The New Neighbor

The moving truck pulled up at twilight. I watched the movers unload the belongings inside and bring them into the house. I didn't see anyone else go in.

I'd heard someone had bought the old Murphy house, but I thought they'd be tearing down the building, not living in it. The new owners must have heard the rumors about the house being haunted. It was featured in the news and at least one paranormal group had investigated there, capturing voices on tapes and shadowy figures darting from room to room. I hoped the new owners knew what they were getting into.

Shaking my head, I moved away from the window and finished getting dinner ready.

The next couple of weeks were strange. I didn't see anyone leave the house next door during the day. It was only at night that I saw someone leave. A man's figure would exit the door, lock it, then go to the car in the driveway. I didn't see him come back, so I figured he worked midnights. Due to him keeping the lights off, I didn't get a good look at him, so I wasn't sure what he really looked like.

I'd also started to have nightmares every night. You'd think living next door to a haunted house would have done that, but it didn't. Every night, I'd dream something was scratching at my window. A feeling of dread would wash over me, and I'd pull the covers up over my head, so I wouldn't see whatever it was at the window. I'd feel a pull though to look, and just when I couldn't take it anymore and look, I'd wake up with the memory of a pair of red eyes staring at me.

My heart would be pounding, and I'd glance at my bedroom window, but nothing was there. It always took me a long time to get back to sleep.

One night, I'd decided to sleep on the couch to see if that would stop the nightmares. I wasn't sure if a change in scenery would do that, but I was desperate enough to try.

I dozed off while watching the television, hoping watching something before I fell asleep would make me dream of something else.

A sound in the backyard woke me in the middle of the night. The television was still going, so at first, I thought that was what had woken me, but then I heard it again. I muted the television.

It sounded like someone was running through the yard. I sat up on the couch and grabbed my phone, in case I needed to call for help.

Slowly standing up, I kept my attention on the backyard as I crept through the living room and into the kitchen, which overlooked the yard.

I made my way to the window over the sink and peered out. The yard was still. I leaned closer.

A pale face with red eyes lunged at me, causing me to fall backward as I let out a scream. I landed on my rear end and covered my head with my hands.

I thought that thing was going to burst through the window and kill me, but all was still. I lowered my hands, which were shaking, and made myself look up at the window. Nothing was there.

Looking around the room, I got to my hands and knees. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

Reaching up, I grabbed the edge of the sink to help me get to my feet. My legs were shaking so hard, I thought I'd fall over if I didn't have that support.

I made myself look out of the window once more, but nothing was out in the yard. I leaned closer to get a better look, but the backyard was as it always was.

Shaking my head, I closed the curtains and went back to the couch. I unmuted the television and got back under the covers.

As I was dozing off, I realized the face in the window was the same one as I'd seen in my nightmares. My eyes shot open, and I sat up, my heart pounding.

Wrapping myself in the blanket, I sat up, watching mindless television for the rest of the night.

The next day, as I was getting into my car to get groceries, my neighbor on the other side of me, Betty, called out.

"Yoohoo, neighbor!" she said in her usual greeting.

"Hey, Betty," I ground out, grumpy from lack of sleep.

"Did you hear the excitement last night?" she asked, walking over.

My eyes got wide at that.

I shook my head and asked, "What happened?"

"You remember that string of break-ins that have been going on for the past couple of weeks, right?" she asked, reaching me and leaning against the car.

I thought for a moment, then nodded. I hadn't paid them much attention since I was so disturbed by my nightmares.

"Anyway, they caught the guy who did it," she said, her eyes wide with excitement.

"What? Where?" I asked.

"Right in your backyard!" she said, leaning toward me.

"What?" I asked, my mouth dropping open. "How did I not know about this?"

"You might have been deep asleep," Betty said, patting my arm. "Are you a heavy sleeper?"

I shook my head and said, "Not usually."

Her face scrunched up, then she shook her head and said, "Anyway, the guy was in a panic and screaming that something was chasing him, trying to eat him or something."

"What?" I asked for the third time. "What did he mean, something was trying to eat him?"

Betty shook her head and said, "They weren't real sure. He was babbling and practically climbed into the back of the squad car to get away from whatever he thought was chasing him."

We were both silent for a moment, then she added, "Oh, and the police officer said the guy was bleeding from his neck, so he must have scratched himself or something while he was trying to get away from whatever he thought he saw."

After that news, she said her good-byes, and I got into my car. I didn't start it right away, but sat there, lost in my thoughts. I turned my head to look at the house next to mine.

Staring at it, I had a sinking feeling I knew what type of person could live in a haunted house. Live being the operative word.

I still had groceries to buy, so I started the car and went to the store. I made sure to stock up on garlic. I'm sure the cashier thought I was making a lot of Italian food, and I didn't have the heart to correct her.

That night, I made sure to have a head of garlic on every windowsill and hanging off of every door.

For the first time in months, I didn't have any nightmares. In the morning, when I opened the door, I found an envelope on my doormat.

I looked around to see if I could tell who had written it, but no one was in sight, not even Betty.

Closing the door again, I opened the envelope and pulled out the folded piece of paper.

On it was written, "You have nothing more to fear from me. You are under my protection now."

No signature was on the note, but I knew who it was from. The vampire next door.