my heart was ready to explode. It pumped many gallons each minute. My vision began to appear back in the dark and I wished I never had night vision. There I saw someone, a woman. She was standing in the middle of the corridor, staring directly at me. I sensed the unnatural spirit, holding a purpose to make people suffer in the worst ways.

I felt small drops of saltwater spilling down my thin cheeks. I have never felt being remarkably this frightened before. The last time I can barely relate to this possible moment is when my brother jumps scare me, just ten times worse. Her monstrous head was moving slowly from one side to the other.
Her dusky hair was waving back and forth, as she was gently shaking her head. As I saw better for each meaningful minute, I naturally noticed her withered arms. They were thin, with deep tones. She undoubtedly had enormous nails, or not nails. Something like razor-sharp claws, great enough to kill a person in seconds. I gasped and help my hands in front of my mouth. "Brother, are you there!" he screamed. Suddenly, she turned gradually and moved gracefully into the eternal darkness. I felt mixed emotions, an amazing relief, but at the same time, a distinct feeling of something serious will happen. I almost lost my head, hearing my little brother shout after me. I held my hands together, begging for Jackie to be fine.

I closed my eyes and tried counting to ten. "1", I sobbed. The one time I begged my brother to shut his mouth. He is unnaturally quiet compared to kids at his age, but now he is shouting for me, at the same time as a shadow with long razor-sharp claws were hunting after terrified souls. "2" I whispered. My voice cracked up as a child who has screamed for hours. I opened my eyes again, this time I saw a mini-figure. "Brother" I whimpered. I pushed myself to the corner of the hall. The shadow froze up, staring directly at me, with his white glowing eyes. sounds transpired from the shadows. Suddenly I felt pricking on my right shoulder. A sharp nail pricked me...