"3 A.M."

"I'm never going out with you again" Sara said. 'You really scared the shit out of me'. Danny didnt apologize, he never did though. Danny was prone to this type of shit. Haunted locations, graveyards, the typical stuff "thrill seekers" get into.

Sara was the opposite however, she liked to stay home and get her scares through the t.v., 23 years old and this was her first time doing anything like this. Danny was the exception, his presence had an odd almost intoxicating draw, and aside from tonight, Danny was very sensitive to Sara's "introvert" personality.

He liked Sara, he thought of her as his only real best friend, loyal, kind, etc.. Danny's home life was rough and his parents could really care less where he was and when. Sara however would check on him daily, and was always there when he needed an escape.

He was only 20 years old and high-school was over and college was not an option, not in his mind at least. He got a job where Sara worked just so he could pay for his trips and equipment for his obsessive ghost hunting endeavors.

Working at the local gas& shop, sucked in his opinion, Sara didn't mind it as much, she worked nights and it was always empty, aside from the occasional late night drunks stopping in after the bar closed.

' come on Sara, it was exciting' Danny said. Sara was sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of water, drinking it like she had just ran a marathon. ' No Danny, that wasn't exciting, being chased out of an abandoned building by a fucking ghost, is not exciting for me. She replied, in a tone louder then her typical soft spoken voice.

She set the glass of water down and layed her head in her arms. ' OK, OK, I'm sorry. I didn't expect there to actually be any type of activity there'. Danny said finally apologizing.

' what was that, like did that really happen? Sara asked, her voice muffled by her arms. 'Honestly I don't know, I've been there a dozen times and never once had anything like that happen, that's why I thought that would be a safe but exciting place for your first outing' Danny explained.

'First and last' Sara added and let out a small giggle. ' yeah last for me too, that shit was scary' Danny said also laughing, it was a timid laugh and it came out shaky. They sat in silence for a few moments, Danny sat on her couch, Sara got up and joined him. She rested her head on his shoulder as she often did when they hung out and watch movies at her place.

Sara had dozed off and Danny wasnt far behind, his eyes were heavy and needed some down time. He knew if he closed them he would no doubt fall asleep. Unable to fight it any longer, Danny allowed himself to drift away, Sara still on his shoulder, he kissed the top of her head then drifted away into darkness.

The clock turned its ever rotating numbers and it stopped on 3:00 a.m.. there was a crash in the kitchen, Sara awoke still drowsy, and not sure her situation,. She got up and walked to the bathroom, afterwards she sluggishly went to the sink to grab some water.

As she turned back towards the couch she noticed her glass of water from earlier was lying broken into pieces on the floor beside the table, the table where she sat and drank half the glass when they had returned from there not so fun adventure into the unknown.

Sara crouched down to inspect the broken glass, there where small shards spread out around it. 'What the' ? She thought outloud. 'Was I that tired, did I knock that off?, but then, why didn't I clean it up' .

. She got up to grab the broom to clean up the mess. Danny was still fast asleep, she stared at him for a moment, it was nice to see him so relaxed, as he normally was so stressed and his anxiety never left him. Sara had known Danny from a half way house they were both at in there early teens. She was the quiet one always sitting alone, he was the out going one that always attracted people to him.

Danny never cared much for other people, he didn't enjoy the attention he got, even at this point in his young life he was used to not getting attention at home, and had become accustomed to it. He was fine on his own infact he preferred it. That is of course until he met Sara.

He walked into the common room, there were kids and teens spread out all over, some were playing games, some where watching movies, and some where just sitting in groups talking. It was like a world within a world there, and he despite being liked by many, hated it. He walked over and sat down at the t.v. not being used for movies, it was the only place not crowed down with scores of noisy over energized kids.

Within seconds of sitting down 3 different people came over and asked if he wanted to play table tennis, basketball, or monopoly. He declined for all 3. Once left alone finally he picked up the remote and started channel surfing. He sighed, there was nothing on that held any interest to him. ' there's a Stephen King movie on in 10 minutes ' a soft voice said from the couch kiddycorner to his. It came out so soft he almost didn't catch it at first.

He looked over and saw a girl sitting with her legs pulled to her chest with her arms wrapped around them. 'Really' ? He asked with excitement in his voice. ' I- I've seen you read his books, when I've passed by your room, I figured you liked him so I'd let you know is all' the girl replied, again almost in a whisper.

' like him?, he's my all time favorite writer, he's a genius' Danny replied, and continued with.. ' how'd you know one of his movies were on'? She didn't replie at first, and Danny was about to say somthing else, when she finally spoke. ' I like him too, I've read all his stuff, even the ones under his pen name, so I look for his stuff in the guide just incase' .

Danny's eyes grew large and his smile wide. At first it made her a little uncomfortable, but she warmed up to it over time. ' I'm Danny' he said extending his hand to her. She hesitated for a minute, and then took his hand to shake. 'Sara' she replied. ' so can I watch with you' he asked. From that moment on the two became "attached at the hip" .

