3:00 A.M.

Don't Stay Out Late!

Skeptical, she turned around to look again. Her searching eyes saw no one. She looked confused, but dismissing it, she started walking again.

That's when it happened again.

"Maaarthaaa", a soft slurry whisper.
She felt chills running down her spine, feeling frozen as the bumps on her skin raised up.

She was not mistaken. She started walking faster this time. She didn't want to turn around, why would she? When the crippling fear was gripping her.

She was in the middle of deciding if she should dash or not, when it happened again.

"Marthaaa", the creepy whispering voice seemed to follow her.

She wasn't unsure anymore. She was cursing herself for staying out late. She had done it today. She dashed as fast as she could to the "Williams" house. 

It was dark outside. Half of the neighborhood seemed to be snoring away peacefully.

She rummaged through her bag, desperate for the comfort of her home. She cussed when her fingers couldn't trace the metal keys. Once she found the keys, she quickly stabbed them into the keyhole, her hands were shaking as they clumsily tried to open the door.

"Marthaaa", she paused as the whisper sounded close to her ear. The source seemed to be only a few meters away. Her face turned pale, losing all its colour and her feet were like heavy iron, stuck to the ground.

She gulped, her throat felt dry. She slowly turned around, like a rusty door and as soon as her eyes saw the source, she screamed loud enough to wake up the whole neighborhood. A dark, charred face, looked at her with a smile so creepy, one could feel ice shards shot right through their hearts as dragons danced in their belly.

"Martha, I'm here. Why are you running away from me? Come, let me help put you back to sleep, sweet Martha", the charred figure claimed as its dark eyes stared right into her eyes.

Those were the last words she heard before she blacked out and fell to the ground.