10. Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Despite Nick's attempts to run me into the ground, I leave the office on time. Nothing he has given me is urgent, and I'm desperate for some sleep.
I've missed seeing my parents off to Florida, but I did promise Mom I'd water her plants, so I head to their house after work.
They live towards the outskirts of Phoenix, in a nice two-story white house. It's a quiet neighborhood, and a few people recognize me as I get out of my car. Giving the neighbors a quick wave in acknowledgement, I head up the driveway, unlatching the side gate to enter the backyard.
Mom has kept a spare key under the potted plant by the backdoor since I was an infant. Grabbing it, I let myself into the familiar house as I set off collecting a watering can and filling it up.
It takes me a while to get through all the plants. I'm tempted to sleep here, especially since my bedroom is still set up. But I don't have any office attire—ironic.
Putting the key back under the pot, I force myself to drive home to my apartment. Lights are blurry as I struggle to stay awake in the traffic. Thankfully, I arrive home safe, resisting the urge to faceplant my bed and go to sleep right this very second.
I head straight for the shower, washing myself more thoroughly before changing into some pajamas.
Not feeling up to cooking much, I make some toast with butter, shoving a new change of clothes into a spare bag for tomorrow. I decide to pack my toothbrush and hair supplies in case I want to sleep at Mom and Dad's house after work tomorrow.
Crawling into bed, I barely have the energy to scroll on my cell. I open my messages, sending Margot a quick hello before I crash to help eliminate any awkward tension from yesterday. She didn't seem suspicious when she left, but I still can't help but worry that she'll read it all over my face. I'm not great at lying or holding a poker face, especially when I'm tired, so at least I can hide behind my cell for the time being.
We exchange a few short messages before I tell her about Nick being an asshole and needing some sleep. Plugging my cell into the charger, I flick the light off and finally get the much needed sleep I've been daydreaming about all day.
After several arguments with Nick, including him trying to make me stay late again, I finally leave the office around eight. Pulling into my parents' driveway, it's an easy decision about staying the night.
The sooner I can get to sleep, the better, since Nick is determined to try to break me this week. It's going to take me at least an hour to water all the plants again, plus with the need to battle traffic to get back home and shower, I'm better off crashing here.
Letting myself into the house, it's dark so I have to remember my way around to find the light switches. I check the first few plants, feeling the leaves and am pleased to find the soil is still quite damp from yesterday despite the heat. I decide not to worry about watering them tonight, since I don't want to accidentally kill any of Mom's hard work. I still stay though, content in my old house as I head to the bathroom to take a shower.
They always say there's no shower like home. My apartment shower is good, but it doesn't beat the water pressure here. I take longer than usual, enjoying the hot water as I forget about my shitty work problems.
I turn the water off, reaching for my towel and wrapping it around my body. My stomach rumbles with hunger and I step out of the bathroom to find my cell so I can order a pizza. When I'm in the corridor, it dawns on me that I'm in the dark again. Bewildered, I look around. All the lights are off in the house except the bathroom where I just emerged from. I definitely had turned on the lights when I arrived.
Switching the hallway light on, I go into my bedroom, reaching for my lamp. I hit the switch... but nothing happens.
"Damn bulb is gone," I grumble, standing up and heading to the doorway to get the main light switch. As I do, the hallway light turns off, evaporating my light source.
Pausing, I sigh. Just my luck that two lights have blown.
I step out into the corridor, using my hand as a guide on the wall. I notice that there's no light anywhere—not even the bathroom.
The hair on my arms stick up as an eerie feeling washes over me. I definitely remember leaving that on.
Hastily, I stomp over to the light switch in the hallway, flicking the switch off then on again.
Nothing.
Moving to the next room, I try the same thing.
More darkness.
The whole house is out. One blown light is believable... two, okay strange but not unusual. But the whole house? No... something wasn't right.
I tuck the towel tighter around me as I head down the stairs. Dad keeps a flashlight under the kitchen sink. I'll have to check the fuse box to make sure there's nothing blown there. My quiet night is turning into a nightmare. I'll have to call the electrician, and who knows how long they will take since it's after hours.
Thankfully my muscle memory is strong and I make it to the kitchen without stubbing my toe on anything. I blindly feel under the sink for the flashlight, frowning when I come up empty.
"Fuck," I curse.
I should have grabbed my cell and used it as a torch but I was too distracted to consider that as a sensible option. Heading to the stairs, I start to climb when a creak stops me in my tracks.
My head turns towards the living room, my eyes squinting through the dark. It's not unusual for old houses to make noises, especially after the sun sets and the temperature drops. But inside of me, something was screaming.
It feels like I'm being watched. Little goosebumps appear on my arms as the little hairs stand on end.
I try to tell myself I'm being ridiculous, that I'm alone here. But I can't shake the feeling of burning gazes.
I need to get to my cell.
If I can get dressed and check the fuse box, I will be able to sort out this mess. Until then, my only other option is to run outside naked in my towel and traumatize the neighbors.
Taking a deep breath with confidence, reminding myself that I am a fully grown adult who isn't afraid of the dark, I continue my ascent up the stairs.
