What are you afraid of?

Thinking about this question while I'm at a birthday party with a few of my good friends and a myriad of peers, isn't my cup of tea. Everybody is cackling and making out and getting wasted off of their asses. The last thing I want to do is reveal to the whole junior class that I'm afraid of The Ice Cream Man.

Yes...I did say that. The Ice Cream Man.

No...not a crazy movie character or some other whatchamacallit doo-dad.  I'm talking just the plain old ice cream man.  The guy that rolls down your street every other weekend smiling and vomiting buckets of joy.

Yeah...that guy.

Except...not that guy.

It's a little hard to explain, and it's a subject that not a lot of people can relate to. I can already picture what everyone will say when I answer the question.

The ice cream man? Really Bobby? What a pussy!

Well, maybe they had a different ice cream man then. Maybe their ice cream man was Santa Claus's doppelganger shitting jovial elves and gifts for everyone, because my ice cream man?

Absolutely petrifying.

So instead of unpeeling the layers of my soul I say, "Death?" It comes out as a question.

"Oh, man you're one of those guys?" Tyler whines slapping my back. I'm not that nerdy protagonist who has a hoard of equally nerdy friends who all get together and complain about the inner ugliness of the Popular People. Nope, Tyler is a ladies man. Girls can't get enough of his bod. So instead I'm the nerdy best friend that makes his hot ass best friend look appetizing in front of the ladies. I don't complain about the apparent bad personalities of our school celebrities with anyone...I do it by myself. If I note that Britney Carter is an absolute skank, Tyler has something to say about how when he slept with her she was a little angel.

......

Just don't question it.

Don't get me wrong! I kind of make it sound like Tyler is one of those "friends" who isn't really my friend but is just using me. The truth is we've been friends for as long as I can remember. He just got the balls to grow up and live a little. I'm a coward...and I always will be.  Tyler gets that I'm a recluse but, he still thinks that I can be "saved" so he insists on bringing me to these lame ass parties with our best girlfriend Robin Peterson. The only girl that Tyler hasn't slept with that I know of is Robin. She isn't hot or skanky like the rest of the girls that hang off of him. She has some flab; I'm not going to lie. Her gut does poke out quite a ways. In no way does that take away from her beauty though. Her hair is long and chocolate brown, falling down her shoulders like a creamy waterfall. She has her own style. She doesn't wear what everyone else is wearing just because it's "in" she wears whatever she wants because she likes it. She is like every other girl in the way that she is very insecure with her looks, but when she is around other people she doesn't let it show. She walks with the confidence of a super model, and it definitely makes her look like one. I play video games with her every Tuesday from four to seven, she likes RPG's and I can relate.

In short....she's too good for Tyler.

Too good for me.

Though I've never had any thoughts of getting with her...I'm sure Tyler has. Sometimes I catch him looking at her with this look of adoration. I think she's the only girl he hasn't touched because he doesn't want her to think that she is like all the rest. I can understand that.

Let's just say that I root for them.

We're on our way home now walking in the dead of night, the light dribbling rain splashing against the wet ground with vibrating waves. Tyler has his arm wrapped around my shoulder while he sings Baby Come Back that old Player song with a slightly drunken slur. He's not too wasted; he's just got a moderate buzz going on. Robin laughs at him beside me her arm around my waist as we trudge towards home. We opt out of riding cars to parties; it always clears heads a little more when we have to walk. Plus it's bonding time.

Who doesn't love to bond?

"How come you didn't just tell the truth in there?" Robin questions.

I glance at her, and then back up ahead at the dark street. "People will make fun of me."

"Oh come on. Everybody has a reason to be scared of something. So you're afraid of the ice cream man, I'm afraid of cats. They'll get over it." I'm glad everything is so easy for you Robin. Glass half full kind of gal. You gotta love that in a woman.

"It's embarrassing." I whine nudging Tyler away from me because he has taken to kissing my neck. He does that when he's buzzed. I can't count the times I've been sexually assaulted by him while he's drunk.

"Bobby it's not that bad. Besides I'm sure you'll have time in your long life to get over it, just like I'm going to try getting over cats."

