Something’s coming for me.
I know that sounds crazy but I feel it getting closer.
I’m too scared to tell anyone I know because I’m afraid it will come true if the words leave my lips – which is why I’m writing it here anonymously.
Just like the shadows, I am invisible here.
Updated 2/9/2020 – I’ve never been overly religious, but I’ve been keeping a bible under my pillow.
I kidded myself that if I keep my hand on it I’ll be safe.
It never stopped the sound of the dragging feet on the carpet in my hallway.
I assume they’re feet.
It happens after midnight, when everyone else is asleep – apart from me.
It all started after I did the thing – the thing I won’t mention.
I was only dabbling, but even that must’ve been a sin.
I know that something was watching me.
It’s been stalking me every night, staying in the shadows and creeping closer and closer.
First, I hear the strange beak clacking and chattering.
I can’t think what else that sound could be.
If that’s not bad enough, the claws being dragged along the walls send shivers straight down my spine.
My father thinks the scratches are from my brother when he sleepwalks.
I let it be, but my brother looks at me helplessly – taking the blame – but why?
Maybe he knows my fate?
The thing is – that thing doesn’t visit him.
Every night it gets closer.
I can hear the wheezing and smell the sulfur waft around my head as I bury my face into the pillow.
Last night I heard the demons whispering – the demons who accompany that thing when it stalks.
I hear the words coming to me in waves while my face digs deeper and deeper into the pillow.
They tell me that the time is nigh.
I have a hunch that means any time now.
They tell me I already know that there’s nothing I can do to stop them.
Unless…unless…I can find a substitute…a sacrifice.
I’ve already stepped over the line.
My soul is already forsaken, so there’s nothing stopping me from doing the unthinkable.
When that evil thought crept into my mind, I heard the sinister footsteps halt.
It spoke volumes to me.
Then the voices became excited and cheered me on.
“Yes…that’s right…do it!”
When I heard the footsteps going back down the hallway and stopping at my brother’s room, I let out a sigh of relief.
I hadn’t noticed that the bible was gone.
The voices were whispering again as my brother’s bedroom door opened.
He only screamed for a moment.
Then his voice was muffled and soon silenced.
The thing shuffled back down the hallway with the voices stating simply, “Two for one.”
The clacking of the beak was receding as the sharp claws on the walls trailed off.
When I finally got up and went to my brother’s room, I saw that he was gone.
The sheets were on the floor – covering a pee stain.
I was surprised that there was no blood.
I knew that it was pointless telling my parents.
When I got back to my room, I saw the bible on the floor.
When I bent down to grab it, I saw the words scratched on the cover – “Two for one.”
I tossed it in the garbage and tried to go back to sleep.
Last night, after lying to my parents and telling them that my brother was staying at a friend’s place, I got into bed and wept.
After falling asleep, I woke up to hear the dreaded footsteps and chattering beak.
There were two sets of claws scraping the walls.
Two sets of footsteps dragging along the carpet.
My blood froze when I recognized one of the voices.
“Two for one.”
The angry, rasping voice belonged to my brother.
“Not long now.”
There was no bible to clutch and my face only burrowed into the pillow for a second – until it was ripped out from under me.
I know I’m damned and they’re coming back for me.
They like to tease – but any night now, I will join my brother – something’s coming for me.
