#shadow-man

"I am invisible. You cannot see me."

It was very late at night, and I was home alone.  I had been asleep, but something woke me up.  Wearing only my long night-shirt, I slipped out of bed and did a slow circle in the room.  Someone was outside, I could feel it.

 I slowly approached the window, and that was when I saw him - A silhouette of a tall man wearing a black stocking cap and a black trench-coat.  His breath clouded into puffs as he stood illuminated just outside my window.  I knew he was watching me, though the blinds were barely open.

 Suddenly terrified, I backed towards my closet.  I was still in my bedroom on the second floor but he was standing just outside my window.  I heard the crunch of gravel as he walked past it… he was heading towards my front door.  I sunk down to a sitting position in the corner where my closet door met the wall.  My breathing was calm but I felt dead inside – almost numb.

 Somehow my phone was in my hand.  I opened a text message and typed “help.”  I sent it to my cop friend hoping he would come to save me from whoever this creeper was.  Even as I pressed send I thought to myself “this message doesn’t seem very urgent.”

 When I looked up the shadow man was standing just inside my bedroom door, and my breath stopped suddenly as terror gripped me; I hadn’t even heard him come in.  My chest tightened and I gripped my phone – holding on to my own lifeline with sweaty palms even as I shook.  He turned, mechanically, towards me.  His face showed no emotion as he strode forward.  He was completely silent – not even his clothing made noise as his black jeans rubbed against each other or his black shoes scuffed the carpet.

 “The police are on their way.”  My voice quavered, barely escaping my lips.  “I’ve already called them.”  The last came out in a dry croak and I could no longer speak. 

 Without a word he bent and pulled me up, his hands on my shoulders.  I wished I’d put on underwear before bed, I couldn’t imagine how this situation could get any worse.  As he drew me up his face came into view – it wasn’t a bad face, but it was totally devoid of emotion… except his eyes, they glittered with evil intent and I felt a shiver rack my body.  I tried to speak but I couldn’t.

 And then he moved his hands to my waist. I thought to myself: Get here soon, please get here soon…

 I was wishing my cop friend would hurry – I couldn’t hear sirens, and I felt like it was the end.  When his hands tightened around my waist and he began to move me, I felt something snap inside – I wouldn’t take this quietly.  I would fight him with all I was worth.

 “No.”  I said, but my voice came out only a dull croak, as if I hadn’t used it in years.  “No.”  A little louder this time, and I dug my heels into the carpet.

 “No!” I yelled, still somehow muffled but finally being able to move my body.  I was still scared, still terrified, but I wrenched my hands up intent on choking the life out of him.

 His throat swelled, like a bullfrog mid-ribbit, and felt like a soft, thick rubber under my trembling fingers.  I’d never killed anyone before, but I was determined to kill him.  The rubber of his neck was making it difficult for me to wrap my hands around it, but I kept trying.

 At this point I was screaming at him, screaming with all my might.  I was kicking violently and my arms strained as I tried to find a way to grip his windpipe and strangle him.  The room was dark and he was stronger than me and he just kept pulling me towards the bed.

 In the distance I heard sirens, but I didn’t think they would make it in time.