"I don't want to have to try to get over it. As long as I can avoid Ice cream trucks for the rest of my existence all will be well." I explain glancing up at Tyler's house. His house is the ideal American family home. It looks like it comes right out of the 1950's, a chipper mother is probably going to sashay out of the front door holding an apple pie before giving Tyler an affectionate kiss on the cheek and inviting us all in for 'supper' whatever the heck that is.

"HEY GUYS! THIS IS WHERE I LIVE! WE SHOULD ALL GO IN AND CUDDLE!" I shrug another one of Tyler's advances off, before grabbing his house key from his pocket and opening the door. "Baby if you wanted to get in my pants all you had to do is ask!"

"Time to go to sleep." I mumble dragging him up the stairs while Robin shuts the door. Tyler starts to blow raspberries against the side of my neck making me cringe. It's a good thing he never remembers this stuff in the morning or he would never leave the safety of his own bedroom. It's a wonder that I haven't embarrassed him in public yet. Pushing open the door to his room I dump him on his bed and pull off his shoes, tugging the covers over his body. Robin waits for me in the hall before we take off down the stairs and out the door.

"Oh my Gosh! I don't understand how his parents deal with him." She mutters breathing heavily.

"Who knows... maybe he's actually a really pleasant person?" I state looking at her pointedly. We stare in each other's eyes before bending over in painful laughter. Yeah right. Tyler might be hyper and adorable like a puppy but in no way is he a pleasant person.

"Anyways what about that project in Berry's class?"

"God don't even bring it up. Its due Thursday and I haven't even started. I don't know what I'm going to do. "

"The end of the school year is the worst time to have huge projects due. Everyone is suffering from intense senioritis. Even the sophomores. "Robin notes skipping ahead of me and leaping into a puddle. I admire the way she does whatever she wants without thinking about what others would say. I can't put myself out there like that.

"Agreed. Plus I think we kind of just rub it off on them with our insane antics. Hey it's your half birthday in two weeks! What's your half birthday wish?"

Robin thinks for a second, pursing her lips as if in serious thought before nodding her head "I think I want to wrestle an alligator. How about you? You're birthday is coming up soon. What do you wish for?" 

What is my birthday wish? I don't have much to wish for. I mean I'm a pretty simple person. I just need food to fill my stomach, and clothes on my back and we can call it good. "I don't know. I definitely don't need to wrestle any alligators." I conclude kicking an empty can ahead of us. Robin groans and runs after it before kicking it back to me the metallic clank a scream in the night silence.

"Come on there has to be something you want!"

"I guess I just want...I want to have the best summer ever. There happy?" I groan.

Robin shrugs. "Its a little cliché but we can work with that"

"You want to know what my other wish is?" I question teasingly. Robin narrows her eyes before looping her arm with mine and walking along next to me. The comfort in which we can do this is endearing.

"Tell me what it is oh divine Birthday Master."

"That you and Tyler get together."

Robin sighs lowering her lashes and striking a rock with the front of her combat boots. I watch it roll ahead of us keeping my eyes off of her to make her more comfortable. "I don't know Bobby. Tyler is such a..."

"Skank?" I offer noting her silence.

She grins, "Yeah skank. I just feel like, if we ever did get together it wouldn't last. You know what I'm saying? I mean I don't think he even knows what a relationship is. I don't do the whole one night stand thing."

I nod that's completely understandable. "Maybe you can teach him how to have a relationship." I tease wiggling my eyebrows. She laughs and swats at my arm. We both sigh contentedly scuffing our shoes against the ground.

"Oh hey! When do your parents get back from their trip? They left this morning didn't they?"

I nod in affirmation. "Yeah mom really wanted to take Kim to see Justin Beiber so the three of them scrambled out like a happy little hoard of crabs. They should be back by Monday. I'm just glad they didn't make me go." I stick my tongue out in disgust. Needless to say...I do not have the Beiber fever.

"You want to come over to my house tonight?" She questions. "I've got Ben and Jerry's, really soppy romance movies, and coloring books."

Coloring books........

"Hmmmm, as tempting as that sounds I think maybe I'll just go home tonight. I'm pretty wiped out from all that extreme partying."

