Hey everyone! It's been a little while since I've posted. I know this is short, but it is just the prologue. So, enjoy...
The stillness of the room was broken by the groaning of the door on its aged hinges. The creaking echoed loudly in the utter silence. The door was stopped from hitting the wall by a pile of clothes strewn carelessly outside the closet. The room's only occupant lay blissfully ignorant of the intrusion. Only his subconscious may have been aware, as he shifted slightly beneath the tangled sheets.
A pair of watchful eyes took in the small movement, hesitating slightly before entering completely into the darkness. The figured blended in with the shadows, the sleeping form still oblivious to the violation.
Moonlight streamed under the crack of the door where it did not quite meet the floor, creating a jagged line of light across the intruder's boots. The footfalls were padded by the threadbare carpeting as the figure slunk back into the corner and stood watch. The moonlight bounced off the stranger's pupils, making them seem as reflective as cats' eyes.
The man in the bed grabbed the thin sheet and twisted it, straining the tinny threads in his sleep. Perhaps he was becoming aware that he was an object on display, or he was merely in the throes of some distant, ungraspable nightmare. His breath quickened, matching the rhythm of the ticking of the clock.
Beads of sweat popped up, glistening on his brow. Unbeknownst to him, the nightmare he was currently experiencing would pale in comparison to the nightmares to come in thehours ahead.
A slamming door aroused him from his slumber. He shot up, his breath caught in his throat before it could become a scream. His eyes scanned the darkness. Nothing seemed to be amiss, but he had a sense of foreboding nonetheless.
The sound of the refrigerator door opening and closing eased his mind somewhat. It was only his roommate. He was still somewhat disconcerted from the bad dream. He shook it off and laid himself back down. It was just his roommate coming home from another late date. Not exactly a new phenomenon.
That's all it was. Right? He repeated this mantra as he fell back into a fitful sleep. He did not see the shadow step out of the closet and slip out of his bedroom. He did not hear the soft click of the apartment door shutting. He was completely unaware that his roommate had inadvertently saved his life that night with his late night entrance.
And when he awoke the next morning, he remembered none of it. And he certainly could not have foreseen how by the dawning of the next day, he would be longing for the nightmare he had in his own bed. He could not have known that he would be begging for mercy from an unhinged psychopath. And he could not have known that this might be the last twenty four hours of his life.
TBC