Shadows

“Sofia?” my mother called the next week. I rolled my eyes and jumped up from my desk, wishing it wasn’t just us two at home. My father left when I was only three, claiming we needed milk. He never turned back. Not a trace of him. I had no want of a father.

“Yes ma’am?” I asked, poking my head around the side of her door of her office. We had always been on our own since then, but I never wanted anyone else in our family. It’s been nice, besides the fact that I do most of the chores. She looked up from her computer and asked in her I-want-you-to-do-something-for-me voice,

“Would you pretty pretty please go get those boxes of files from the car? I really need them.” I sighed exasperatedly.

“But mom, I was about to shower!” I spat out the excuse quickly, still anxious about going outside. She rolled her eyes at me.

“Oh come on Sofia, it’ll take a total of two seconds! You could’ve been back by now.” Why is that always how it is with parents? Their requests are really just sugar-coated orders. I huffed, agreed, and headed toward the front door, glancing at the clock. It read 1:40 am. Fan-frikin-tastic.

I scampered outside, making a dash to the car. I snatched the files from the backseat and glanced around me. Either my eyes were tricking me or there was a man at the top of my driveway. I gasped, and ran towards the door, but tripped over my feet, falling face down. I scrambled up, running the rest of the way to the door, slamming it behind me.

I didn’t sleep that night.