Squeaks

Sarah walked down the stairs, stopped on the landing, and attempted to pierce the dark living room with her gaze. When unsuccessful, she crossed the landing, reached her hand blindly around the corner and flicked the switch.

The living room, brightened, revealed nothing. I thought I heard something moving around down here. From her bedroom, it had sounded like a rodent on the hardwood, loud enough to wake her. After checking on Emma, she came down.

The noise had stopped. Had her presence frightened the mouse into fleeing? She hoped so. Leaving the light on, she turned and walked through the archway into the kitchen. The under-cabinet lighting was enough for her to find a cup, fill, and drink.

A squeak came from the living room. She recognized it as the recliner squeak. Turning her head toward the sound, she watched the rectangle of light on the floor disappear. She froze and tried to think: it sounded like someone getting up from the recliner in the living room had turned the light off.

No one else was in the house, save Emma.

Her throat seizing, Sarah carelessly put her glass on the counter, spilling it, and moved to the stairs.

Deep, heavyset footsteps bounded up the stairs on the other side of the wall. Plates inside that wall’s cabinets rattled and she listened to the heavy footsteps reach the top and stomp their way down the hall.

They stopped outside Emma’s room.

Fighting the fear of the strong steps, Sarah continued upstairs to see who it was. Reaching the top, she looked right, looked down the hall where she’d heard the steps stop. It was dark down there, confusing her: she’d left her bedroom light on and should see…

A shape, broad as a bureau, turned and faced Sarah, white eyes bright and filled with menace. Was it a beast? A wraith? She didn’t know, but it growled like an animal. “Get away from her!”

Another familiar squeak curdled Sarah’s blood: not a mouse, not the recliner, but a door’s hinge. Light from behind the monster spilled out of Emma’s room as the young girl checked to see what the noise was.

Screaming at the creature, she slammed the door. It turned to look at the sound and Sarah charged forward, determined to push the monster out of the window at the end of the hall.

She connected, the coarse, musty fur brushing her face, but the monster didn’t move. Instead she felt a sharp pain in her side. Looking down, she saw the beast had pierced her with a claw. Hot blood oozed out when it withdrew the claw and she fell, weak and shaking.

The monster smashed Emma’s door. The screams broke Sarah’s heart but the distinct gnashing of flesh and bone shattered it. Leaving Sarah, it slowly walked past her, turned invisible, and stomped down and out the door. Screams from houses nearby were heard. Sarah knew she wasn’t alone with her pain.

Word Count: 496