"Alright sweetie. Also don't worry about the party, you're fine. You'll get over it eventually, one day you'll just wake up and the fear of the ice cream man will have just fluttered away with all the rest of your dreams of the future." I stick my tongue out.

"Snob."

Robin giggles and then gives me a quick squeeze as we come to a stop by her house. A brand new modern home. I'm pretty sure her house is the most lusted after home on the block. I don't understand that, personally I would want an old Victorian home, something that looks like a castle. A hundred rooms I don't even have to use. That kind of house. "I'll see you tomorrow. Saturday is the day for play!" she chimes. I roll my eyes and nod. "Call me if you can't sleep, I'll probably be awake for a while. Post party jitters and all that jazz."

"Alright I will."

"NIGHT!"

"SWEET DREAMS!" I whisper shout as she skips up her front stairs and enters her house. As soon as I'm alone, thoughts of the party flood back into my mind like ants bursting from the ground when spring swings by.

I first met him when I was twelve.

My parents were hosting the family reunion (as always) because our house has the most room for the whole lot to squish into.  Everyone always attended no matter what, events were always canceled, and time was always taken off of work just to come to the family reunion. Uncle Gerard (who had barely gotten out of prison for theft) brought fruit salad. Aunt Gemma and Uncle Tom brought their home made party bean dip. That stuff was the bomb, just give me a thousand containers of that and I'm set for life.  Grandma Ethel always laid out her lemon squares, and then the rest of the family just kind of poured in with anything they could find last minute.

As a child I was a tad bit shy...alright I was really freaking shy. I was that kid in the corner who no one knew. I never spent time with any of my cousins or other family members, because I was too intimidated by the intricacies of introducing myself. Instead I would sit just a little ways away and read a book. I've read all of the classics The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Swiss Family Robinson, Moby Dick, Treasure Island and Gulliver's Travels. I could tell that my parents were worried about my solitude, but their worries didn't really affect me that much. That day though we were all chilling in the front yard watching the kids as they played like we always did, and I could tell that my dad was waiting for an opportunity to force me engage with the other children.

That's when the ice cream truck pulled up, the jingling music reverberating off of the rooftops like some kind of jolly neighborhood soundtrack. My cousins all awed at it, their eyes sparkling with need. There's something about Ice cream trucks to kids that just catches their attention. My dad took that chance. He pulled two twenties out of his wallet and nudged me handing them over.

"There you go Bobby, go buy all your cousins some ice cream."

I literally did not compute. "What?"

Dad smiled lovingly at my confusion before gently running his fingers through my hair and pointing at the ice cream truck. "Go get your cousins some ice cream."

"Aw dad do I have too?!" I whined glaring at the colorful truck like it was Hell's fury.

"Yes. Now go on."

Sighing I got up and motioned for my cousins to follow me to the truck. I didn't look at the man in the window; my bashful personality convinced me that doing so was the wrong course of action. Instead I just stared at the pictures of all the ice cream while my cousins belted out what they wanted. I was perfectly content to stand there like a dumbass, but Nathan (the cousin I dislike the most) nudged me.  "What?" I asked turning to him glad for the distraction. He nodded toward the window.

"He's talking to you."

I flushed in embarrassment and glanced up at the man in the window.  Now, he was old by twelve year old standards but now that I think back on it he must have been at least twenty six. Honestly if it was anybody else they probably wouldn't have thought anything of him. Just an older man who enjoyed selling ice cream over the summer for a little extra cash, but the way that he looked at me...it made me so uncomfortable. He had hair dark as night, and eyes a coppery brown that seemed surreal. His smile was the smile of an animal stalking prey. I remember glancing at the others to see if they thought he was as creepy as I did. They didn't seem to notice, and when I looked back at him he didn't seem to be paying them any attention. His eyes were solely on me, like I was all that mattered in his world. "What would you like?" He grinned that intense sparkle lighting in his eyes.

