What Lurks Behind You

By Paige Shellhammer

Trying not to wake up the baby, she lightly closes the door behind her. Kaylee has been babysitting Olivia all day and was waiting for the Jeffersons to return home. She collapsed onto the couch and took a deep breath as she heard a muffled, talking sound on the baby monitor. She froze and a few seconds later there was a banging sound that traveled through her ear. It came from Olivia’s room. She ran up the stairs, losing all thought of which foot went in front of the other. She burst through the door like it wasn't even there and everything was exactly how she left it. The baby was still out like a light. Her paranoia made her check in her closest and around the room, not a thing was found. She walked back down the stairs in relief, not even being able to comprehend what she would do if something was up there.

A little while later, she is awakened by an ear splitting bang. She slowly sits up just assuming it is the Jeffersons finally returning home. She glances at the door that is in the room next to the living room and no one is there. Then, she frantically walks into the kitchen to also find it empty. Cries on the baby monitor pierce her ears and she rushes up the stairs even faster than the first time. When she finally gets up there, she picks up Olivia and holds her closer than ever. She rocks her back and forth to get her to stop crying, but nothing is helping to calm her down. She does another quick glance around the room but does not see anything. Chills run down her spine, and she gets a suspicion someone is standing behind her. Her body jerks around without hesitation and there was no person. Just a tall, dark figure in the mirror standing right next to her. She turned to run, but she did not get very far...