My Hell.

TW: killing

Helen

 The loud strange knock on my window has been keeping me up at night . My neighbours around me disappearing or being found dead only increased my fears. Today is not an exception. I heard the knock at exactly 1am the same as every other night before. I need to end my fears and put a stop to this uncertainty. I need to know who is knocking on my window.

Thump....thump.....thump.... thump....

  My heart beats rapidly as I walk to the window. I need to know who continuously comes to knock at night. I have always wondered if or even when they will break into the house. It's not a wonder I do not sleep. constant anxiety and uncertainty imprison my mind. 

The strange old man next door doesn't help at all. His eyes fixated on me every morning as I leave the house. His eyes watching my every move, its un-nerving and I always feel so uneasy. 

With my sweaty palms and baseball bat, I make my way to the window. My anxiety increases immensely as the floor boards creak from underneath me with every step , Closer and closer to the window. My chest thuds as my heart races , its pounding so hard it hurts. I get to the window and take a deep breathe trying to find the bravery within me to take a look. I whip open the curtain as quickly as I can, no point in delaying the inevitable but I didn't see anyone, except for my car and the rusty old truck that belongs to the old man next door. 

Maybe it was imagination maybe it wasn't, nothing seemed to make sense anymore.

As I am about to turn and go back, I think for a moment I saw something in the corner of my eye. Something or someone moved. I placed my face up against the cold window and I saw him...I saw my neighbor coming towards my window with an axe. I looked and our eyes locked. A whimper escaped my mouth and I knew at that moment, I knew I would be next. I backed up immediately to the darkness beside the window.

 Panic and fear now raging through me. I took a deep breath and counted to 10. I moved to see if I could still see him or, If my mind was playing tricks on me. Gradually I moved my face to the window and I peered outside , his face was plastered on the window. He smiled and muttered, "you are next." 

  "Haaaaaaa" I screamed A blood curdling scream as I fell on my butt and crawled away from the window. I rushed to my phone to make a call but there was no signal.

 This only means I can't call for help and am all alone.

  "Oh God please...... Don't let him get to me. I promise to serve you if you save me this one time......" These were my prayers as I moved around the floor of my grandparents home. 

I moved into this God forsaken house two weeks ago and I have never had a moment's peace since I got here. This town felt like it had its very own hell hole. Every day someone goes missing or found dead in their house.

 I turned on the light and there was no fucking power. Why today of all days?.why now? 

  I was about to move towards the stairs when I heard the sound of glass shattering absently mindedly I ran towards the sound...as I rushed to it, lo' and behold my window was shattered into tiny pieces. I was so scared that I couldn't move. I was rooted to the spot with fear. When I came to realise what I should do, it was too late cause at that moment, a hand appeared, then another hand and then a face. I screamed and ran up stairs into my room. I opened my window to call for help but the whole street looks deserted. Not a single light was turned on in any of the houses.

   Who asked me to move into this rotten house? I wanted to keep the last part of my family with me that's why am in this mess.

I was in my apartment when I got a call that my grandparents had been found dead in their living room. I rushed down but I wasn't allowed to see their body. I was told I would interfere with the investigation. Who ruins investigation by just looking at a body?. I never liked coming to this side of the world cause it's too quiet for my liking. You would hardly see a child running in the street during the day. I came to visit my grandparents two years ago and I never came back. This place creeps me out.

 When they died, I couldn't bring myself to sell the house. I wanted to have a part of them with me. something to keep their memory alive, and that's why I kept the house and even moved in.

 If only I had of known how creepy this area is, I would have never thought of, or, even stepped a foot here at all. 

   I was still lost in my thinking when I heard the creak of the floor boards on the staircase. "You can't hide from me Helen. I'll surely get you." I heard his creepy voice taunting me. 

I Am trapped on the upper floor of the house and there is no way out from here.

 If I want to escape then I need to pass by him on the stairs. I tip toed to my door and open it a little to peep out down the hallway towards the stairs. The hallway is dark but I can hear his heavy foot step and whatever he was dragging up the stairs with him. 

I took tiny steps out of my room towards the attic. I know it would take a while before he finds me there and maybe by then I would have called for help.  

    ***  Oscar  ***

  I have been living in this area since I was a kid and all I do, l learnt from my parents. Every old member of this area knows that all outsiders are to be killed. It is a tradition that have been in existence before I was born and no one has tried to stop it.

Well, anyone who tried to stop it, or, rat us out, never lived to tell the tale.  

  Today am to kill that bitch Helen. She thinks she is better than all of us simply because she drives a stupid fancy car and works in the city. You should see the way she rushes out every morning. Her parents were killed because they wanted to tell the police what we do. Her grandparents were too old and it was time they said good bye to the world. Now she is the only one left and I can't wait to watch how she begs when her life leaves her body. The strength to know that you have the power to take their life is what I love the most. It's exhilarating. I have been scaring the bitch every night by placing knocks on her window but, today will be her end. I watch as she runs up the stairs in fear. I know the layout of this house like the back of my palm and am going to play a game of hide and seek with her. 

     ******* Helen *******

  The attic is one part of this house I don't enter. Attics are used to store family things and that's what I expect of this particular one. I entered and shut the door behind me. I already decided that if this would be how I die, then I will die fighting. I won't go down without a fight. I was looking through all the boxes when I saw a journal. I was only looking for a weapon to use or something that could slow Oscar down so I get out to get help. I looked for anything and I found a short gun in one of the boxes. It was hidden among the clothes. It was hidden so well that one would say am lucky I found it. I took the journal and sat on a rocking chair I found among the boxes. 