I shifted uncomfortably before glancing at the menu; I chose the first thing I saw. "Cherry vanilla please." He nodded and I handed him the money, noticing the way his fingers brushed mine from the exchange. He stuck the money into the register before handing me the change and letting me pocket it. He could've handed the ice cream to all of the other kids, but no. Instead he gave them all to me brushing my fingers with his as I passed them off to my cousins. 

That may seem like nothing to someone else, but I can't even count the number of times his fingers touched mine. Usually after touching someone's fingers when handing them something the awkwardness sets in and you make sure not to do it the next time, but he did it every time without fail. His honey eyes glowing at me menacingly. I embrace the fact that he is most likely very attractive to the ladies, but his creep factor outweighs his looks.

Every year on the day of our family reunion (It's always the same day) he pulls up in his ice cream truck grinning like a maniac. And every year without fail, my father makes me take all of the cousins and buy them ice cream. Even now, his eyes still stay only on me and the glint in them remains vibrant and thriving as he strokes my fingers with his. I thought for a while that maybe he was just a pedophile, but as the years have passed he hasn't given any of the other kids the time of day.

Our next family reunion is in a month. I'm not looking forward to seeing him.

This year I refuse to buy ice cream from the ice cream man.

Shivering I glance in my bathroom mirror. Everyone is out in the front yard having a blast and partying it up...and I'm in here, being a chicken.  I couldn't help it, as soon as everyone started heading into the front yard I panicked and ran upstairs shutting myself away from the world. What? Like I'm safe from everything in my bathroom? Please.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Bobby Lee you get your pert ass out of the bathroom right now before I have Tyler break down this door!" Shouts Robin. It was a mistake inviting them. I should've known she would try to make me stay outside and face him. She's the type of girl who wants to fix people. Well Robin, sometimes some people can't be fixed. Get used to it...I know reality is harsh. Maybe you should go kill yourself. God what am I saying? I'm having homicidal thoughts while hiding in my bathroom from the ice cream man! Does anybody else notice the insanity? I should really see a therapist.

"Bobby come on man! It's alright! It's not like he'll try to kill you in front of your extended family!" Tyler yells. She also made me tell Tyler about my irrational fear. Stupid witch. She needs to keep her nose in her own business.

"Shut up Tyler you're just making it worse!" Robin snaps. "BOBBY LEE I SAID GET YOU'RE CUTE ASIAN ASS OUT HERE THIS MINUTE!"

I sigh and open the door, no point in arguing. "Fine, but I'm not buying any ice cream."

"No one's asking you to buy any ice cream you big baby. We are simply going to lounge against the side of the house and act careless. Teenage angst and all that jazz." I realize briefly as we shuffle down stairs and onto the porch heading to a nice area of grass that Robin's favorite phrase is 'all that jazz'.  As predicted my dad grabs my arm to stop me as we walk past the adults.

"Bobby here," I resist the urge to groan at the sight of his money as he hands it to me. "Buy some ice cream for your cousins when the ice cream truck gets here."

"I'll give it to Nathan." I mumble and quickly walk away before my father can say anymore. I can't believe this is happening. I invited my friends over so they could take me away at the most opportune moment, but both of them are skipping about like eager puppies with their tongues hanging out of their mouths. They just can't live without seeing my worst nightmare in person. I'm sure after this day they can both die happy. With the exception that I will never speak to them again. As I walk towards where my Robin and Tyler are I stop by Nathan who is chilling with the twelve year olds even though he's my age. You gotta love a teenage boy's immaturity. "Hey, my dad wants you to buy everyone ice cream." I mutter throwing the bills down on the blanket next to him. He looks up studying me before picking up the money.

"You mean your dad wants you to buy everyone ice cream." I nudge the money in his direction as he tries to hand it back. AW HELL NAH!

"I'm not the delivery boy anymore. You do it. You get along better with them anyways." I don't wait for his answer, and instead jog to where my friends are sitting. Collapsing next to them I sigh in relief. "Nathan's buying the ice cream."

"Congratulations Bobby for being the biggest pussy I have ever met in my whole entire life." Tyler groans.

"You know what I don't need your clever insults right now okay?"

"Calm down Bobby he has a point." Robin declares. Of course...defending the attractive man child. Damn my friends and their stupid attraction to one another.

