"Welcome home…"
"Severe thunderstorms moving to the east. Flood warnings for Shelby and Fayette County until 4 A.M. tomorrow morning. Several blackouts have been reported so keep a flashlight nearby," the weatherman announced. "Oh great, I hope we don't get a blackout at this time of night." I groaned, pulling the blanket over my head. Summer had begun a little more than a week ago and I was supposed to head south near the Mississippi coast and visit some old friends.
Coincidentally, a thick blanket of black clouds covered the entire nation before I could leave. Since then, no one has been able to leave their house because the severity of the storms. At seventeen, the household is not suitable to cure the symptoms of social deprivation. I am now a prisoner in my own home with no chance of parole. On the bright side, I have been able to catch up on some sleep. In the time before the storm, I had been having eerie dreams that restricted me of my slumber. It was a good thing no one could see me since all the extra sleep had matted my short burgundy hair to my scalp. Just then, the electricity began to flicker, powering down the TV.
"Just my luck, now we're having power surges." I stated, jumping off the sofa. My blanket followed behind me curving over every step. At the top of the staircase, I saw my dad fiddling with the fuse box. I figured the power surge must have blown a fuse. As I walked by, he turned his attention towards me and turned away from the wall.
"Hey Ash, how bout helping me change this blown fuse?" he asked. Even though he looks as if he were in his late 20's, he was already climbing past forty. His dark brown hair was always kept short and neat, but his clothes were torn and covered in paint, that of a hard-working man. In return to his request, I smiled and nodded in decline.
"I think I'll pass on this one. I'm really tired and you seem to be handling yourself pretty well."
He sighed and turned back towards the fuse box, pretending to be hurt by my response. I continued down the hall and around the corner to my room. To my luck, as soon as I grabbed the doorknob, the power burned out completely.
"Dad! What did you do to the power?" I screamed down the hallway.
"It wasn't me, it was a power outage."
"Great…" I said sarcastically and turned back down the hallway. I continued down the stairs and into the kitchen were we kept extra flashlights and candles under the sink. I opened the cabinet and grabbed a candle and a flashlight. I found my dads lighter sitting on the counter. I lit the red candle and cautiously walked back upstairs and towards my room.
"Here dad, take this so you can fix the lights… this house is beginning to give me the creeps." I said handing him the flashlight and his lighter. As I turned back towards my room, a cold breeze swept around me and blew my candle out.
"Dammit, not again," I said sounding agitated. "Dad, can I see the lighter again? My candle blew out."
The only answer I received was the rain pounding on the roof. "Dad?" I repeated softly as I scuffed down the dark peach hallway. I thought he might have been playing a joke like he usually does. To my surprise, when I peered around the corner, he had vanished.
"Where'd he go?" I thought aloud. I pulled myself through the darkness, quickly but cautiously. My hand searched the wall while the other slid across the railing. Unknowingly, a painting had crossed paths with my palm and crashed into the floor. I jolted backwards and screamed as pieces of glass fell around me. Surely, they would have heard the commotion. After my heart stopped racing, I tiptoed over the glass and down the wide staircase. My parents' bedroom sat to the right of the kitchen, on the opposite side of the house. Of course, it had to be the farthest room away.
Inch by inch, my feet sank into the dense blue carpet. Finally, I made it to their room and began knocking firmly on the wooden door. As I thought, no answer. I cracked the door open a bit and glanced inside. There were no traces that either of them had occupied the room recently. The hair began to rise on the back of my neck. It was impossible that they could have left with this storm intensifying by the moment. Nor could anybody sneak in either, the wind would have thrown them around like a rag doll. The thoughts kept pouring in faster than the rain fell from the clouds. Turning around, I shuffled towards the black leather couch. Before I could sit, I noticed my quilted blanket lying on the cushions. Even though it was still oblivious to me how exactly it got there, I curled up underneath it anyway. The rain pounded on the roof so vigorously that it nearly made the house tremor.
