Bump In The Night

So it’s that time year again, the time when fear is the currency and we are all chomping at the bit to buy some! Costume, books, décor and movies all displayed predominantly in the stores, out there trying to be the scariest and most terrifying. One of the scariest things to me as a child was the thought of demonic possession; yeah I watched a lot of the horror shows my dad so enjoyed.

When you’re young, it’s harder – I think, to see the nuances in horror. Shows like The Exorcist, The Shining and The Amityville Horror all had a type of possession in them, but were they all the same. In my child’s eye, yes. They each had The Devil all up inside them. The reality was though a big old no. One was demon possessed, the other was the malevolent spirit of a hotel and the last was the spirit of a crazy, family killing man.

These movies and the idea that my body could be “taken over” by evil, gave me the willies for years.

As I grew out of childhood and into adulthood, I began to realize there was something even scarier out there than a good old nasty being, taking up residence in your skin.

The Chase.

Oh yes, here we have Jack the Ripper, Michael Myers, Jack Torrance. All freaky characters who stalk their pray – women. Is it any wonder this freaks me out? As an adult, it’s easy to look back and see that while possession is scary, it’s a bit unrealistic. Not so with the chase. I could walk out my door tonight to take the pups for a walk and be confronted by the chase. I could stop for gas and be confronted by the chase. At any point and time in my life, I could have to deal with the chase…now that makes for a complete scare!

Therefore, in honor of my fear and scary movie plots, I’m adding a flash I wrote a while ago…hope you enjoy.

Bump in the Night

One more peek over her shoulder was all Faith needed to know she was being followed. Too many years as a single woman had made its mark on her. She was always wary of those around her, questioning the motives of both friends and enemies as well as acknowledging her stupid errors in judgment—like walking through the dark streets of her not so up to par neighborhood, alone.

The invite to a co-workers costume party had intrigued her enough to pull her into the streets of London on this cold, foggy evening. She’d hoped to meet someone, anyone who could free her mind and spirit for just a little bit. Someone who would ease the endlessly long life she seemed destined to live, but it had been a bad idea, she could see that now.

Faith went from a walk to a run, well as much of a run as her pencil thin heels would let her, as she neared her flat. Please let me get inside before the presence catches up.

“Faithhhhh…,” A slithery voice called out from the blackest shadows.
She wouldn’t listen. She was so close to her home, to safety.

“Faithhhh,” the voice oozed out its evil request. “Love and Hope send their regrets, but you can join them…little witch.”

True darkness overtook her in the flash of time it took to blink. Her last plea to whatever powers that be was a mournful “Save me” before the sharpened steel fangs eased into the soft flesh of her neck.

Happy Halloween!