Someone In My House
I walk downstairs at about 2:00 am to get water. It’s pitch black with the only light in the house coming from the candle I forgot to blow out, sitting on the kitchen counter. I open the freezer and scoop a handful of ice for my water. As I balance the slippery ice in my hands, I drop a cube onto the ground. I bend over to pick up the ice cube… then I hear something. Different from the normal city sounds of car alarms and sirens. I grab the ice cube from the ground and slowly stand up. I look out the window only to see my own reflection with the ice cube melting through my fingers. I go back upstairs where my black lab can protect me. I head up the stairs without the cup of water I came for. I make my way to my bedroom and see my dog, Lila, sleeping peacefully in a pile of fluffy pillows. My shoulders relax as her calmness spreads to me. I go back to sleep.
BANG.
I wake up to loud knocking on my door. I run downstairs without even looking at the clock. Lila trails behind me. I answer the door and it is a police officer. He says, “Hello, what is the problem?” I answer him, “What do you mean?” He says, “You called at 2:05 am…” My heart starts pounding and Lila hides behind my leg whimpering. I didn’t call the police.
He asks if he can take a look around the house, and I give him permission. I follow him around as he examines my very minimalistic home. He walks into the kitchen and sees a puddle on the floor. A puddle from melted ice cubes.
I picked up the one ice cube that dropped.
My heart continues to race.
I turn my head to see if the cup I was going to use for water is still sitting on the counter. That is, before I got scared and ran upstairs.
The cup is gone.
Someone must be in my house. I tell the police to keep searching.
He searches for over an hour before I let him leave. I thank him for his help, and walk him to the door. I lock the door behind him, and turn on every light in the house.
I’m too shaken up to go back to sleep, so I turn on the television to Friends. I cuddle with Lila on the couch as we watch Ross and Rachel argue if they were on a break or not. I watch episode after episode for a few hours until I start to drift to sleep.
Blink.
I wake up to all of the lights in my house being off.
The television is off, and Lila is nowhere to be found.
The missing cup is filled with ice and water sitting on the coffee table next to me.
Along with a man.
BANG.
I wake up to loud knocking on my door. I run downstairs without even looking at the clock. Lila trails behind me. I answer the door and it is a police officer. He says, “Hello, what is the problem?” I answer him, “What do you mean?” He says, “You called at 2:05 am…” My heart starts pounding and Lila hides behind my leg whimpering. I didn’t call the police.
He asks if he can take a look around the house, and I give him permission. I follow him around as he examines my very minimalistic home. He walks into the kitchen and sees a puddle on the floor. A puddle from melted ice cubes.
I picked up the one ice cube that dropped.
My heart continues to race.
I turn my head to see if the cup I was going to use for water is still sitting on the counter. That is, before I got scared and ran upstairs.
The cup is gone.
Someone must be in my house. I tell the police to keep searching.
He searches for over an hour before I let him leave. I thank him for his help, and walk him to the door. I lock the door behind him, and turn on every light in the house.
I’m too shaken up to go back to sleep, so I turn on the television to Friends. I cuddle with Lila on the couch as we watch Ross and Rachel argue if they were on a break or not. I watch episode after episode for a few hours until I start to drift to sleep.
Blink.
I wake up to all of the lights in my house being off.
The television is off, and Lila is nowhere to be found.
The missing cup is filled with ice and water sitting on the coffee table next to me.
Along with a man.