All of the lights in the small run-down apartment were off, covering every corner with an inpenetrable darkness so deep that a child's imagination would run wild with thoughts of what could be lurking in the shadows. Perhaps a monster, with dripping fangs and glowing eyes that watched paitently waiting for his unsuspecting prey to venture close enough before snatching them up with his powerful claws, and silencing the scream before it had the chance to escape his victims throat.
An eerie silence echoed throughout the darkness, the only sounds that could be heard came from the kitchen. The occasional drip from the leaky faucet rang out like thunder through the silence as it fell into the sink. The low hum of the refrigerator could be mistaken for a hungry growl, possibly from the same monster that lay waiting in the shadows.
A small mouse wandered into the kitchen hoping to find a small scrap of food to take back to his hole. He sniffed carefully at a small block of cheese planted on the mousetrap in the corner of the small dingy kitchen. He approached cautiously, as if unsure to venture any closer. His hunger seemed to overcome his caution and he neared the small block of cheddar, sniffing hungrily and circling around to the other side, his foot periously close to the switch that would set off the trap. He continued to examine the prize, unaware of how dangeroulsy close to death he was.
The small hands on the clock in the hallway changed, followed by several loud chimes that echoed throughout the apartment, cutting through the silence like a gunshot. Twelve loud chimes rang out, announcing the arrival of midnight. As the final chime sounded, the noise died away and silence resumed, once again bringing the apartment back into the deep silence.
The apartments only bedroom lay at the end of the small hallway, just to the right of the near empty living room. A stained, sheetless mattress lay under the only window that contained no curtains. The small window was open just a crack, the air coming through made a soft whistling noise as it entered the already drafty room. The moon was high in the dark midnight sky, casting light into the room, illuminatiing the large wall directly opposite the window. Every wall in the room lay bare save this one. The largest wall was covered from top to bottom with photographs. But not pictures of cityscapes, or of exotic islands or of famous actors or scantily clad women. They all featured the smiling face of a girl. The same girl.
He sat motionless on the dirty mattress, staring longingly up at the hundreds of smiling faces staring back at him. The hood of his sweater was pulled low over his forehead, coving his eyes and hiding his face in shadow. He sat with his knees pulled up close to his chest, his hands on his knees, his eyes transfixed on the girl smiling back at him from the multitude of pictures, lost in his thoughts.
He had watched her closely, ever since she had smiled at him and cast her spell on him. He had snapped picture after picture of her, adding them to his wall until he had acquired the collection now staring back at him. But they had only satisfied his hunger for so long, and they no longer quelled his growing desire he felt for her the way they once had. And now one thought was constantly burning in his mind: he had to have her, had to make her his. The thought sent a wave of excitement to his groin. Soon...Very soon, she would be his. Completely his. All of his waiting and paitence would pay off. Soon he would feel her flesh against his, smell the scent of her long flowing hair, taste her soft full lips.
His reverie ws interrupted by the loud snap of the mousetrap from the kitchen. He jumped slightly at the unexpected noise before relaxing and resting his chin on his knees and hugging his legs to his chest. He closed his eyes and was soon lost in his thoughts of her.
Soon...