Mysterious Night

The darkness was creeping over everything.  Shortly everything would be consumed within it.  The clouds covered the ominous sky above, which was causing the large dark shadows on the vacant street.  Everyone was in bed sleeping...everyone but Emma.  Something strongly wanted her to follow outside even though it was late.  She didn't understand why she got these strange urges lately.  It was almost like someone was trying to tell her something, only that someone she couldn't see. 

         Emma rubbed her arms wishing she had put on a jacket before she left the house.  Of course she was cold.  She was only wearing her white tank top dress of a nightgown in the fall night.  As she hurried out the house only moments before none of this came to her mind. 

         Her bare feet made gentle taping noises in the quiet night as she walked slowly down the sidewalk in front of her house.  It was a little to quiet outside for her comfort.  The way everything was so still made the night frighten her.  Emma had already walked two houses down. She still didn't understand why she needed to keep going farther from the safety of her home in the middle of night.  Emma looked across the street trying to focus her eyes in the darkness as she passed Dr. Stokes front yard.  She heard brisk movement behind her and swung around as something lunged at her.  Loud barks and fence rattling rang out as Dr. Stokes’s rot whyler charged at her.  Emma must have jumped 2 feet back onto the street into a parked car setting off the car alarm causing her to jump a second time. 

         "CRAP," gasped Emma as she held her chest.  "Well there goes anyone noticing someone is out here."

         She decided it was best to take off back toward her house just in case anyone came outside.  Just as she reached the end of the fence line Dr. Stoker’s porch light came on.  The door creaked open as Nate Stokes walked out into the light.  Emma jumped behind the bush next to her in the next yard and watched.  She didn't feel like getting caught being outside and Nate tell her father she had been lurking about so late at night.  Nate turned off the car alarm looking at Samuel, his dog. 

         "Stupid Dog...you could wake up the dead." Nate huffed as he slammed the door shut and turned out the light. 

         Emma came out from behind the bushes and headed back to the house.  She hurried back shivering.  Her feet were aching now from the chill of the sidewalk.  As she reached the porch steps she swung around looking across the street.  She couldn't tell but she swore she had that feeling someone was looking straight at her.  Now that her eyes was used to the darkness she looked around but couldn't see anything. 

         She grabbed the door handle and opened the door feeling a wash of warm air hit her as she walked in.  The shivers stopped as she walked into the kitchen in the next room.  Back outside something stepped out from behind the tree across from the house.  The boy stood there as the kitchen light came on. 

         If only Emma knew he came and watched her house every night.  He knew what she was even though she hadn't figured it out yet.  He was determined to protect her until she found out herself.  She didn't even have any idea what he was either though she would be finding out soon enough.  He could see her instincts were taking over just as they should be.