As I step into the house with my huge duffle bag, I feel a strange feeling. I’ve been here before you don’t need to worry, I think to myself as I drop the bag, and gaze around. The house is one floor with antiques and flowers crowding the house like they are in a party. It’s an old styled house, so how can the kids live here?
“Sorry, I know it’s creepy, but don’t worry, you’ll find this place great!” Mrs. Gonzales reassures me. I nod, not finding any words to say. “Alright, I’ll leave you to it. Have a good time! The kids are great! Goodbye!” she waves happily as she leaves. I wave back, and smile. She seems to leave in a hurry, I guess she has a lot less time then I would’ve thought.
I bolt to the room where the kids are, so I don’t leave them too long. Anna, 12, is playing with her younger sister, Casey, who is 3 years old. Little Tommy, 5, is sitting alone in the corner playing with his toys. I greeted them, and played along with them. Everything passed along fine, but every time I looked into Tommy’s gray eyes, an uncertain feeling washed across me. I can’t put my finger on it…
The time flew by so fast, and then it was time for bed in a flash. I put Anna, Casey, and Tommy to bed, and went downstairs to watch the TV. I cuddle up on their flower couch, grab my phone to text their mom about the kids, and fall asleep, having a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach.
I wake up at the cry of Tommy, “Miss Emma! Can you come please?”
“Coming Tommy!” I shouted back, and almost fly to Tommy’s room hoping he’s ok. I pass the antique dolls, plates, and flowers on the way as if they were all looking at me with saddened eyes. The hallway seemed to stretch as I kept running, hoping more and more that he is ok. As my fingers skin the doorknob, I feel this unholy feeling crawl up my back. I jerk my fingers back as I shiver, but reach back and open the door. I need to help Tommy because behind this door I hear his crying.
As I enter his room, his eyes are glued to the wall, and he’s shivering under his bed covers. “You’ve gotten rid of him before? Can you do it again?” Tommy asks in a shaky voice, and then he looks at me with tears filling his eyes. What’s he talking about?
“Who?” I reply as I slowly walk to him, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I try my best not to look at the wall, though temptation fills inside me like lava about to pour out of a closed mountain.
Tommy’s gaze shifts back to the wall, and he yells as loud as he can, “Look at him! He only wants me to do his work, but you seem to scare him! You did it before! Just do it again!” He squeezes his cover and cries, “Just look at him! He’s right behind you!” At his words I freeze; who is behind me? I turn around and look at the wall. No one is there, but the door is moving. I approach the door and close the door for the room. A short, kid-size shadow was sitting on the floor giggling. He has no features except a wide mouth that stretches across his face. It opens up wide as he laughs like a lion. He shows his teeth as he stands up; what is he? I back up a bit, and he giggles more as the shadow gets out of the wall and crawls toward us. He looks at me and tilts his head in circles. He laughs as he becomes dust and flies toward my body. I’m so scared I can’t even move. My head is spinning by the argument in my head, but my feet won’t move. He flies toward my face, and goes into my mouth, nose, ears, and more. I can’t breath like this! My heart starts running as I start to loose consciousness. I collapse on the floor as I feel my strength fading. He comes out of my body, and stands over it. He giggles and walks to Tommy, “I finally figured out a way to get rid of you.” He jumps into his body, and Tommy falls asleep. Was it all a trick? I feel my heart stop as I gasp for air. “It’s over.” I whisper and gag. It’s all over.