Painting the Winter Night

A black haired man stood in front of me in a run down mansion. His clothes were dirty and ragged. His brown eyes darkened with twisted intent as I ran into the peeling wooden door. The cherry wood stairs creaked underneath my heavy footsteps. A sharp piece of wood grabbed my black silk dress, knocking me onto the landing. A metal object glinted in the blue moonlight. Agony rushed through my body as the knife stabbed me in the chest.

My body jerked awake while cold sweat drenched my forehead. The clock blinked eight o' clock. Shit, I was late for work. The black silk felt soft over my pale skin. Grabbing my keys, I pulled my long hair into a loose bun. My round purple purse fell off my shoulder as my feet slid into a pair of worn flats. Trees rushed past me as the red fiesta sped to the local coffee shop. It's brick store front taunted me. This was one of my least favorite workplaces.

"You are late." A grumpy female voice chastised while tossing me a green apron. "Get in the back and start prepping for lunch." Rolling my copper eyes, I walked through the red door into the kitchen. Everything was white and silver. The trashcan had a funking smell as it screamed take me out. The closers must not have taken the trash out. The bag struggled to be tied leaving me most irked. The bag weighed down on my left shoulder as I walked over to the green dumpster. The bag thudded to the bottom as I turned to leave. The air felt thick and dark in the chilly winter air.

"Got any change." A gruff voice asked shaking an empty coffee cup. My eyes filled with horror as I saw who it was. My muscled paralyzed with pure fear. It was the black-haired man from my dreams. My boss called me from the back door to get back to work.

"Did he hurt you, Julie?" She inquired with deep concern. "He tried to kidnap Susie the other day." Her blonde bob shimmered in the yellow kitchen lights. Her ocean blue eyes flickered out front and out the back window. A brown coffee stain glared back at me from her white shirt.

"I am okay." I muttered turning to the sink. "Use this for your shirt." She muttered thanks accepting my Tide pen. The day went by deathly slow. Anxiously I waited for the clock to read four o' clock. My boss sent me home, however it was dark out. Stupid winter making it dark way too early. Sighing, my keys slipped out of my fingers. Upon picking them up, the strange man from before was staring at me with a crooked grin. My heart stopped beating as tucked my keys in between my fingers. Despair filled my face when my tires looked flatter than a piece of paper. My shoes slipped on the icy ground as I sprinted away from him. My lungs burned as I looked back only to see him running after him. The cold air stung when he disappeared. Something was wrong as I walked around looking for anyone who could help me.

My hands shook when I saw him standing in front of a rundown mansion. My heart pounded out of my chest as his face twisted with ill intent. Maybe I could lose him in there, or find a weapon to fight him off. Breathing deeply, my face stung from the cold as I pushed through the peeling door. His footsteps creaked behind me as my dress got caught on the jagged piece of wood. The knife crashed into the wood next to me as my body rolled over. A tear echoed through the still house when my dress tore. A maniacal smile danced across his face while the knife kept whizzing by head.

Pain shot through my body when the small blade struck my leg. Blood trickled down my left leg, painting the snow red. Help screamed from my burning throat as I limped into a rotting bedroom. The lock clicked while my eyes took in the utter decay around me. The wallpaper was peeling and the furniture was crumbling around me. Scanning the room, a golden letter opener glittered in the blue moon light. Above the white marble fire place was a long sword. Banging rang around me while I grabbed both weapons. The door shattered revealing the furious man lunching at me. Shaking, I raised my sword. He howled in pain as blood splattered everywhere. The sword hung out on both sides of his body. Hot vomit flew up my throat as he yanked the dripping sword from his abdomen. Pink intestines plopped to the floor painting the floor red. Smiling crazily, The long blade glinted as he sliced at his neck. His head slowly slid off and rolled to my feet. His face was still smiling at my horrified pale face. Stumbling back, a loud crash echoed around me as the wood gave way. Cracking filled the chilly air as my arm snapped. Red and blue lights flashed nearly blinding me.

"Call an ambulance." A strong voice ordered. "Are you okay?" Before I could answer, his head rolled in between my legs. The room spun around me until darkness consumed me.

The white stale hospital room was quiet as the nurse stopped to look at the television. The reporter on the television was standing in front of a large fire.

"Beartfield Mansion is now burning down to the ground in a firefighter practice." She explained looking back. "People will miss the beautiful mansion." The nurse clicked off the television and whispered in my ears.

"I will get you for killing my brother." She teased evilly. "It may not be today. I promise to get you." My eyes filled with terror as she inserted a needle into my neck. The world grew fuzzy as I was left to her mercy.

Loud voices boomed around me as the police pulled her off of me as my eyes fluttered open. One of the officers stated she was not even a nurse. The machine beeped as my heart raced. A man in a white coat told me to relax as she was taken away kicking and screaming. My mother entered the room rushing to my side and held my hand. Tears flooded from her copper eyes as we hugged and cried for the rest of the night.