A/N so I've taken a huge hiatus but I've decided to begin writing again. Forgive me if I'm slightly rusty. As well, I'd like to apologize if there's been a huge writing difference from the last two chapters I wrote like two years ago to the ones I'm writing now.

I slowly pushed the door open; the house was eerily silent. I tried to rationalize what was happening. Mom probably came home and forgot to lock the door and it blew open from the wind. There was no point in freaking out since she was probably sleeping. I took my shoes off and set them by the door. I could hear the tick of the clock thudding in my head. The sound was mocking me for being afraid of my own house. I clicked the door to locked and the sound of the bolt sliding into place practically shook the house. A cold drifted over my skin like fingers made of ice brushing over my arms.

Deep breath in deep breath out and repeat.

I hung my purse up on the coat hanger and walked down the hallway. I held my head up high and refused to be scared of something that wasn't there. I happened to glance into the living room as I walked past. At first I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me but then as I looked again I saw there was really a person standing in the room. As I looked closer I saw my mother laying at his feet. There was some sort of dark substance on her neck. I couldn't quite tell what it was since the only light was the moonlight coming through the window. I tried to convince myself it wasn't blood. I wasn't in psycho and it wasn't actually just chocolate sauce.

My eyes slowly moved back up to the man's face and his mouth was the same color as my mother's mouth. The scream that had previously been stuck in my throat finally escaped. The man's blood coated mouth twisted into a smirk and I realized where I had seen him before. It was the man from the coffee shop tonight. The one who stared at me from the door. He must have come here after he left there.

"I've been watching you for a long time. I've been waiting for the right moment." He said. He smiled, "and I'm here to kill you."

I snapped myself out of my stunned state and ran towards the front door as soon as I reached the front door he was standing there waiting for me. I looked around quickly for a weapon. Beside me were some wooden umbrellas. I grabbed one and swung it as hard as I could. The umbrella made contact and the wood snapped in half. A few splinters stuck into his head. The man gasped and clutched his head. I didn't skip a beat and ran upstairs.

I ran into my bedroom and into the closet. I climbed up to the top shelf and pushed open the entrance to attic. I pulled myself up and quietly closed the trap door behind myself. I dialed the number for the police on my phone but only heard beeping coming from the end. I looked at the screen. There was no reception somehow he had cut it.

"You can't hide from me." It sounded like the words were coming from all around me and from inside my head at the same time.

I looked at my phone again and saw that I still had Wi-Fi. I text Josh on IMessenger for him to get help. A few seconds later I got a message back saying he was on his way. I breathed out in relief knowing that I just had to make it a little longer. I could hear the man downstairs opening and closing doors in the hallway below me. He laughed

"I've known where you were this whole time. I just like toying with my food." His voice came from right underneath me.

I stacked some boxes on top of the opening but none were really heavy. The window at the other side of the attic was my last hope. I grabbed a baseball bat from when I played little league. I swung it against the window. Once. Twice. And on the third hit cracks blossomed out from where I hit the window. I put all my strength and weight into the last swing and the window shattered outwards. I cleared the remaining glass with the bat and looked outwards. It was a three-story drop to the bottom. I looked back at the stacked boxes and I saw them starting to rise. It was now or never.

I grabbed the windowsill and climbed out. I stood on the edge and reached up to grip the roof. I could feel the rough touch of the shingles scraping against the palms of my hands. I pulled my self up and swung my legs onto the roof just as the man reached out the window to grab at my legs.

I ran to the top of the roof and looked around. I realized there was nowhere to go. I was cornered and I couldn't even see Josh's car down the street. The man jumped up to the roof with ease. He had the broken end of the umbrella in his hand and tossed it carelessly to the side.

"There's nowhere to go now."

I screamed as loud as I could, praying that someone, anyone, would hear me. He walked closer.

"This is Las Vegas, people always scream. Everyone's stopped listing." He walked forward slowly. "Vermin have become accustom to hearing the pain of others." Each syllable was punctuated with another step closer. I stumbled backwards to keep the distance but soon enough I came up against the chimney. "They're too concerned with their own well being to take care of on another. That's why we feed on them" At this point he was standing right in front of me. He opened his mouth and his eyeteeth grew to twice their normal length. "And because their blood is delicious." He lunged for my throat. I felt his teeth brush against my throat but before I could blink he was pinned against the ground. On top of him was Josh.

"That's my girlfriend, Creep!" Josh yelled and punched him in the face. The man yelled out as it pushed the wooden splinters deeper into his head. There was a blur and then the man was on top of Josh and choking him. Before I could react there was another blur and then the man was laying on the roof and Josh had his arm around his neck as he pushed him off the edge. It was like they had teleported to the other side of the roof. I ran over to where the broken umbrella was but nearly tripped on one of the shingles on my way there. I looked at the two and I saw the man kick Josh in the chest and send him flying into the chimney where I had just been standing. Some of the chimney's brick crumble but Josh just got up as if nothing had happened. He walked slowly over to the man. The man just stood still as if there was something holding him there. Josh looked back at me.

"Toss me the umbrella," he ordered.

I tossed it underhand toward him. He caught it and stabbed the man in the chest with one fluid moment. The man crumpled down and it looked as if his skin was rapidly wrinkling. Josh kicked him and the man rolled off the roof. He landed on the front lawn with a muffled thud. Josh came over and hugged me.

"It's going to be alright now." Josh whispered in my ear. I pictured my mother's body lying in the living room. I never got to say goodbye. I'd never be able to say goodnight to her or tell her I'd see her after work. I'd never hear her yell at me for staying out too late or for forgetting to take out the garbage. Most of all I'd never be able to hear my mother say she loves me ever again. Tears streamed down my face.

"No, it's not."