White Fences, dark souls

My tapping fingers stop to rest against the steering wheel as I lightly press my foot into the brake, slowing down while I approach the stop sign.  Today was extremely hard for me and I couldn't wait to get home and rest. Resting wasn’t the only reason I loved coming home after a hard day. About thirty minutes after I get home, I settle down in my bay window platform in my bedroom. I sit and wait for about another minute, tapping my anxious hand on the book sitting in my lap. I peer across and over the medium sized fence, peering into the neighbor's window. I know it's considered creepy to look into your neighbor's window but it's not like I watch him get dressed.  I see their bedroom door open and I snap my head down pretending to read the book I was holding in my hands. 

My round, thin-rimmed glasses slowly slid down the bridge of my nose, resting peacefully on the tip of my nose gracefully. I lift my hand towards my face and push the glasses back to their rightful place with the back of my hand. I turn the page, now being at least a little bit interested in the book. I sneak a glance towards the neighbors house and turn a deep shade of red when I see that he noticed me sitting in my window. I’ve lived next to this guy for a year and a half now and not once have we spoken, not a word. We’ve stolen glances and passed each other on our way to retrieve our mail. Nothing more than bashful gazes had been exchanged. 

I give a small smile in his direction and a small nod. He returned the gesture and I almost died right there. I refocused on the book and I take mental note that from the corner of my eye, he is still looking at me, I can pretty much feel the holes he’s burning with his stare. I tilt my head down at the page I’m reading. The sun hits my face wonderfully and I am so thankful for the angle my house sits at, The sun always shines on the house perfectly. My eyes stay trained on the book and I shift around a bit, my face leaning in my palm braced against my knees. 

I look up in front of me at a poster hanging on my wall, the sun still gracing me with an ethereal glow as it shines on my olive colored skin. I give a secret smile and finally turn my head towards his window again. His relaxed posture sits on the foot of his bed, his arms perched behind him to stabilize his body as he leans back slightly. I make eye contact with him and he gives me a look that I can't really decipher. I decide to test something out  a bit so I shift again while keeping eye contact and I raise my eyebrows questioningly. He springs out of his resting spot and bounds forward to his own bay window. 

His legs crossing as he settles down. My heart races as he reaches forward and pulls his window open in a rush. I turn more towards the window and open my window too. My elbow places themselves against the window sill, I feel myself lean further away from the comfort of my bay platform. He tries to sputter out some words and I look on waiting for a proper sentence to come out of his mouth. I shake my head lightly and laugh quietly. I raise my head confidently and speak up before he could,

“Is there something you need?” My voice is raised a bit because I want the sound to carry over the perfect white fence separating us slightly.  He rubs the back of his neck shyly and clears his throat, 

“I just think it's so funny how I’ve lived next to you for so long and this is the first time that we’ve actually said something to each other.” I give a small nod and wait for whatever he also wants to say. We stare aimlessly at each other for a couple seconds, surrounded by a comfortable silence.  

“So, Are you a camera?” I chuckle nervously as I try to figure out what he meant by that. “Cause when I look at you I always smile.” He clutched his stomach and rolled around in laughter. I sit there dumbfounded. 

“Did you really just use that lame pick up line on me?” I say pointedly “I am so disappointed, you could have done so much better.” I voice fake disgust and put my hand out in front of me like I was waving him off.  His laugh has a tone of shock and confusion and I watch as he rethink this whole conversation

“That was my best one though,” He places his head in his palm and taps his chin on his pointer finger. “My best friend Elijah taught me that one.” His smile glows brighter and I feel my lips pulling slowly into a small smile. I haul my body into a kneeling position with my heels settled under me. He also readjusted and continued to throw pick up lines into the conversation.  I laugh at his shameless flirting and even put in a couple pick up lines myself.  We finally subside and he launches into a story about his friends and him and I sit and hang on his every word. 

“So we then met each other after all those years being separated and I was working at some small diner then, they walked in, one after the other and I didnt know it was her at first but then we found out and now she's living in california with my other friend. “ I attentively sat in the window and enjoyed the many wonderful stories he had. He suddenly stopped talking and stared behind me with eyes filled with terror. My head lifts mirroring my confused expression and I slowly turn my head to peer behind me. My room, which had been lit up from the sun, was now dark due to me not flipping on the lights earlier.

 My eyes were taking an awful amount of time to adjust to the darkness of the room and from the corner of my eye I see a hand rush towards me, trying to latch onto my throat. I screamed out a heart stopping sound and thrashed around trying to avoid the mystery person's grip. Half my body was leaning out of my window, legs kicking wildly, trying to defend myself. I’m still trying to get someones attention by making a whole bunch of noise. I tried to get a decent look at the secret attacker but I couldnt make out his features due to the piece of material covering his face. 

I was now crouded againts the wall with the poster hung crookedly. I could tell it was a man by his figure, he towered over my small body. I still fought against him as he tried to drag me out of my warm home. I try to tear myself from his grip as he slowly drags my body out of the room. HIs hand covers my mouth, trying to silence my pained wails. The man slumps forward letting an angered howl leaving his mouth. I whimper and try my best to get away from him but he shoves me backwards. I watch closely as he clutches his stomach, I notice something sharp and reflective peaking through his fingers. 

I start to cry hysterically as the knife peaks out more due to the angle he is standing in. A shove has him bounding towards the floor, crimson flowing from his abdomen. My shaky hand brings itself up to my mouth as I let out ear-splitting sobs. My head whips up as I hear someone else in the room, the neighbor is standing over the man with a blade from my kitchen resting in his right hand. I take a hesitant step towards him, he suddenly raises the knife again in my direction. 

“I couldn’t let that useless guy do what I’ve spent a year planning,” My breath hitches and I start taking small steps away from him “I waited so long to at least talk to you so I could kill you, but this stupid man thinks he can come and do it before I can!” His voice raises and he's taking large strides towards me with his hands raised, the knife aimed perfectly for my heart. I close my eyes, waiting.