The sky was an unforgiving grey, enshrouded by dark clouds which threatened to pour its contents over the dilapidated town of Withering Lows at any given moment.

   I looked up and felt a tiny drop of water fall onto my nose, a sign that the oncoming storm was imminent. I drew my hoodie up closer to my head, and then scurried towards the nearest dwelling in hopes of avoiding the forthcoming downpour.

   But I was not quick enough.

   The rain fell hard against the earth in heavy sheets, blurring my vision to the point that I could not see three metres in front of me. I only ran for about two minutes before a dark shadow of a mansion loomed before me.

   Taking no more chances to be caught outside alone in a storm, I ran up to the ram shackled porch of the house. I was drenched from head to toe, my teeth chattering as a result of the cold air mixed with my wet body.

   I knocked three times on the heavy oak door, listening to the eerie drumming of the rain on the roof while I waited. I looked out towards the street I had run up from and noticed that the rain had blocked everything in sight and made everything darker.

   I almost decided to give up on waiting, but not before the door was slowly creaked open. I hurried inside and was immediately drawn to the warm fire which had been set up in the living room. Once I was in, the door slammed shut, raising the hairs on the back of my neck.

   Apart from the fireplace, there was no other light in the room, but I could see from the glow of the flame that the ground was covered in a soft, red carpet and there was an old, solitary rocking chair in the middle of the room with a single desk placed next to it. On the table, there was an open book, but strangely there was no one in the chair.

   Figuring that the owner had just spontaneously gotten up from his night reading to attend to another matter, I continued to warm myself by the fire.

   The sudden deafening toll of the grandfather clock in the foyer made me jump out of my skin.

   11pm. I noted. I think it's best if I go now. I thought, just as a crack of thunder resounded outside, shaking the walls of the room.

   I stood up, ready to go. But I knew that I had entered into this strange home unannounced and that the right thing to do would be to write a 'thank you' note to the owner, who was still nowhere to be seen. 

   I slowly made my way towards the desk in search of a pen and paper. As far as I could see, there was only the open book which occupied the space of the table. I quickly glanced down at the open page and nearly felt my heart drop into my stomach.

   I should not be here. I slowly backed away from the book, bumping into the chair in the process.

   Startled, I fell into the chair and felt a creepy aura surround me. I tried to get up, but it felt as if a force were holding me in place.

   Then the chair slowly rocked forward.

   And back.

   Forward…

   And back.

   I began to kick and scream. Then I felt a weight press down on my shoulders. I screamed louder but soon enough, it turned into nothing more than muffled shrieks.

   I felt my mouth being covered by a rough hand, large enough to cover the top of my nose as well.

   At that moment, a fork of lightning illuminated the dark world outside, and the dark room I was in.

   And like that, I saw a shadow of a hunched man, looming over me, and the very definite outline of something sharp hanging from his belt.

   I kicked even harder, trying to get out of his grip.

   Then I heard his sickly sweet voice whisper into my ear.

   You should not be here.

   I shivered both at the pleasure his voice gave me and the immediate threat he posed to me.

   But now that you’ve entered, there’s no going back. He laughed manically.

   I turned my head to get a better view of this man, but there was nothing there.

   Good try. But no, you will not be able to see me… just yet.

   My hands tightened their grasp on the arm rests, a few stray tears already cascading down my cheek.

   You should’ve known that entering a house without the owner’s permission would lead to big trouble.

   “I’m sorry.” I whispered back to the shadow. “I was just looking for a place to stay while the storm passed. I-III…”

   I felt my cheek being lightly caressed by something that felt like a feather.

   I flinched away.

   The voice continued to taunt me. I promise this won’t hurt a bit.

   And then my world turned black.

   The howling wind picked up within the room, blowing out the fire and turning the pages of the open book until the only thing showing was the faint glow of the ominous red title…

   The Day I Was Murdered.

 ~