Thunder boomed throughout the skies as wind howled through the trees. These were the only sounds I felt would ever taunt my ears again. In the midst of the solitude, the screen door began to slam harshly against its frame. Instantly, I pounced onto the floor and proceeded to the door to investigate. This time, my blanket trailed behind me, grasped tightly in my hands. The kitchen's archway was not far from the couch. I had hoped it was them but alas, it was only the wind. The frail tin door continued to swing back and forth into the frame. I had grown frustrated with this game of hide and seek. I marched to the door and stood outside in the piercing rain.
"Mom! Dad! Where are you?" I screamed as loud as my small body could manage. I knew it was useless. Falling to my knees, my blue eyes scanned the street's edge. All the houses seemed empty, like all life had disappeared. It felt as if I was the one who had gone missing, kind of, like I was in a different dimension. That is ridiculous. It seemed as if I was a child having a tantrum. There was no real motivation for me to return inside. I was beginning to get soaked, and lightning was gleaming across the sky. I was never a big fan of lightning so I finally pulled myself off the ground and returned to the empty house. I no longer had use for my drenched blanket. With one hand, I flung it in the laundry room with no intent of it ever being tended to.
Upon exiting the kitchen, a noise similar to footsteps echoed upstairs. Desperate for any kind of human interaction, I strutted to the foot of the staircase. The stairs faded into the black abyss as I glanced up. Hesitantly, I grasped the railing in my palm and inched my foot onto the first step. With every step, the air seemed to grow heavier. Sweat oozed down my face from either the heat or anxiety. Halfway up the stairs, a black, shadowy figure emerged from the darkness. He began to descend and as much as I wanted to remain calm; I still panicked. My feet became entangled with each other and down the stairs I went. I swiftly pulled myself back up to see him waiting at the bottom. My head pounded in pain and my body ached. I focused enough to study his features.
The light shined across his gloomy exterior but his facial features were hidden. An outsized black hat, similar to a cowboys', was positioned on his head. It was pulled down to conceal his eyes. In addition, an oversized black trench coat with three thick buckles that held the jacket together. It dragged across the ground and swayed slightly in a non-present breeze. Black leather gloves covered his hands and black buckle boots, scuffed and torn on the front, were worn on his feet. The only visible part of him was his mouth, which was constantly smiling. Only two steps away, he extended his hand towards me.
"Im going to have to ask you to come with me," He said still smiling.
Before thinking, I sprung off the ground and jolted to the door in the kitchen. Is he following me? What does he want? I thought as I approached the door. I yanked open the door and plopped back down, gasping in shock.
"Wha... How did you…? Where did…?" I kept stuttering. I stared deeply at him. He was standing in the pouring rain yet not a single raindrop touched him.
"I said your coming with me." He stated firmly but still with a smile.
Confused, I had no idea what to say. I did not know if I could trust him. "Wh... Why do I have to go with you?" I stammered.
"All will be explained later but right now I just need you to grab my hand. Besides... what's left for you here." he pointed out. Even though I did not trust him, he did have a point. Everyone was gone and I was alone. I guess there isn't anything left for me. Sighing deeply, I extended my hand towards. "Fine... im yours..." I whispered softly.
"Perfect…" he whispered as his smirk grew across his face. He quickly grabbed my hand and squeezed firmly. The pain spread quickly through my fingers and up my arm. I hissed in pain and tried to pull back but his grip was too strong. Everything began to whirl around me and I could feel myself falling. I glanced at him pitifully, wanting him to stop. He was still smiling as much as ever. Is he enjoying this? Does he enjoy the pain he's causing me? I could feel an intense heat burning my flesh. Fire? I could see flames forming behind him. Cruel sharp laughter echoed around me. My other hand grasped tightly on the floor and my head fell limply in front of me. Why am I so dizzy? What is he doing to me? I felt pulled to the ground as if something was pushing me down. I couldn't move anymore. The pain had spread entirely though my body. A high-pitched screeching noise filled the air. I wanted to cover my ears but the noise seemed to be coming from inside my mind instead of my room. How much longer will this pain continue? I could not focus anymore. The walls seemed to melt away and everything was turning black except for the glow of the flames through my closing eyelids. Before I loss consciousness, I managed to ask "Why…?" He only smiled and said, "Welcome home..."