CHAPTER 1

Growing up I had a tough childhood, mom and dad would always argue, and I struggled constantly in school. We lived in a trailer by the woods in the far back of my grandma's house. We were pretty much isolated with the exception of the trailer beside us. And trees- so many trees, I remember hearing in the woods of what sounded like a broken branch, it sounded like a rocking chair. Needless to say things got worst and me and mom moved away, wasn't until later that they got divorced.

Fast forward until now and here we are again moving to another new home, rather an apartment which will become our new home, because of a hurricane that caused a tree to fall on our house. Trees seem to be the recurring theme as of late.

"Lucas, did you hear me?" my mom asked taking me out of my thoughts.

"I'm sorry what?"

"See, you didn't even listen."

"I'm sorry what was the question again?"

"How do you feel about us moving into an apartment. It's a change of pace right?"

I can be very detached sometimes so I didn't really care much about us moving in an apartment.

"I mean I guess it's fine." She caught on to my nonchalant demeanor as all moms catch on to their child's feelings.

"Don't be like that, it's a new setting, new environment, what could be so bad?"

After a few hours we finally made it to the apartment complex. We unloaded everything although we didn't unpack yet. The apartment had a kitchen on the right with a pantry, a living room on the left. Two rooms one at the end of the hallway and the other on the left side, and a bathroom on the right side near the end of the hallway. I went into the room on the left where there was a bed in the left corner of the room. There was a window a few inches beside the bed on the right, and a closet on the right side of the room. By the time we were finished it was almost 7:00 and mom wanted to go to bible study at a church 15 minutes near where we live.

I was unpacking my stuff in my room which really looked bland. Then again I mostly went to school so there was really no point in decorating. Mom came to my doorway.

"Lucas, I'm heading out you sure you don't want to come?"

"Yeah, I'm good besides I still need to unpack a few other things"

She looked at me worriedly, she hates when I'm alone.

"Well okay, call me if you need anything."

I could tell she wanted to say something else and I was right.

"Lucas it will get better it'll take some time but it will."

I looked at her trying to muster a tired smile.

"I know." I said as I placed the box on the floor near the closet door.

We both said our 'I love you's' and she left out locking the door.

I went to turn on the TV in the living room and flopped on the couch. My eyes feeling heavy and burning for sleep, I take a look at the clock before dozing off, it was exactly 7:00 on the dot.

I hope mom made it, she hates being late for things.

"Have you ever felt a sadness so deep that you felt alienated from the world? Have you ever felt so dreadful that you felt your heart dropped and your breaths quickening?"

"What? I don't understand what you're saying."

"Like a melancholic silence, you hide your fears with tears of something that may never happen."

"You will constantly repeat the process Lucas."

My eyes went wide from my name being called, I got up to see if mom was back calling her name with no response. I looked at the clock-still 7:00 but how maybe the clock wasn't working. I didn't think much of it. That's when I realized that the tv was off, I was sure that I left it on, it was probably trying to save power. I went to turn on the light basically hugging the wall to find the switch, I finally found it and flipped it. Trying to adjust to the light that stabbed my eyes, I went to the kitchen to find something to snack on. As I was scavenging I heard the tv come to life.

I headed back trying to come up with something as to why the tv came on. The only thing shown was static. That shouldn't be possible since we have cable. I went for the remote to try and change the channel.

"You're...alone...aren't you?"

My heart stopped and I became frozen for a split second. How would anyone know that unless I was being watched. The thought of someone outside the window staring at me ate away at my sanity. I didn't muster up the courage to check nor was I going to. I quickly went to unplug the tv, for a second I thought that unplugging the tv would still result in the tv being on. I watch a lot of horror movies.

It wasn't the voice that really scared me but how its tone was. It sounded monotonous and devoid of emotion, and at the same time mockingly and sinister. I tried to get the thought out of my head to no avail. I called mom to see where she was, and as if on cue the lights suddenly went off.

My heart started racing and my chest started to hurt. My breaths started quickening and I became a little dizzy. I was having another panic attack. I had to will myself to stay calm because I'll pass out if I don't. Her phone kept ringing and then went to voicemail. Why didn't she pick up? So I called the police, line busy. Nothing worked so in my last effort I turned on my flashlight and ran to the door.

There were many thoughts invading my mind as I was trying to open the door. What if the person was waiting for me outside, what if he was just waiting to ambush me or kidnap me, what if there were more than one of them? I couldn't fathom what those horrors would be like, but I promised as soon as I opened this door I would run away so fast and try to find help if possible. I opened the door-it was...boarded up?!

"What the hell?!" it took me a while to figure out that it was my own voice that yelled. More thoughts ran across my head. Who would be so desperate as to board up the apartment? Being in shock was an understatement. I just froze for a minute if not longer, but I had to quickly dissipate it, there was the window. Just like the door completely boarded up. I felt a hope I didn't even know I had died. It felt like something just completely drained me. I could swear that I felt tears coming out of my eyes. Cries of panic.

"SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!" I cried frantically for what seem like hours my voice becoming rasp. What was the point no one could hear me. I hated all of this, I hated the darkness that just seem to swallow me whole and enjoyed every last minute of it. Even though I had a flashlight, the darkness still seem to close in on me.

"Please help." A voice that was hidden in the darkness. I felt myself sinking who else would be here-in my house.

"Please help me." the voice said again pleading. It didn't take me long to figure out where the voice came from-my room. I turned the flashlight going down the hallway turning to my room. My heart skipped a beat, there was a little boy, no older than six it seem, in my room curled up into a ball crying. I wanted to faint right there, but the wall caught me before I fell. The kid looked pale almost glowing, as if he was outlined, I was able to see him clearly in the darkness. Although the flashlight did help me see him no one should be able to glow like that.

I mustered up the little courage I had "wh- wh-who are you?"

The boy quickly looked up at me, for someone so pale, he looked- normal. His eyes seem to be red and puffy like he's been crying for a long time. Dark black short hair and he was wearing a white t shirt and brown shorts.

"Please you have to help me he's gonna come for me." he came to me hugging my leg. The older brother in me awoken. I crouched down and hugged him to try and protect him like a parent and child. I have to help him somehow but who was coming for him? Another question raised into my head-why can I touch him? He felt warm.

A sudden realization hit me and an incomprehensible dread fell over me-there was someone else in the room with us. I turned only to see complete darkness. I tried to adjust my eyes thinking to myself that maybe I was just going crazy from the fear, that my mind was just playing with me. So I willed myself to adjust to the darkness...there was a very slim figure, no taller than maybe 6 feet, in the corner of the room left of me, staring at me, even though I couldn't see it's eyes.

I say 'it' because no human had hands the way it did, long slim fingers reaching out to me, or so I thought. It was pointing to the boy. I quickly turn my flashlight on pointing at the figure only to find it gone. I quickly picked up the boy running to the doorway.

"Wh w-wh- where are we g-g-going, wha- wh- what happened?!" the boy looked at me panicked and frightened. Could he not see the figure? That just made me want to help him even more so I hugged him tightly. As soon as I made it to the hallway, I froze not because of fear but because I literally couldn't move. Something had stuck me in place, as I turned my eyes back to my room only to see the figure staring at me again only this time it wasn't so kind. I tried to say something but then the boy was yanked from my arms. His cries breaking me, I couldn't take that.

"LET HIM GOOO!" my blood was boiling and I almost got out of whatever the figure had cast on me. I guess the figure saw I was getting out and immediately I was thrown back with such force that I hit the wall. I lost my breath for a moment, then lost consciousness. As my vision started fading I could hear yells and cries of the boy and then silence.