Are You Alone in the House

by Travis Szablewski

  Jessie ran towards the front door ahead and pulled the door open. She glanced back, the masked maniac charging down the stairs after her. She ran forward and onto the front porch, her heart beat pounding in her ears. She ran down the creaky steps as her eyes lifted to Ethan’s car ahead…just a few feet away. Jessie ran forward, her heeled boots crunching on the gravel as she circled the front of the car and made her way to the driver’s side.

  Jessie quickly pulled the driver’s door open and sat into the seat, slamming the door closed. She quickly pressed the lock button as she heard every door click…all of them, secured. Her eyes darted up to the house beside her…to see the figure nowhere in sight.

  “Shit!” Jessie cursed as she pulled the sun visor above her down, searching for a possible spare key. She leaned forward, ripping the glove box open. But nothing…no spare key. Ethan had the key. She was stuck. She was trapped.

  Jessie quickly dug into the small pocket of her dress and pulled out her cellphone, the device trembling in her hands. Her bright scream beamed onto her red face as she quickly put in her passcode. She had to call the police…and fast. Jessie quickly dialed a nine and one…

  As the driver’s side window beside her busted open. Jessie’s phone fell to the floorboard as the large shards of glass flew through the air and scattered onto the front seat. Jessie screamed in terror as the masked figure reached through the broken window, their gloved hand wrapping tightly around her neck. Jessie’s terrified eyes widened as she felt the figure’s grip tighten…harder and harder. Her legs kicked below her as she struggled to breath under the figure’s tightening grip. Her hands rose to her neck, clawing at the figure’s gloved hand wrapped around her throat.

  Her wide eyes scanned the front seat for a weapon…for anything to fight against her impending doom. She quickly grabbed a shard of the window glass that laid in the seat beside her…and stabbed it into the figure’s arm. The masked figure released her throat and backed away as they cried in pain. Jessie’s chest heaved up and down as she felt the air rush to her lungs. She quickly turned on the front seat, crawling towards the passenger side door ahead. Just a few more inches…

  She tugged the handle and shoved the passenger side door open. She had to get back to the house! She had to find Ethan and they had to get the hell out of here! The figure ripped the driver’s door open as Jessie clawed at the gravel below as she struggled to pull her body out of the car. And that’s when she felt a hand wrap around her right ankle.

  “Ah!” Jessie screamed out as she glanced back…to see the figure through the open driver’s side door…tugging on her ankle. “No! No!” Jessie cried out as she was dragged back along the seat and towards the figure behind her. Jessie felt the small crumbles of glass slice into her stomach and chest as the figure pulled her towards them across the front seat. Jessie then spun onto her back, staring into the unknown culprit’s dark eyes as they stared back at her from behind the baby doll mask.

  Jessie threw her foot forward as her boot smashed into the figure’s stomach. The dark figure stumbled back, hitting the gravel driveway with a thud. This was her chance! Jessie turned back onto her stomach as she crawled forward and through the open passenger side door.

  She tumbled out through the open door and slammed onto the gravel below, the sharp rocks slicing into the tender flesh of her knee caps. Jessie sobbed, the warm tears rushing down her face as she quickly stood up…and ran towards the house just a few feet ahead.

  “Ethan!” Jessie cried out as she ran up the front porch steps and towards the open front door ahead.

  Jessie ran through the open doorway and charged into the foyer as she slammed the front door shut behind her. She quickly turned the deadbolt and backed away quickly. She had to act fast! She had to find Ethan!

  “Ethan, where the fuck are you!” Jessie yelled as she ran towards the swinging door ahead. She threw her hands forward, shoving it open as she dashed into the bloody kitchen. Jessie kept her eyes forward, unable to look at her mother’s dead body, as she rushed to the back door and turned the deadbolt quickly. She had to secure this house. If the killer got in…they would be trapped like rats. They would be done for.

  Jessie turned towards the counter beside her…as her teary eyes settled onto the knife block in front of her. She lunged forward, and her hand wrapped around the handle of a butcher knife. She pulled it from the block, the knife trembling in her hand. Jessie kicked her boots off as she made her way back towards the foyer ahead. She was ready to fight…

  She was ready to end this…

  Once and for all.

