I remember that night so vividly you would think it happened yesterday. I was only sixteen at the time. My birthday had been a few days prior.

That night I was allowed to stay home alone while my parents went out. I had been quietly reading in my room but went downstairs for something to eat when I heard something knocking outside.

I stayed still. Trying to listen for any other sounds but nothing came. Deciding it must have been the neighbour’s cat exploring out roof again I went back upstairs, not feeling hungry anymore.

It was around midnight when I heard the nocking again, this time it sounded like it was at the front door.
I didn’t want to take any chances so I looked out my bedroom window down at the door below. I felt my heart stop.

In front of the door stood a dark figure, the moon reflecting off windows across sunken eyes and a smile. A sick twisted crooked smile.

I jumped away from the window and grabbed my phone, trying to call my parents. I peered back out the window again but the figure was gone. I heard the phone go to voicemail and hung up, searching the front yard for any sign of the figure. Nothing.

I convinced myself it was just the lack of sleep getting to me and turned my light out, crawling into bed and closing my eyes. That was the biggest mistake I had ever made. But I didn’t know that until it was too late.

There was a constant knocking downstairs, sounding right below me. I kept my eyes shut, hoping it would go away. It did. But it came back a moment later, this time at the bottom of the stairs. Then everything went silent. It was quiet for what felt like forever.

Then, the nocking came back. Right outside my door. A sudden wave of freezing air filled my room and I shivered under my thick blankets. I stared at the door, unblinking. My breath seemed to be too loud and shuddered.

The door slowly opened.
I saw long crooked fingers reach towards me, trying to grab me. I screamed, trying to run away from the figure that raced towards me. It swung at me and sent me flying through the window, glass shattering and digging into my skin.

The worst part… the worst part was when I hit the ground. I felt everything crack but I didn’t die. I didn’t pass out. I could feel every inch of my body burn with pain. But I didn’t die. Why didn’t I just die?!

I felt sudden chills seep up my limbs. I was waiting for the pain to stop. For whatever vile creature that was after me to just end it. But it didn’t. It was toying with me. Making me beg for death. Making me endure the pain until my body finally gave in.