Dedicated to daf9, because in this broken, weary, sad world, we need more
limericks *grin*
Goren had expected a truly terrifying event for the next morning, and was both disappointed and relieved to wake up to a calm, undisturbed apartment. He waited for something, anything, to happen as he absently flung some clothes on and ran a brush through his dark hair; nothing. The car keys jangled in his coat pocket and his toothbrush stayed on the shelf in the bathroom.
Two days of relative quiet followed. Goren slipped back into his normal routines, his boredom dulling the edge of awareness his mind had gained. He felt sick and exhausted, as if he had reached a barren, empty space inside himself.
Oddly enough, the apartment was almost too quiet--the once-soothing silence all around him had become audible and... well, not sinister, but... aware. Responsive. As if it were alive, and listening, and holding its breath.
Two days of absolute silence. After that, none for a long time.
Goren was on the sofa reading a book that night when there was a couple of sharp knocks at the front door. He went to the door and unlatched the lock, swinging it open. The hallway was empty.
Irritated, he retreated back to the living room and was about to sit down again when the rapping started again, more insistent. Goren lurched back up onto his feet, dumping the book on the floor, with a few colorful words-- only to realize that the knocking was coming from his closed bedroom door.
He sidled towards it, treading noiselessly on the soft carpet. The blows were thudding hard against the wooden frame, rattling the doorknob. Goren hesitantly reached out and touched his fingertips to the solid wood--why did he suddenly feel so cold?--then grabbed the handle in a swift motion and shoved the door open.
Nothing. He was staring into a darkened, empty bedroom.
Goren's blood was freezing into ice as his heart raced. He recoiled a couple of paces, reeling from the shock, his head whirling. What was--
The knocking started again. This time, his bathroom door just down the hallway. This time, it was light and soft, a gentle tap-tap-tap...
Goren didn't even hesitate: he lunged swiftly at the door and banged it open, barging into it like a maddened bull.
Nothing.
He stood in the middle of his bathroom, panting, running his hands through his hair. His reflection gaped at him, wide-eyed, trembling, glaring. What was going--
Three short knocks. At the front door.
Goren went very, very still, listening hard. He couldn't hear any footsteps, any breathing other than his own, any noises of cloth rustling or sneakers squeaking.
The knocks sounded again. Three sharp, loud bursts, hard, persistent.
Carefully, oh, so slowly, Goren raised himself to his feet. He walked out to the front door, steadily, cautiously, looking straight ahead.
Just as he was about to stretch out his arm for the doorknob, the door burst open as if kicked in on its hinges. Goren let out a strangled yell and jumped back.
Nobody. Nothing, but a book--the one he'd been reading that evening--lying on the ground in front of him.
Read and review, please! :)
Goren had expected a truly terrifying event for the next morning, and was both disappointed and relieved to wake up to a calm, undisturbed apartment. He waited for something, anything, to happen as he absently flung some clothes on and ran a brush through his dark hair; nothing. The car keys jangled in his coat pocket and his toothbrush stayed on the shelf in the bathroom.
Two days of relative quiet followed. Goren slipped back into his normal routines, his boredom dulling the edge of awareness his mind had gained. He felt sick and exhausted, as if he had reached a barren, empty space inside himself.
Oddly enough, the apartment was almost too quiet--the once-soothing silence all around him had become audible and... well, not sinister, but... aware. Responsive. As if it were alive, and listening, and holding its breath.
Two days of absolute silence. After that, none for a long time.
Goren was on the sofa reading a book that night when there was a couple of sharp knocks at the front door. He went to the door and unlatched the lock, swinging it open. The hallway was empty.
Irritated, he retreated back to the living room and was about to sit down again when the rapping started again, more insistent. Goren lurched back up onto his feet, dumping the book on the floor, with a few colorful words-- only to realize that the knocking was coming from his closed bedroom door.
He sidled towards it, treading noiselessly on the soft carpet. The blows were thudding hard against the wooden frame, rattling the doorknob. Goren hesitantly reached out and touched his fingertips to the solid wood--why did he suddenly feel so cold?--then grabbed the handle in a swift motion and shoved the door open.
Nothing. He was staring into a darkened, empty bedroom.
Goren's blood was freezing into ice as his heart raced. He recoiled a couple of paces, reeling from the shock, his head whirling. What was--
The knocking started again. This time, his bathroom door just down the hallway. This time, it was light and soft, a gentle tap-tap-tap...
Goren didn't even hesitate: he lunged swiftly at the door and banged it open, barging into it like a maddened bull.
Nothing.
He stood in the middle of his bathroom, panting, running his hands through his hair. His reflection gaped at him, wide-eyed, trembling, glaring. What was going--
Three short knocks. At the front door.
Goren went very, very still, listening hard. He couldn't hear any footsteps, any breathing other than his own, any noises of cloth rustling or sneakers squeaking.
The knocks sounded again. Three sharp, loud bursts, hard, persistent.
Carefully, oh, so slowly, Goren raised himself to his feet. He walked out to the front door, steadily, cautiously, looking straight ahead.
Just as he was about to stretch out his arm for the doorknob, the door burst open as if kicked in on its hinges. Goren let out a strangled yell and jumped back.
Nobody. Nothing, but a book--the one he'd been reading that evening--lying on the ground in front of him.
Read and review, please! :)