"Oh and what is his point? I get that I'm a coward I don't need him to commentary my life."

"Bobby Lee has always been a coward," Tyler starts, imitating an announcer from god knows what. "Bugs? Horrifying. Lightening? Terrifying.  The ice cream man? Absolutely Petrifying." Angrily I slap Tyler upside the head.

"Don't you have anything else to do with your time other than bother me?"

Tyler shrugs. "Well I could be home masturbating but I figured you were more important." He answers, and the scary thing is...I think he's being honest. Anyone else slightly disgusted?

"That's disgusting Tyler." Robin groans, but I'm not paying attention anymore. The slight jingle that greets my ears sends shivers down my spine.  He's here. The ice cream man. Tyler whoops excitedly before throwing his muscled arm around my shoulder to keep me in place.

"Don't even think about running away my little rabbit." He grins. "This is a momentous moment in history. The Day That Bobby Lee Does Not Buy The Ice Cream!" I roll my eyes as he drags his hand in the air highlighting an invisible title. We all go silent as we examine Nathan standing and motioning all the cousins to the ice cream man's window. Even from here I can see his amber eyes.

"Damn, he's fucking sexy." Robin whispers nudging me with her elbow.

"You must be insane." That's the only solution.

"Bobby I'm a dude, and even I can appreciate his sex appeal." God, does Tyler have to state his opinion about everything? The Ice Cream man's eyes study Nathan with confusion as he hands him the money, he glances around the yard before his eyes find me. The only word that expresses the look on his face would have to be...rage. Rage that I would dare avoid him. I tug on Tyler's hand hanging around my neck.

"Did you see that? He glared at me!"

"Whatever Bobby, he just looked at you. Stop acting like a chick." Robin snorts, pulling out her phone to text our friend Ivy about the recent development.

"I'm not acting like a chick! He outright glared at me! Why are you two so blind?"

Tyler grunts in distracted acknowledgment while he texts one of his party buds Isaac.

Are phone's taking over the world? Next thing we know it's going to be Robotic World Domination. The Apocalypse is near! Pray to your gods! Save your children! The robots have no mercy! They will suck out your brains, and steal all human devotion! THIS IS THE END!

"Hey Bobby." I blink my attention pulled back into the real world by Nathan. He stands in front of me holding a slowly melting ice cream cone. "Cherry Vanilla. That's what he said." I glance in the direction he points at only catching a glimpse of the butt of the ice cream truck the melodic jingle a sweet, sweet signal of its departure. I take the ice cream. "He said he'll see you later, whatever that means."

I let out a relieved sigh.

Thank God I have another year. Tyler and Robin stand up brushing off their pants briefly. "Well that was incredibly interesting Ole'Chap." Robin sneers pulling me in for a hug. I comply before pulling away and slapping Tyler on the shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm going to walk Miss Peterson home, and then head home myself before it gets dark." I glance at my watch and note that it's eight-thirty and the sun is quickly sinking below the horizon.

"Alright. I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Yeah man. There's gonna be a super sick party at Isaac's crib. We should go."

"So I can drag you back home while you try to get in my pants?" Tyler flushes and glances at Robin who snorts. "Sounds like a blast let's do it."

"Dick." He grumbles before flipping me off and turning away.

"I love you too!" I shout as Robin blows me a kiss and runs to catch up with him. Sighing I turn around and lick my ice cream feeling ecstatic.

"Bobby come help your mom clean up!" Yells dad. There goes my happiness, slips away like water in my fingers.

I finish up my ice cream which tastes slightly bitter, and then hurry around the yard folding up the lawn chairs to store back in the garage. I swear to god our family is the messiest family ever to walk the face of the earth. You would think that they would be kind enough to clean up after themselves but, nope they leave it all for Bobby to do. By the time I've picked up all the blankets, and garbage from the front yard it is ten thirty and mega dark. I can barely see my hands. Quickly I head inside, only to be greeted by the sound of a wailing Kim. "My god!" I exclaim finding my dad in the kitchen. "What the heck is wrong with Kimmy?"

"She's been vomiting non-stop for the last fifteen minutes. Your mother and I are going to take her to the doctor's. Are you okay to hold the fort until we get back?"

