The Rain

Kristen stared out the window as the rain fell. “Another Friday night home alone,” she sighed. The storm was picking up outside. She jumped every time she heard the thunder. She had never liked the rain even since she was little, now a girl of thirteen she still feared it. Her parents were out of town celebrating their anniversary and her younger brother was at a friend’s house. Kristen didn’t like being home alone so she decided to call her friend Katherine to see if she wanted to come over. After a short conversation Katherine came over.
After they were settled in for the night Katherine dared Kristen to call her crush. Giggling, both girls walked to the phone but as they were walking the power went out. Kristen told Katherine to wait in the living room while she went to get a flashlight. She clumsily found her way through the dark house to the garage where she grabbed two flashlights and returned to the living room with Katherine. They decided to light a fire and several candles so that they could see without having to use the flashlights. While they were sitting by the fire Katherine insisted on telling ghost stories. Reluctantly Kristen agreed. They took turns telling various ghost stories until they heard a knock on the door. They both fell silent. She walked to the door trembling with fear. She reached slowly for the doorknob and turned it.
It was the police. They were looking for a serial killer who had recently been spotted in the area. The officer handed her a photo of the suspect and she claimed to have never seen him before but she would notify the authorities as soon as she had any information. She sat back down with Katherine, a little unnerved but otherwise fine and finished her story. Afterwards they decided to go up to her room because it was getting late and they were both very tired. Kristen woke up around midnight to the sound of footsteps downstairs. She grabbed the flashlight from her nightstand and went downstairs to investigate. Her house seemed deserted in the dark. She moved through the living room to the kitchen and then reached the basement door. The door had an eerie quality to it. It seemed to beckon and call her name.