Fright Read online

Fright

  A Short Story By Jennifer Waller

  Fright

  Copyright © 2013 Jennifer Waller

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, places, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Find out more about Jennifer Waller at https://phoenixwaller.com

  Table of Contents

  Fright

  About the Author

  Sample of THE VAMPIRE HUNTER CHRONICLES

  Fright

  A shrill scream shattered the serene silence of the night.

  As the sound faded into memory the neighbors started to wake. They wondered what had caused them to stir at such an hour, then they heard wailing coming from the corner apartment. Their minds connected the scream with the cries, and they rushed to see what was the matter with the girl who lived there.

  The first people to reach the small apartment were the girls from the adjacent unit. They lifted the spare key from underneath the potted plant next to the door, then rushed in. Right behind the girls was the gentleman from the rear of the quadplex. Nobody came from the vacant fourth apartment.

  The neighbors rushed into the wailing girl’s bedroom to find her huddled in a corner atop her bed. One of the girls from next door, a redhead, sat on the edge of the bed to try to calm her. The girl merely huddled deeper into her corner while trying to push the redhead off of the bed with her feet. The redhead’s sister, who was blond, then tried to talk to the frightened girl. The girl just stared past the blond and the whimpering grew louder.

  The gentleman walked up behind the blond and laid a hand on her shoulder. “Is she ok?”

  The blonde looked at the man and then shook her head slowly. “You must be the new tenant. My name is Melanie, my sister there is Vanessa. Her,” she indicated with a movement of the head, “name is Katrina.”

  “Nice to meet you Melanie. My name is Robert. Is this normal for Katrina?”

  Melanie shook her head. “She's been acting strange the past few days, but normally she's very sweet and calm.”

  Robert scowled and then indicated that he would like to talk to the frightened Katrina.

  Melanie moved silently to one side. Robert then walked over and knelt at the edge of the bed and took the hands of the whimpering girl in his own.

  Katrina finally seemed to take notice of the others in her room. She stared directly at Robert for a moment, then she lunged.

  He started to recoil from her advance, but she had taken him by surprise. Before he had a chance to fully react she was in his arms, and he calmed as he realized her intentions.

  “Protect me, protect me, protect me,” Katrina whispered into his chest.

  Robert raised a hand and started to smooth the girl’s hair. As her pleas for protection ceased and she quieted, he gently broke her grip upon him and maneuvered her so that he could speak to her.

  “What happened? What am I supposed to protect you from?”

  “The evil… The horror…” then she collapsed against his chest again, crying.

  Robert turned to look at Melanie and Vanessa. “Could one of you please get this girl a glass of water?”

  The redhead, Vanessa, turned and left to get the glass of water. Robert did his best to set up some pillows for Katrina to lean against. He then lifted her back onto the bed, laid her against the pillows and pulled her blankets up to her lap.

  Vanessa walked back into the room with the water, gave it to Robert, and then motioned that she would like to speak privately with him.

  He went to Katrina’s side and handed her the water. “Drink. It’ll help to calm you.” Then he watched as she put the glass up to her lips. As the girl started to drink he made his way into the hallway to speak with the Vanessa.

  “While I was getting the water I noticed a number of medications along the counter. I work in a pharmacy and these are usually the type prescribed for depression and mental illnesses.”

  “Doctor’s name on the bottles?”

  “Yes, local guy, seen his name before.”

  “See if you can get him to come take a look at her.”

  Vanessa gave the thumbs up sign and then left to find the doctor’s telephone number.

  Robert walked back into the room. He saw Melanie sitting next to the bed and the glass, almost empty, sitting on a dressing table. He then turned to look at Katrina and noticed a large wet spot on the covers.

  Melanie saw him looking. “When she decided that she was finished with the water she just let it drop. I grabbed it as fast as I could, but …” she trailed off, looking at the wet spot herself.

  Vanessa knocked at the doorsill. Robert stood up and once again met her in the hall.

  “I called the doctor and he said that he’ll be here in about fifteen minutes. He also said that he’s going to bring the paramedics with him, just in case.”

  Robert smiled tiredly at Vanessa and patted her shoulder, then walked back into the bedroom.

  Melanie looked up at them as they entered the room. Katrina was still sitting on the bed, just as Robert had placed her. She was crying softly.

  He walked to the bed and sat down beside the terrified girl. Once again she moved only in response to him, leaning against him and crying against his shoulder.

  They stayed that way until the doctor arrived. Vanessa was the closest to the door, so she was the one to show him in.

  As the doctor was ushered into the room, Robert tried to move to allow the doctor to look at his patient.

  Katrina grabbed desperately at his arm, looked up at him and uttered a strained “No…”

  The doctor placed a restraining hand on Robert’s shoulder. He sat back down.

  The doctor also took a seat on the bed. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small light. He was shining it into the girl’s eyes when the ambulance pulled up. The paramedics, seeing the doctor, asked, “How is she doc?”

  “Unresponsive, I would like to take her to the hospital for observation.”

  “Ok. Let us get this stuff stowed and we’ll come back in for her.”

  Robert looked at the doctor. “I would like to go with her, if that’s possible.”

  The doctor looked back at him and was silent for a moment. Finally he sighed, “Ok, but just you. See these girls home while we’re prepping her to go.”

  Robert tried to stand up again. Katrina turned to him with frightened eyes, clawed at his arms and cried, “Don’t go… Don’t leave me.”

  “I’ll be right back, don’t worry. Then I’ll go with you to the hospital.”

  The girl continued to grab at him as he finally freed his wrist from her grasp. He walked over to the sisters and followed them toward the front door, stopping only to let the paramedics pass the other way.

  As he saw the sisters close the door to their apartment, he turned and walked back to the bedroom of the girl.

  Robert noticed that somebody had closed the door. He reached out and took the knob in his hands, but it wouldn’t turn. He then knocked softly. Voices inside told him that it was unlocked and that he could come in.

  “I’m trying to get in, but it must be broken. Try to open it from the inside.”

  He heard footsteps approaching the door. He heard the knob rattle as the person on the inside tried to open it. Then he heard something else. He heard Katrina start whimpering again. Then came a laugh, not from the girl, a deep laugh, an evil laugh.

  Robert watched as the doorknob shook under t
he pressure of the person trying to open it from within. He watched the door rattle in its frame as the people inside shoved against it in an attempt to escape that laugh.

  There was a gurgling noise. Then there was silence.

  The next sound that he heard was a thud, as if something large and wet had fallen on the floor. He tried the knob again; it still wouldn’t budge. The laughing had started again.

  He heard two more thumps from inside the room. Then he noticed the carpet start to get squishy about his feet. He looked down to see that he was standing in a pool of blood seeping from under the door.

  The laughing stopped.

  Silence filled the night again.

  As Robert pondered his best course of action he heard a sound.

  Soft whimpering came from the room.