"Yeah dad but...is she okay?" I glance past my farther and into the hall bathroom where seven year old Kimmy is bent over the toilet my mom holding her hair back from her face while gently rubbing her back. There is nothing more comforting than your mother massaging your back while you empty your guts into a porcelain bowl.

"I don't know. Honestly it's probably just something she ate. We'll probably be heading back at around twelve thirtyish."

I nod. "That's fine. I'll just go to sleep early." Quickly I run upstairs and grab King Arthur, my bear from when I was little, and then head back down to the front room where my parents are getting a very sick looking Kimmy ready to go. "Hey Kimmy you can take King Arthur with you to the Doctor's okay? He made me feel better all the time when I was sick." Kimmy sniffs, her little face covered in salty tears. I kiss her forehead and hand the bear to her. She smiles a wobbly forced grin and cuddles it.

"Thank you Bobby."

"You're welcome baby." I smile.

"Alright sweetheart, are you and King Arthur ready to go?" Mom asks as dad picks up Kim in his arms.

"Yeah. I'll give him back tomorrow morning okay Bobby?" Kimmy says as mom heads out to the car.

"That's fine Kimmy. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Have a good night kiddo." My dad says, I nod and watch as they pile into the car. As soon as they're gone I shut the door and head up to bed. In my room I shrug out of my clothes, and hop into my bed only wearing my green boxer briefs. I don't sleep naked that's for weirdo's. I text Robin and Tyler telling them about Kim's illness, and wishing them both a good night sleep before I turn of my lamp and fall into an easy deep sleep.

My eyes flash open and I stare into the bleak darkness of my room. Why did I wake up? I can't remember. Did I have a dream? The silence of the house is almost painful as I groan and turn over. My sheets are drenched in warm sweat and I note that I have a raging erection. What the hell? Did I have a pervy dream? I seriously can't remember. Quickly I sit up and glance at the clock wincing at the pain in my groin. Twelve fifteen, my parents should be home in about a half an hour if Kimmy is alright and can come home. Grunting I stand and limp to the bathroom, flipping on the light and wincing at the brightness. I bend down and turn on the faucet splashing my face with cold water hoping that it might help soften my erection. When I look up I'm surprised to see that my eyes are almost completely dilated. My iris's just a sliver around my pupils. Holyshit. I briefly debate on masturbating but then decide against it. If I just go back to sleep I should be okay. I don't want to become like Tyler. Yawning I turn off the bathroom light and trudge back into my bedroom the promise of a fluffy bed all the more comforting to my stiff body. Once I lay back down I drift in and out of consciousness for about ten minutes.

Until I hear the music.

Not just any music.

The alarming tune of an ice cream truck.

Suddenly my intense anxiety comes flooding back wracking my body in waves of sweat, and the fact that I'm suffering from a persistent woody only serves to create an even greater sense of peril. Quickly I rush to my window and kneel down keeping my eyes on the road as I grab my phone and dial Robin's number. "Pick up. Pick up. Pick up." I chant watching as the familiar truck rolls down the street stopping

Right

In Front

Of My

House.

"Holyshit." I sob. This can't be happening. This just can't be happening. What is this some teen slasher movie? No! This is real life! This can't be happening! God must have a sick sense of humor. "God dammit Robin Peterson pick up the fucking phone!" I whisper. The truck just idles, the headlights turned off but the music still playing quietly. It almost sounds like a funeral hymn...my funeral hymn. "Pick up you stupid bitch!"

"Hello?" Robin's voice chimes in my ear sounding like a symphony of angels.

"Robin you have to get help and come to my house now!"

"What? Who is this?" I hiss at her half asleep voice. The sound of a car door opening kisses my ears and I watch as a dark figure exists the truck.

"It's Bobby you idiot! You need to get help and come to my house NOW!"

"Bobby? What are you talking about? It's past twelve in the morning. Go back to sleep you idiot."

I watch as the figure trudges up the lawn, his head turning every direction as if he's checking to see if the coast is clear. "Robin. He's here. I need you to get help and get you're fat ass over here!"

