Boxes filled my new room, dying to be put away. The wooden walls seemed to be slowly compressing themselves forward. One window stood, open in the middle of the front wall. Wind blew in, whistling around the pastel blue curtains. I shivered from the cold air brushing against my skin. I reached out to shut the door, but stopped when I heard a voice. “Cooooome.” It said in a distance slow voice. “Cooooome.” “Are you going to unpack?” My mother’s voice surprised me as I slammed the window shut. “Uh, yeah. I guess so.”

My family just moved into a small village in Oregon. They wanted to be somewhere where it was quiet and peaceful. Somewhere where they could get away from the flashing lights and load sounds. I think it was because they didn’t want to be in our old house since my older brother Dillon died of a seizure. I didn’t mind too much, I guess. Sure I’ll miss the few friends I had, but it’d be pointless to mourn over them now that I’m gone.

I ended up spending the whole day unpacking the boxes in my room. I only had a few boxes left, filled with decorations for my walls and dresser. I laid down on my midnight blue bed, drifting off to sleep only to be awoken by a noise. I looked out the window and saw the tree branches tapping the window in an odd rhythm. In curiosity, I opened the window and heard that voice from earlier. “Coooome.” I tilted my head in confusion. No one should be awake at this hour. “Hello?” I called out, hoping for an answer. “Coooome.” The voice repeated in a harsher tone.

Curiosity captured me again as I found myself crawling onto the tree from my bedroom window. I slowly climbed down the tree and looked around to see who was calling out to me. A man in all black appeared in front of me. He didn’t have any features, just blackness. “Wha-what do you want?” I asked, nervous from his tall height. “I want…”
My eyes shot open, then squeezed tight as the light poured into my room. I grumbled, looking over to my window. A slight breeze made the curtains float in air. “It was all a dream…” I thought to myself. I finally got around to do my morning routine. Looking into the mirror to brush my sunny blond hair, I grabbed my every day red earrings that my grandma gave me for my 14th birthday. I gave one final look in the mirror seeing if everything was right. Black eyeliner in my eyes, with the perfect amount of mascara stuck out on my pale white face.

The air smelled of fresh eggs and bacon. Mom must have been cooking. I walked in the kitchen to see a plate full of breakfast sitting fresh for me. “Morning Mom.” I greeted her sitting down with a hungry stomach. “Audrey, you look so pale! Are you feeling alright?” My mother asked in shock. “I’m fine.” I assured her. She placed her freezing hand on my forehead, quickly letting go. “You’re burning up!” I sighed, knowing it was nothing. Ever since Dillon died she’s been too over protective, afraid she’ll lose me too. It’s understandable, but sometimes it could be annoying. “Alright, alright. I’ll go rest.” I assured her I would be fine and went up to my room, lying down on my bed.

Before I knew it, it was dark again and I could hear that voice once more. “Cooome.” I opened the window, and climbed down, wondering whom this man was. “Who are you and what do you want?” I asked in a shaky voice. The dark man appeared again, grabbing my arm, pulling me forward. I jerked my arm back in defense. “What do you think you’re doing? Answer me!” I demanded. “Cooome.”

“Honey, are you alright?” My mom brushed my hair from my face. My throat burned. I began to realize it was daytime again. “Mom…” I sat up looking at her in the eyes. “There’s this man…. At night…. He keeps coming to the window and telling me to come…I’m kind of afraid.” My mother smiled as if I was a child telling her about the boogieman. “It’s just a dream sweetie. No one’s been at your window.” I tried to get her to believe me, but she was too narrow minded to actually listen to my words. I knew she was tuning out everything I told her. Every parent did that to their child when they made up their mind.

I tried to keep myself occupied for the rest of the day by cleaning, or organizing the house. We were almost fully moved in. My parents even told me they found a good school for me to attend. “You’ll make lots of new friends.” They told me. I thought of how this new school would be. Maybe someone knew of this man that kept coming to the window. Maybe it was just some prank by someone. Whatever it was, I intend to find out tonight.

“Cooome.” It finally said. This time, I dashed out my window, almost falling from the tree. “Alright, I’ve had enough of this. Tell me who you are right now or I will call the police.” I said sternly. I worked on this line all night so that I would say it in confidence and not shiver like last night. “Cooome.” The man reached out, puling me forward. I wonder what he wanted to show me. Curiosity always did get the best of me. I nodded and followed his pull. Walking along with the dark shadow.

The shadow lead me into the woods where it became darker as we continued. The trees looked as if they were about to fall apart from age. I felt the cold air whooshing against my face as we walked together, his force still tugging on my body. Soon enough, the trees disappeared. Nothing was left besides the darkness.

I couldn’t resist the pulling of this unnatural force. It lead me deeper and deeper into the darkness. I wasn’t sure what lied ahead, but I didn’t dare look back. The black abyss had swallowed me whole from hunger, and now I’m forever walking into nothingness, only a shadow, my shadow, pulling me along continuously in this nightmare.