  ALL TIED UP

  Jessie rushed up the stairs as her bare feet pounded onto the cold, wooden steps. She ran from the stairs as her eyes scanned the deserted second level hallway. She turned, eying the two dark corridors to her right and left.

  “Ethan!” Jessie called out as she walked down the right corridor of the dark hallway. Her grip tightened on the butcher knife in her hand as she made her way towards her bedroom door ahead. She pushed her door open…and stared inside…

  To see no one.

  Her dark bedroom, vacant.

  And that’s when she heard the muffled sobs to her right. She quickly spun around…as her eyes settled onto the door at the end of the hall.

  The attic…

  Jessie rushed towards the slightly ajar door and pulled it open. Her eyes drifted up the dusty, dark staircase that lead up to the dark abyss above. The muffled cries…growing louder and louder.

  “Ethan!” Jessie cried out as she quickly ran up the creaky stairs and towards the attic above. “Ethan, I’m coming!”

  Jessie stepped into the dark, cold attic as her eyes scanned the chaotic mess around her. Old furniture covered nearly every inch of the attic floor. Dressers, chairs, and tables…all covered with white sheets to protect them from any further damage. Jessie stepped around a large stack of boxes as the muffled cries grew louder and louder. Jessie rushed forward, dodging around the covered furniture and boxes.

  “Ethan! Ethan, I’m here!” Jessie cried out as she followed the cries. She stepped around a tall, covered book shelf as her eyes settled onto…

  Burke Collins.

  He sat in an old rocking chair. Rope was wrapped tightly around his entire body, securing him to the chair. Duct tape secured his hands to the armrests and a single piece of duct tape covered his mouth. The full moon shimmered through the large window beside the chair…supplying the only light. Jessie rushed towards him as he cried beneath the tape covering his lips. A large, bloody gash was spread out across his forehead. He was caught by surprise. This was this sick psycho’s plan. But why keep Burke alive? Jessie pushed the questions out of her head as she made her way towards him.

  “Burke, I’m here! I’m here!” Jessie cried as knelt beside the chair and began to peel at the tape securing his hands. Burke moaned…louder and louder beneath the tape. “Where is Ethan? Do you where he is?” Jessie said, her voice trembling, as she grabbed the edge of the tape covering his mouth. Jessie pulled the tape…as Burke took a deep breath…

  “Behind you!” Burke screamed. Jessie’s eyes widened…as she spun around…

  As the figure lunged out from under a white sheet…and tackled Jessie to the floor. Jessie let out a scream as she tumbled to the floor with the masked maniac. The knife flew from Jessie’s hand and slid across the cold, wooden floor…a few feet away. Jessie quickly threw her hands against the cloaked figure’s chest, shoving them off her.

  Jessie quickly turned onto her hands and knees and crawled towards the knife ahead. Just a few more inches! The figure then stood up, grabbing her ankles in their gloved hands and dragged her back. Jessie clawed at the knife…her fingertips grazing the handle as she was dragged along the floor and away from the weapon ahead.

  “No!” Jessie cried out.

  “Don’t touch her! Don’t you fucking touch her!” Burke cried out as he writhed in the chair, struggling beneath the tight ropes securing his entire body
.

  Jessie quickly turned onto her back…and ripped her right ankle free from the killer’s grip. She then threw her right foot up, kicking the figure in the chest.

  The figure tumbled back, slamming into the wall. Jessie quickly crawled forward, the knife just a head. Her shaking hands wrapped around the handle of the butcher knife as she quickly stood…and spun around…

  As the masked figure charged her.

  “Ah!” Jessie screamed as the figure tackled her through the attic doorway.

  “No!” Burke cried out as he tugged and tugged at the ropes entrapping him.

  Jessie tumbled down the dark attic staircase with the black figure. Jessie felt the steps slam into her ribs as she tumbled off the last step and collapsed into the second level hallway. Jessie struggled to catch her breath as she glanced back…as the figure fell from the stairs and onto the floor beside her. Her eyes then drifted to her left…to see the butcher knife beside her. The figure quickly sat up straight on the floor…as Jessie snatched her butcher knife from beside her and ran towards her bedroom door ahead. The figure quickly lunged to their feet…and charged after her.

