Check-Up

you think you are alone, you want to be alone... but you're not

The big house echoed of emptiness, asides from me no other soul was in the house. When we were planning the trip, dad had thought it wise not to leave the house unguarded and naturally I had to sacrifice my weekend of fun to stay back and baby sit the house as the eldest child. My weekend couldn't get any more worse. I laid in bed, surrounded in complete darkness and I was feeling afraid. If I turned on the light, I was afraid I would see something I didn't want to, or worse, they would be able to see me. In darkness, they could be lurking and as long as they don't make themselves known, I felt I could get a good night's sleep.

 

Outside the window, the trees stood like tall sentinels of doom and the branches swayed in the wind. I pick up my phone to check the time, it's just a few minutes past one in the morning and I still haven't slept. I sighed and turned on the flashlight, pointing it towards the door, yep, closed and bolted just the way I like it. I turn off the flashlight and assure myself that all is well.

 

Stop being such a baby. I reprimand myself. You can't spend the weekend alone at home?

 

I place my phone back on the bedside table and snuggle deeper into bed with the blanket all the way to my chin and I shut my eyes. My body feels weak and sleep is impossible to come so I began to count sheep in my head, hoping that the childhood trick would actually put me to sleep fast.

 

One sheep.

 

Two sheep.

 

Three sheep.

 

Four....

 

My phone began to ring and vibrate, the screen lights up and sends a dull light across the room, the ceiling fan becomes like a dark octopus above my bed. I quickly turn and pick up my phone. The number is unknown so I ended the call and placed the phone back down and continue my sheep counting.

 

Four sheep.

 

Five....

 

Again the phone vibrates with a ding, this time it's not a call but a message. I picked up the phone, it's a message from that unknown number.

 

'I'm right outside. Come open the door.'

 

Who the..? I rack my brain as I study the number, trying to figure out who this person could be. The number ID doesn't show up on true caller. I heard a knock on the front door and on impulse I throw the sheets off me to go and know who's as the door but my phone vibrates again. Another message.

 

'come open the door, it's me. You're alone aren't you?'

 

I hold my phone with shaky hands as I stare at the screen. I'm thinking too much, I know I'm thinking too much and it's probably nothing but the sudden rasp knocking on the door throws me out of that thought. I decide to look out the window, my window faces the side of the house so I know I won't be able to see who's at the front door but still I check and just in time, I saw a shadow figure running round towards the back of the house.

 

Another message enters. 'The back door then?'

 

I gasp as I tried to remember if it is locked. I don't remember locking it. I sprang out of bed and out of the room heading towards the kitchen, hoping to get there before the... My phone vibrates again and this time I didn't bother to check it because standing in the kitchen, I watched as the door crept open slowly with that creaking sound. Instantly I reach out for the rolling pin on the kitchen table and as adrenaline coursed through me, I ran for the door with the pin held high up for a strike. As soon as the figure stepped in, I brought the pin down on his head and he cried out in pain, going down to the floor. I reached for the light switch and flipped it, on the ground was Spencer, my bestfriend.

 

"Spencer? You?"

 

"Yes me!" He groaned still holding his head.

 

"What are you doing here? Ohh my God I'm so sorry but you sacred me." I got down and helped him up

 

"I called you, but you didn't pick up. Your mum asked me to check up on you. Ohh my head hurts."

 

Ohh so he was the one calling with the strange number. "Why did you come through the back door?"

 

"I knocked on the front door, you didn't respond so I thought to come through the back door."

 

Ok that explains that, and I was scared for nothing. I laughed at myself, I'm such a baby. "I'm really sorry Spenc."

 

"Na, it's alright. At least you're safe and know how to defend yourself. You clearly don't need a baby sitter. I'll be off now. Lock the door behind."

 

After he left, I poured myself a glass of water to calm down, still laughing at what had happened. I returned the glass and lock the door before flipping the switch down, the kitchen goes dark. As I make my way out of the kitchen, my phone vibrates again and I bring it to my face. One new message from that same number. I smiled as I thought of Spencer. I opened the message and what I saw fixed me to a spot.

 

'now look behind you and try not to scream. I'm in.'