"Who's there Bobby? What the hell are you talking about?"

The man walks up the porch and I briefly remember the spare key underneath the flower pot on the overhead ledge above the door. No way would he know about that. There's just no way. I'm safe. It's all good. Just breathe Bobby.

"Bobby what do you mean he's there? Who is?"

I hear the click of a key being inserted into the lock, and my heart stops.

"The Ice Cream Man." I whimper. The sound of the door closing and the muffled clumping of footsteps downstairs assaults my ears. Shivers wrack my body as realization hits me...he's in my house. The ice cream man just entered my house.

"WHAT?! BOBBY WHAT THE FUCK! THIS BETTER NOT BE A JOKE YOU LITTLE SHIT!" Her voice is too loud and I can hear him coming up the stairs.

"Get help!" I whisper, and then I hang up and roll under the bed. I cover my mouth with my palm careful to muffle my heavy breathing, my painful erection softening an effect of my absolute terror.

My bedroom door swings open.

The silence is loud as I watch the man's heavy boots step into my room. The sting of anticipation is fresh on my tongue, and the urge to run tingles in my fingers. He knew where my room was. I watch his shoes as they stride to my desk and the sound of shuffling paper vibrates through the air. I hear him pick up the framed picture of me and Tyler at battle of the bands last year, and then put it back down continuing his study of my bedroom. It all seems like it might actually be okay.

That's when my phone rings.

I bite my lip and resist the urge to groan as the man freezes in his ministrations. Robin's name flashes on my caller ID, the light emanating a dull blue underneath the bed. A tense second passes before the man gets down on his knees and his head looks right under the bed at me.

I scream, and his hand shoots out grabbing my ankle and dragging me out from under the bed. I flick open my phone, hoping that Robin can hear me. The faint sound of her voice is mere background music as the ice cream man pulls me to him.

"BOBBY? BOBBY ARE YOU OKAY?"

As soon as I'm all the way out I kick madly pushing at the man in the darkness of my room. "ROBIN HELP!" I scream the sound cutting through the night. My foot connects with the ice cream man's jaw and he falls back briefly disoriented. I take the chance to jump to my feet bolting out of the room and down the stairs in seconds knocking anything off of the walls or off of shelves to block his path. He doesn't even pause as he pursues me. I sprint into the kitchen getting the table between us. We play a little game of cat and mouse both mirroring each other's directions. Finally I decide to go for it and dash behind the counter and into the front room grabbing the lamp on the table and tossing it at his head as he turns the corner. Note to self: Pull the plug from the wall before throwing it at intruder. The light bulb smashes and I run behind the TV knocking it into his path. He jumps over it easily as I grab the bare coat hanger easily and swing it at him as if it's a burning torch, my phone stuffed haphazardly into my pocket. "Don't come any closer!" I order. He doesn't even flinch, just grabs the end of the coat hanger and yanks it from my hands throwing it to the side of the room. Finding no solace in my home I grab the nearest vase and hurl it at him before booking it out of the house. "ROBIN LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOW!" I yell into my phone as I burst outside. Six houses down the block I see the curtains move in her window and her eyes widen as she waves her hands into the air.

"RUN BOBBY! HE'S COMING OUT!"  I spin around to see the man's dark figure bursting through the front door. He sees me and immediately starts running in my direction. I turn and race along the yards jumping over bushes and fences as he gains on me. For a minute I think I'm going to make it to Robin's house, and everything is going to be okay. We'll run into her parent's room and they'll call the police, and the ice cream man won't ever bother me again. I couldn't be more wrong.

My down fall is the skateboard.

The Johnson's kids never did clean up after themselves. I think this immediately when I'm laying face in the grass. My phone flying ahead about five feet and landing in the Johnson's little rock fountain. I pull myself up off of my knees but by that point it's too late. I'm grabbed from behind hands roughly clutching at my skin as I fight breathlessly for freedom. His hand grabs my head holding it still before a white cloth is placed over my mouth and nose. Immediately the world goes fuzzy and I feel my eyes get heavy as if I'm falling into a deep sleep. The last thing I see is Robin's horrified face as she bolts out of her house and into the dark night.