  Jessie ran through her bedroom doorway and began to shut the door behind her…as the figure slammed against it from the outside.

  “Ah! No!” Jessie cried out as she slammed her shoulder against the door, pressing against the figure as they pressed onto the door from the other side. Jessie threw her shoulder into the door, again and again…as the door finally closed. Jessie quickly turned the lock…and backed away as the figure pounded onto the door from the outside.

  Jessie jumped in terror as she watched the long blade of the maniac’s bowie knife stab through the door…again and again; the blade hacking through the wood. They were coming for her…and with a vengeance.

  FLIGHT OR FIGHT

  Jessie screamed as she watched the killer’s blade stab through her wooden bedroom door, again and again. She had to get out of here! She spun around as her eyes set onto her bedroom window. It was her only escape! Jessie ran forward and threw her red curtains open…as the bedroom busted open behind her. Jessie quickly grabbed the window and began to raise it up as the baby doll masked figure threw their arms around her from behind.

  “No! No!” Jessie screamed as she kicked her legs in the air, the maniac’s arms wrapped tightly around her waist from behind. Jessie then slashed her butcher knife down, as the blade sliced into the figure’s arm. The figure then released her…and shoved her forward. Jessie stumbled across the floor and slammed into her vanity table. The edge of the table slammed into her waist as she leaned over it from the rough shove. She looked back, her hair plastered to her face as she watched the figure charge towards her, their knife in the air.

  Jessie dunked down as the figure stabbed their knife down towards her. The blade missed Jessie by inches as it stabbed into the wooden vanity table. Jessie stood beside the figure…as she grabbed the top of her vanity mirror and swung it down. The top of the vanity mirror swung down as it smashed into the back of the figure’s head. The glass shattered into a million pieces as Jessie spun around and ran towards her bedroom door. Just a few feet away!

  The figure rushed up behind her, their gloved hand wrapping tightly around her head. The figure threw Jessie forward as she slammed against the wall beside her closet. Jessie hit the floor with a thud as the knife slipped from her hands. She reached for it…as the figure kicked the knife with their black boot. Jessie watched as the knife slid across the floor and under her bed. Jessie screamed in terror as she turned onto her back. The figure quickly straddled her, sitting on her chest as their gloved hands wrapped tightly around her throat.

  “Please!” Jessie choked out as she struggled to breathe. Her wide, red eyes darted to their sides…as they settled onto a small stack of shoes beside her bedroom door. Jessie reached to her right, snatching a black high heeled shoe…and swung it at the figure. The sharp heel stabbed into the figure’s cloaked shoulder as Jessie then threw her hands forward, shoving the killer off her.

  Jessie quickly rolled onto her stomach and picked herself up off the floor as she held her throat, still struggling to catch her breath. Jessie ran into the dark hallway as her bare feet pounded onto the floor. She rounded the corner and rushed down the stairs. She had to run! She had to escape! She could only pray that Ethan was safe! Jessie leaped off the last step and ran towards the front door ahead.

  Her hand wrapped tightly around the handle as she yanked the front door open…

  And she let out a blood curdling scream.

  SURPRISE, JESSIE

  “What the fuck is going on, Jessie?” Ethan screamed as he stormed into the foyer through the front door. Jessie stared back at him with wide eyes. The side of Ethan’s head was bleeding…clearly suffering from a similar fate as Burke did. Jessie lunge forward, throwing her arms around him as she sobbed into his chest.

  “Where the hell have you been?” Jessie sobbed loudly.

  “I went upstairs and the next thing I knew, somebody knocked me out. I woke up in your mom’s bedroom and I couldn’t find you. I couldn’t find you anywhere, so I checked the garage. I checked outside. I checked everywhere, Jessie. What is going on?” Ethan asked in terror as he held his throbbing head.

  “The killer is here! We have to go…NOW!” Jessie begged as she held onto Ethan’s shoulders tightly.

  “Where is Burke?” Ethan asked quickly, his eyes narrowing onto Jessie.

  “He’s upstairs…he’s in the attic,” Jessie cried.