  The first page of the journal made me understand it belonged to my grandparents. On the first page was also an instruction and layout of the house. The layout made me understand there is a door in my parents room that could lead me out of the house when there was an emergency. I read only a few pages forgetting that I was about to be killed. The book spells out the crime that has been happening in this closed area for centuries. It also state that my parents were killed because they wanted to get out of this hell hole called hellvalley town . It was obvious my grandparents put this together in a hurry because of the urgency of every word. They explained everything about this disgusting town into the journal. After a few pages, I was able to understand what was happening. I now know those missing people were all killed and I was about to become a victim too. I was about to put down the journal when I heard the heavy footstep of Oscar coming towards the attic. I quickly got up, picked the gun and journal and hid behind a huge box. I didn't even settle before the door banged open. I covered my mouth to stifle my whimper. I watched as he moved into the room and started looking around. He must think am harmless to be walking so freely. 

  I watched as he got close to where I was hiding and stopped. He smiled his creepy smile and said. "Come out Helen. I know you are in here. I will count to three and, if you don't come out then I will drag you out myself." 

I didn't say a thing and continued watching him. "1......... Your time is going Helen. 2........ And the last minute......"

  "Stop counting please." I said and came out of my hiding spot but I made sure I had the gun and journal tucked into my shirt.

"Good girl. Now come here and let's get this over with." He beckoned me.

I didn't make a move but instead, I engaged him In a conversation so as to plan my way out of this attic. "Why are you doing this? I have not offended you in anyway." 

He laughed and said."it's not you. It's the system. We all get to die at a certain point in our lives and today happens to be your time."  

He moved to grab me but I shoved him and ran towards the door. I didn't even get far before I was tackled down. I fell face flat and the journal flew out of my shirt. He made to grab it but I turned and started scratching him. Something in me told me that if he should see what that journal contains, then I'll be dead In a minute. I could feel his weight on me as he tried to hold me down. The will to survive is strong so, I managed to get away from him but I didn't make it to the stairs cause he blocked it already. I made a turn to go to my parents room but he was behind me and he had that his annoying smile on.

"You just made me angry you know. I wanted to give you a quick death but now you'll die a slow painful death." He said.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked him. I was sacred and my heart was about to pop out of my chest but I won't allow him see my fear. I'll try to get my car keys and leave this place and if anyone has to die, it will be him not me. 

"Well it's fun. I have been doing it since I was a kid and I don't plan to stop anytime soon. I watched my parents kill your parents and I enjoyed how your parents begged. Your grandparents couldn't do anything than to send you to the city" He said with a smile and I hated him the more.

"So why do you want to kill me?" I asked him.

"You Annoy me and I hate seeing you. You act as if you are better than every one here. You all are good for nothing and I need to get rid of you." He said and it was obvious he really meant business.

I know I can survive and I promise I will. I just need to get him on this side and if am lucky, I'll get to my parent's room before he knows it. I tried to maneuver my way around him but he didn't give me an opening. That was when I remembered I had a gun on me. 

"Please let me go Oscar, I promise never to come back and, I'll be tell a soul what happened here." I tried to negotiate.

"Hahahahaha." He laughed at me. "If you think I'll ever let you go then, you are a dreamer. I hate you to the core and your seat will give me immense pleasure." He said haughtily.

I have no choice now. My last option was the gun I found in the attic. I brought it out of my shirt pointed it at him. "Move out of my way or else I'll kill you right now." I threatened. He only look at me like I was a clown and smiled crookedly. My heart beat was too loud and I was sure he could hear it also. I tried to be brave but he could see that I wasn't as brave as I was letting on. With my shaky hands I tried to hold the gun steady and pointing it to him I took a shot. I guess that made him realise I wasn't joking.

 At the next moment, he brought out a Swiss knife from his pocket and and took a swing at me. Before I felt his weight on me, I also took a shot and I taught "this the end" but then I hope I end him also. I felt his weight crash into me and I thought I'll never feel anything like It again. His weight on me was sucking the breath out of me but the thought that, I'll never see the sunrise again, was more agonizing. I was waiting for the knife to plunge into my heart but nothing like that happened. 

Am I dead? I asked myself. Maybe that why I can't feel the pain of the knife?. If am dead then why can I feel his weight on me?. I tried to move my finger and I found i could move it. 

At that moment, realisation struck me like a lightning. I felt blood soaking into my shirt but I know it wasn't mine. I wiggled myself till I was able to push Oscar off me. He rolled off and I saw his lifeless eyes looking at me. My heart was pounding so hard I felt it would burst. I pushed him and he just rolled over. 

Yes. I did it. With no time to regret or think that I just killed a man, I rushed to my room, picked up my keys and dashed to my parent's room. I located the door and when I opened it, I knew I opened a new life. Everything about me changes today. Am no longer the innocent girl I used to be. I killed a man and I will not hesitate to kill anyone who stands in my way or, tries to stops me from living this hell hole. 

 I dashed into my car, ignited the engine and zoomed out of my drive way. With every house I pass, a window opens or a light is turned on. Good bye hell. I looked at the passenger seat and I see the journal and gun looking back at me. The further I go the better I feel, I'll Never return and that am sure of.