Psychotic craze

I hesitated on the top step wondering whether to go down or not, I guessed that Daniel must have caught them kissing at the doorway as that was where it sounded like they were talking from.

“Daniel, this is – this is James.” My mom was probably biting her lip anxiously. I continued to creep further down the stairs hoping they wouldn’t creak and give me away, as I got to the bottom I sat and saw them all standing next to the door.

“And when were you planning on telling me about this?” Daniel scoffed folding his arms.

“Well, I didn’t think it was best, not since recently, I thought Alls needed some time and space.” Her voice cracked in the middle and she started to cry. I got up quickly as James pulled his arms around her; Daniel shot him a glare and turned to see me approaching.

“Mom?” I called quietly, she looked at me, her eyes twinkling with tears, and she thought she had messed up. I quickly made the decision that I wouldn’t allow her to feel like this, she always felt in control and she was forever thinking about me before other things. I wanted to make her see that I was alright about it.

“Mom, don’t cry. Its okay, I mean, I’m fine with it, honestly.” I reassured her as she pulled away from James and came towards me.

“I didn’t mean to not tell you guys, I was going to but I didn’t think it was the right time.” She choked and I rubbed her back soothingly.

“Really mom, I’m okay, if anything I’m relieved, this is good for you and I’m sure Daniel approves too.” I shot a warning look at Daniel who opened his mouth in protest but quickly changed his expression when my mom looked over at him nervously.

“She’s right, I’m good with this, as long as – as long as you don’t do anything to hurt her.” He turned pointing a warning finger at James who looked both anxious and reluctant to do or say anything.

“You don’t have anything to worry about.” He piped out, folding his arms across his chest. I smiled comfortingly as they said goodbye to each other and James left.

* * *

We were all sat down at the table, the atmosphere wasn’t as tense as it should have been and we started to relax a little as we ate some dinner. I glanced out of the window to see it dark already, the first stars popping out shimmered in the distance against the velvety dark coat of abyss.

“So how was your day?” She asked me, peering over her glass of water. I swallowed hard, blinking for too long and then I looked up at her, my expression reflecting that of a mourner. Daniel kept his eyes down and fiddled with his phone.

“It was awful, I miss him so much.” I whispered quietly, tears erupting in my eyes once more; I gulped hard and ignored the achy feeling in my throat to cry once more. She stared at me with shock and instantly moved her chair around to overpower me with a hug. I breathed in her scent and allowed her to comfort me as Daniel moved to the other side of me too.

“Alison, darling just let it out.” My mother whispered as my tears spilled over, I couldn’t stop the tears now, my stomach felt empty despite the fact that I had just eaten and my chest felt like a heavy weight had been pressed down upon it again. My heart throbbed with sadness as I pictured his face, how was I ever going to get over this? How was I going to cope? I sobbed harder into her wishing to see him one last time, just once, his smile, his face and to smell him. I needed to be alone, I pulled away quickly sniffing and got up, they both followed me until I stopped.

“It’s okay, I – I have to be a-alone for a while.” I stuttered slightly, they held back and nodded in agreement as I climbed the stairs to my room. Once I got there, I closed the door and locked it quietly; sitting down on the floor I leaned against my bed and pulled out a long photo album from inside a drawer. Thick tears fell onto the plastic covering as I opened the album and started to look at the pictures of my dad and I. We looked so happy, so right, both of us oblivious to the fact that it would end shortly. I took a sharp intake of breath and let out a wail, crying louder this time; I clutched the picture to my heart and sat still for hours. Not bothering to change into my pyjamas, I climbed onto my bed and covered myself with the duvet clumsily before shedding some more tears. After what seemed like hours my head began to feel heavy and my eyes sore, I was finally quiet and I fell asleep quickly, with my dad’s picture clutched to my heart.

I was drifting in and out of sleep, aware of some noise around me, someone was whispering to me, at first I thought it was in my head, in the peculiar dream that I was having, but as I shifted, it became apparent that it wasn’t in my head. I rolled over and my eyes opened a little bit, a hazy figure stood above me as I grunted softly and turned over, my back towards it. After a few minutes I realised what I had seen and what was happening, my eyes snapped opened quickly and I turned startled, my eyes meeting nothing. I sat up abruptly, my heart racing and my eyes darted around my room quickly looking for anything suspicious. When I saw nothing, I listened carefully and looked towards my door; it was still closed and locked. My heart dropped right to the bottom of my stomach as my head whipped around to the window, I voted against putting the light on just in case the figure saw me looking for them.

The window was wide open, the rain splattering the window sill as it soaked through, I got out of bed quickly and glanced out of the window, it was impossible to see in the rain. Had I imagined it? I shook my head to clear my thoughts and remembered again, there had been someone there, there had definitely been someone there. I poked my head out of the window and squinted through the darkness, my eyes scanned the area and that’s when I saw it. A figure moving beneath, I gasped and shot upwards groaning in pain as my head collided with the top of the window frame. My eyes dashed back to the place but all I could see were the shapes of the view in the darkness, there was no one there now. I sat back confused, had there been anyone there in the first place?

I turned the light on quietly and glanced around my room, everything looked ordinary, the clock beeped a little as the hand struck 12, telling me it was 3AM now. I pursed my lips in thought still looking around, a nervous hurricane turning in my stomach, it hit me full force when I saw two large footprints on the floor. I gaped in horror and slowly walked towards them, crouching down I examined them closely, it was raining outside and their were two shoe footprints next to my window and bed. I sat back again, my mind frozen with shock, confusion and slight fear, what the hell had happened?

After what seemed like a few minutes, I yawned and closed the light, I didn’t know what to do so I thought it would be better just to go back to bed. I thought about telling my mom or Daniel, but that would make them excessively worried and fussy. No, I would keep this to myself and secure the window properly next time. I sank into my pillow, feeling the right side still being wet from my tears; I turned it over and laughed at the recent thought that had crossed my mind. How could it have been my dad? He was dead. Silly me I thought, it wasn’t him, it can’t have been, but who was it then? I turned on my side and felt my eyes burn; they were sore since I cried virtually half of the night. They were dry now though and would be for some time, I knew that because I had let most of it out, even though my heart ached painfully, that was something I needed to get through. I knew that the pain would never leave, not so easily anyway but I was okay with that, it reminded me of him and kept him in my thoughts, which was what I needed and wanted.

I sighed deeply, my last thought before I fell asleep again was that I hoped whoever the stranger was, they wouldn’t return.