"Where are you going, little one?" a deep voice travels through the darkness.
Instantly, I freeze, heart racing. My head swings back toward the living room again, my worst fears confirmed.
I'm not alone.
In a split second, my fight-or-flight instincts kick in, and I bolt up the steps as fast as I can toward my bedroom. When I reach the second landing, I make a dash down the corridor until I spot a shadow at the other end, halting me in my tracks.
The figure is standing still, the only sounds are my own ragged breathing as I clutch the top of my towel.
He couldn't have gotten up here before me...
Realization hits me fast…
There's more than one person.
I can't move from my place, frozen in fear as I stare wide-eyed through the darkness. Slowly, the shadow moves, the floor groaning with footsteps as he heads towards me.
Gasping, I turn, rushing to the stairs. Glancing down, I spot the second figure at the bottom of the landing, hands in pockets.
I'm blocked in, fear ripping through me.
I try to make a dash to the only other room I can—my parents' bedroom behind me at the other end of the corridor. As I slam into the door, I'm horrified to find it locked, my hands gripping the door handle as I shake it violently.
Whipping around, I do a check to see where they are. The figure on the staircase is slowly climbing up, but the other one has stopped in the corridor.
Mental calculations run through my brain, and I don't give them a second to process, bolting to my bedroom door halfway down the corridor as fast as I can. It terrifies me running toward him, but if I can get to the door before him, I'll be able to lock myself in which will give me a chance to call for help or climb out the window—naked position be damned.
As soon as I start making tracks towards it, the shadow sprints towards me, hands grabbing me around the waist just as my fingers graze the door handle.
I let out a scream, throwing my elbow back. It hits ribs, a low grunt echoing around the hallway but he doesn't let me go, instead swinging me around to slam me into the wall.
My back smashes into the pale white wall, and I try to bring my knee up but he blocks it with his body before shoving a forearm into my chest to hold me in place.
A figure appears in my peripheral vision as the second figure stalks toward us and I can't stop my body from trembling.
Slowly, I make out a hand digging into a pocket, pulling something out. The sound of metal reaches my ears, before orange light fills the room. I realize it's a lighter and for a split second, I panic, thinking they are about to set the house on fire with me inside.
He raises the lighter up—my eyes trying to focus on anything I can. First, a zipper on a black hoodie. Then...
Neck tattoos.
Fuck… It's him.
But that's not the worst part. And it certainly doesn't bring me any comfort.
As the light illuminates his face, I'm horrified to find myself staring at Jason Voorhees. Flashbacks rock through me and I whip my head forward to look at the one pinning me against the wall.
I know what's coming, and yet, it still doesn't prepare me as the light slowly reveals the mask of Freddy Krueger.
I feel like I could almost faint here and now, but the terrifying thought of being unconscious around them forces me to stay forced. Swallowing, I pull every bit of fake confidence I can find, tilting my head up.
"Let me go, Jett."
Even with the mask covering his face, I can feel him smirking at me. He pushes his arm into me harder, pain starting to register in my brain. I grip the towel tighter, using my free hand to shove his chest.
Barely moving, he doesn't answer me, and I look over at Hawk, the flame flickering in front of his face.
"What are you doing here?" I demand. "This isn't funny."
"Scared?" Hawk asks, amused.
I scoff. "No."
Jett laughs, leaning down to bring our faces closer together. "You're shaking," he says simply.
"You just chased me through the dark house. I'm cold and only wearing a towel," I snap, gulping as my eyes scan over the mask.
"Let's play a game of cat and mouse, sis," Jett muses.
I shake my head, shoving my shoulder into him. "I'm calling the police. This is ridiculous."
Surprisingly, he moves back, lifting his hand toward my bedroom. "Go on then."
I stare at him bewildered for a few seconds before I walk into the bedroom, searching for my cell. I remember leaving it on the bed, and I run my hand over the blanket frantically in the darkness, trying to find it.
"Looking for this?" Hawk asks.
I spin around, noticing the two of them blocking the doorway. My cell is in Jett's open palm. I stomp over, reaching for it, but he pulls his hand away, fingers clutching over the device.
"Give me the cell," I demand, voice getting louder. "And get out."
"We have every right to be here just as much as you," Hawk says, stepping inside the room. "And what are the police going to do? We're just here to check on our parents' house for them. You're the hysterical one. They will merely put it under a domestic dispute and leave. Just a bunch of siblings having a petty disagreement."
I gawk at him in disbelief. "I'll tell them—"
"Tell them what? That your brothers scared you by chasing you down the hall? That the lights went out so you got scared? Poor little Tempest... maybe they can bring you a nightlight."
Anger fills me. No, not anger— pure fucking hatred . I'm not that scared little teenager anymore that they think I am.
Dad still keeps a firearm in his old office and I smash myself through the middle of them, shoving them out of the way as I step into the corridor. Before I can reach the office door, Hawk calls out.
"Looking for this?"
I turn hastily, peering over my shoulder. There's no mistaking it. Through the dark, I see it in his hand.
Dad's gun.
And he's pointing it at me.