  “We can’t leave him!” Ethan yelled as he rushed towards the staircase. Jessie wrapped her hand around his arm, struggling to stop him.

  “No! Ethan, you can’t go up there! We have to get out of here!” Jessie cried.

  “And leave our friend? I’ve lost enough friends, Jessie! I’m not losing anymore!” Ethan snapped as he dug into his pocket…and pulled out a switchblade. He held the knife up as the blade shot out from the handle. “Hide…don’t come out until I tell you to,” Ethan said.

  “Ethan, please don’t leave me,” Jessie cried as her grip tightened on his arms.

  “I won’t! I would never leave you, Jessie!” Ethan said as he fought his tears. “I love you,” Ethan said as he leaned forward, kissing Jessie. Jessie closed her eyes as she kissed Ethan…possibly for the last time. Her heart sank into her chest as she squeezed Ethan tightly as he pulled his lips from hers. “Now, hide…and stay there. Don’t make a sound,” Ethan demanded. Jessie nodded, the tears streaming down her face as she watched Ethan rush up the staircase. For once, she had to trust Ethan. For once, she had to let go of the wheel. Jessie quickly spun around and rushed towards the kitchen door ahead. She had to find a hiding spot…and a weapon. She had to be prepared for the worst. Jessie pushed the swinging door open and rushed into the bloody kitchen. The door swung shut behind her as she stopped in her tracks. Jessie took a deep breath…as she inched around the kitchen island and towards the counter ahead. She kept her eyes forward, not daring to stare down at her mother’s corpse. She quickly pulled a drawer open…and she stared down at a meat mallet inside.

  “Jessie…”

  Jessie’s eyes widened as she heard Ethan say her name behind her.

  “Ethan, did you get Burke?” Jessie asked as she turned…

  Jessie’s eyes widened…

  As she covered her mouth in terror…

  To see Ethan, standing in the kitchen. The baby doll masked figure standing behind him…with their bowie knife to his throat. Their other hand placed tightly on his right shoulder, holding him in place.

  “Oh, my God,” Jessie sobbed. “Please, don’t hurt him! Please!”

  “No, do what you want to me! Don’t hurt Jessie! Please just let her go!” Ethan said, frozen in terror as he felt the cold blade of the bowie knife against his warm throat.

  The figure then lowered their knife from Ethan’s throat slowly…as Jessie watched in terror…her heart pounding inside of her chest. Ethan let out the br
eath he was holding in…as he closed his eyes in relief.

  The figure then brought the knife back up…and slashed it across Ethan’s throat from behind.

  “NO!” Jessie cried out as she sank to her knees onto the bloody tile floor. The figure shoved Ethan forward as he collapsed onto his back in front of Jessie. Jessie quickly crawled to him…as she watched the blood gush from the gapping slash across his throat. “No, please! Ethan, stay with me!” Jessie sobbed as she placed his head onto her lap…and pressed her hand tightly against the slash in his throat, struggling to stop the bleeding. Jessie stared down into Ethan’s eyes as the blood gushed through her fingers. It was too deep. She couldn’t stop this…it was inevitable. “Please, Ethan. Please don’t leave me, please!” Jessie sobbed. Ethan’s hand wrapped tightly around Jessie’s…as his eyes widened…and he took his last breath.

  Ethan…was gone.

  “No, no, no,” Jessie sobbed as she rested her forehead onto Ethan’s. “I love you, Ethan. I love you so much,” Jessie cried. She lifted her eyes from Ethan’s as she watched the two black boots step in front of her. Jessie slowly looked up…and into the baby doll mask of the maniac standing before her. Jessie’s lips trembled as the warm tears streamed down her red cheeks. She watched as the figure slowly grabbed the bottom of their mask. Jessie slowly stood to her knees, her dress covered in Ethan’s blood…as she watched the figure remove their mask. Jessie covered her mouth with her bloody hands…as she stepped back in shock. Jessie stared back into the dark eyes of…

  Melissa Newman.

  “Mrs. Newman,” Jessie said as she backed away, her hands trembling at her side. Why? Why would she do this…all of this? The questions swirled through Jessie’s head as she stared back at Melissa in shock.