Blackout

Blackout

 

         Everyone goes through that phase. You know, when you’re scared of the dark. It’s just one of those things. You crawl up under your parents’ duvet and beg them to let you sleep in their bed. Just for one night. They always tell you, always, there’s no reason to be scared of the dark. It’s all in your head. Well, it’s not. There’s a good reason to be scared of the dark. And it’s defiantly not in your head…

         A cold chill tore down my spine. A hot sweat ran across my forehead and stuck my fringe to my head. I could see the night spread out endlessly in front of me.
The driveway could not have been paved more than a few months ago, it was void of weeds and I could not imagine anyone weeding a driveway of that length. And yet, even if it was new, it looked to me as if it had simply grown from the ground, like the dank grass that surrounded it. Among the foliage I could make out the towering shadows that might have been trees a season ago, but were now just leafless stumps, rooted to the earth. Beyond the driveway (much too far for me to make out) there could well have been nothing. Just the lucid blackness of the night. Unfortunately, I knew better.

         I pulled my parka tight around me, though I knew it would do no good against the mid-Autumn chill. I sucked in a breath and started down the driveway. Leaving the moonlight behind me. With every step the choking feeling in my stomach dropped lower and lower until I was sure it would drop through my ankles. A swift gust of wind stopped me short, as it spawned a build-up of clouds in front of the moon. The blackness washed over my small figure.  Suddenly, I had the desperate desire to run. Run back to the car and drive home. Lock the door, and turn on a great many lights. No, I thought, No. No. No. I can’t go back. Not after this. I forced another step forward, then another. Each time I felt my limbs locking up and refusing to move towards the unadulterated dark. It made it harder, but I kept going. I had to. There’s no way I could stop. Tonight was the night. I was going to do it, even if I could never go back. Another gust of wind threw me off my thoughts. I wished it would stop doing that. My thoughts were all I had now. I looked up and saw it. The shadows that now flocked into a shape. A house, I think, but I could never tell from this distance. I had never gone any further than this. I had always taken one look at the house and ran. No. No, not tonight. I took one step forward and nearly paused, but I didn’t let myself. I didn’t let my own creepy forebodings stop me.

         Edging forward at a sluggish pace, the house becomes clearer and clearer. I swear it wasn’t that big before… It stood tall and grand amongst the lifeless willows. An overbearing bell-tower dominated the front of the building where the door should be. Now that I was closer I saw dim lights flickering in the floor-length windows. I was suddenly aware of my own harsh breathing. I couldn’t breathe through my nose. I couldn’t! Yet I was overwhelmed by the heart-crunching feeling that someone-something-was out there listening, watching.
DONG! DONG!
I stopped dead. 1, 2... 
DONG! DONG! DONG! 
3, 4, 5...
Adrenalin pushed through me and forced me towards the house.
DONG! DONG!
6, 7...
No! I won’t let it end this way!
DONG! DONG!
8, 9...
My foot caught on a paving slab, sending me flying. I tried to pick myself up, but something was holding me down. I couldn’t’t be late. Once that clock tolled twelve this whole thing was over.
DONG! DONG!
10, 11...
Oh God! This is it! It’s over…
         
         I waited for the bell to toll twelve. It didn’t. Fumbling, I looked down at my glow watch: 11:00pm. I could have laughed. Stupid, stupid, stupid… I stood up shakily…then screamed. Something cold and crawling was creeping up my leg. I tried desperately to shake it off, but it wouldn’t go. I ran towards the house again. I didn’t’t even realise I was still screaming. Not ‘till my throat was sore. I didn’t realise I was at the house either. Not ‘till I nearly crashed into it. I didn’t realise I was climbing the ladder ‘till I was half way up the bell-tower.

         The ladder was cold and rusty under my touch, and I could hear the creaks of the rustic rungs. Ready to snap. But I didn’t care. The chilling things were still after me. I could hear them. The sound like the hissing wind. “Leave Me Alone!” My hands hit air and I’ve reached the top.
DONG!
“Stop It” I clamber to the top. Scrambling for my life.
DONG!
I look up.
DONG!
That can’t be.
DONG!
There’s no bell.
DONG!
There’s no bell!
DONG!
But if there’s no bell…          
DONG!
What the hell is that!?
DONG!
It was all in vain.
DONG!
It’s all over.

The chill grabs my leg and the darkness pulls me down…