Red

A story about hallucinating.

I slide under the kitchen table and pull the long tablecloth to the floor after myself. I have to hide. They can’t find me. They’re coming for me. Have to get armed. They’ll find me here. They can’t find me. Can’t go like this I feel along the edge of the table. My hand finds a knife and I quickly grasp it and pull it down under to me. Steak knife, sharp, still not a very good weapon. It will have to do I can hear them now. One is right outside. Right next to the table. Just standing there on the other side of the tablecloth. It doesn’t know I’m here. It’s going to notice. Oh God, what happens if it does My heart beats faster harder. The one outside will hear it. Have to calm down. Put a hand on my heart. I can feel it thumping out. I push it back in and it slows down There is something on my arm, buzzing. I slap it. S**t now there’s more. There’s one on my other arm, buzzing. There’s one on my leg buzzing and my neck buzzing and my arm buzzing and my torso buzzing all over me buzzing they I scramble wildly get them off. I cut my arm. I kick the tablecloth. F**k The silverware and plates and glasses come crashing down around me. The sound of metal on metal and shattering glass fills everything. Every sense is overwhelmed by the sound. There is nothing left but the sound. It lasts forever It stops in less than a second. The one outside the curtains is standing there. It is wearing a pink robe and nothing else. It’s going to get me. Have to get it first. I lunge for its leg knife slides in at an angle. The force of my weight plunges it all the way to the hilt. The one outside screams. I pull the knife back out. Gotta go gotta go. The others heard, they are coming now I can hear them. Have to go. Run run run. Get the gun. I grab the shotgun. Crack it open, it’s empty. The one outside is still howling, its screams will bring more Gotta stop it. Load the gun. Got the slug, that’ll put down a bear that’ll put down the one outside. My arm is red. It got me. F**k too late I’m dead. Can still stop it, save Peggy and Jimmy. Gotta save Jimmy my son gotta save my son. The safety is on flick it off. Back in the kitchen it’s on the floor I fire I hit the fridge. Peggy is screaming. It’s trying to get up. Gotta reload. Crack the gun case flies out reach in pocket grab shell put in close gun. It’s still struggling to get up. Fire again. Buckshot. Hits plates and fridge and floor and cabinets and chest and face The screaming stops. Peggy is on the floor. It got her. She is red on her chest and face and leg. Jimmy is in her arms He is red I touch him my arm is red everything is red I can hear it and taste it and feel red It’s still alive Stand up. Case flies out Hand in pocket Shell in gun Finger on metal Case flies out Hand in pocket Shell in gun Finger on metal Case Hand Shell Metal Case Hand finds nothing in pocket. Empty. Look up. Red everywhere everything every sense every sensation red red red red red red and blue and red and blue and red and blue Door busts open. Close gun. Finger on metal. No shot. Then several Shot shot shot shot shot