Sara grabed the broom and swept the glass into a dustpan and dumped it into a can, putting it in the trash directly could be dangerous when it's taken out, and she would worry about it constantly. She droped the can full of glass into the garbage can, and set the broom back in its place.

She noted the time on the clock, 3:30 a.m. and she sighed. " what am I doing up so ear- a loud bang on the wall starttel her and she jumped what seemed like 4 feet into the air.

She stood there a few moments in silence, and darkness with the exception of the light above the stove. Her heart was pounding and she notice her palms were sweaty. She had lived her for 3 years now, and never once had any thing remotely like that happen before. Her apartment was on the top floor and she had no one next to her, only below her, but this thump came from the south wall, there wasn't even a room there, that was the outside wall.

She thought about waking Danny, but she knew his sleeping habits were less then healthy and for all she knows she could just be tired and hearing things. No she wouldn't wake him, he needed sleep and she intended to let him get it.

She walked to the wall and pressed her ear against it. She had no idea what she was listening for, but it was more instinct then anything else. After 10 minutes or so she decided it was the tired haf awake state she had been in and went back to the couch.

After her adrenaline levels droped to almost nothing, her eye lids grew heavy and she started to drift back into nothingness.

Sara's eyes snapped open, her heart beating so fast she could swear she actually felt it against her chest. The phone rang, and in the silence of the night it actually stung the inside of her ears. She poped up from the couch and looked at Danny, who was stirring a little but still fast asleep. She had no idea how it didn't wake him. The phone screamed again, it even seemed a bit louder this time, which Sara thought impossible.

She speed walked over to it, and picked it up with an intensity so strong she ended up smacking her ear and side of her mouth enough to hurt. ' shit' she said as she pulled it away and ruled her ear with her empty hand.

'Hello' she said and then looked to see if her loud irritated hello and woke Danny, it didn't.

She put the phone back to her ear and winced a little when it touched. 'Hello' she said again, but no answer in return. She could hear breathing on the other end, but still no reply. ' who is this, and why are you calling at this time in the morning'.

Her first thought was telemarketer but quickly remembered Danny had put an app on her phone that blocked all calls from random numbers. The breathing was there without a doubt, but still no reply. ' ha ha, very funny asshole, prank call someone else' she said and hung up.

Bang!..bang! Another loud thump from the south wall, but it was two thumps this time, almost like someone knocking on a door when there angry at the person inside. Her heart leaped into her throat, and she froze.

The table chair she was griping so tightly made a cracking sound and it snapped her back from her frozen state. She weeled around to see Danny still lying on couch fast asleep. 'How the hell did you not hear that' she whispered towards him.

Reluctantly she walked back towards the wall and listened. She heard what sounded like light scratching, a mouse maybe? But again, this wall was an outside wall and she was on the top floor, there's no way someone could get up here to bang on the wall.

Sara took in a deep breath and released it. She sat down at the kitchen table, still starring at the south wall. 'Calm down Sara, calm down'. She said to herself. And she may have been able to if not for the sudden ringing from her phone again. She jumped and the phone fell to the ground.

The only reason she had a phone was to talk to Danny, and communicate with work. She was for all accounts an introvert who liked nothing better then staying at home, or if she had to go out, staying to herself, and in her own world. Danny was here, work wouldn't be calling at this hour, so why for the second time has her phone rang.

She stared at it like it was some kind of harmful thing, she knew better then to touch. The ringing persisted and still wanting to spare Danny his sleep, she picked it up. ' 2ho the fuck is this' she said calmly into the phone. Again no reply, just breathing.

To Sara it seemed like one of those accidental dials where someone calls you but doesn't realize they did and the line just sits open. 'Hello' she said a bit louder this time, hoping to get someone's attention.. but still more of the same. She pushed the red disconnect button at the bottom and set the phone down.

She tiptoed back to the couch and sat down, she leaned her head on Danny's shoulder and put her hand over his, she always felt safe with him, and hoped being close she could get back to sleep. And she did.

When the banging on the wall came again, she tried to ignore it, tried to keep still and let it pass, this time however, the banging was louder and heavier, she swore whatever it was, was about to come through the wall.

She finally gave in and opened her eyes, she stood up and walked towards the wall, hoping if she did it would stop like before. This time however it just got louder and louder, she glanced back at Danny, sure that this time it would wake him up, and that's when panic set in. Danny was gone.

She ran to the couch and looked around. She looked in the bathroom, and the kitchen area, but he was nowhere to be found. The banging was louder now and her phone began to ring again. The volume of the phone was louder now as well and her ears were stinging.

The noises surrounded her like an expensive surround sound system on steroids. She cuped her ears with her hands and slunk down to a crouching position. The loud thumping and ringing persisted. She wished Danny could hold her and tell her it's OK, but he was gone and she was alone.

She uncapped her ears when she noticed the noise and stopped. She walked slowly to the wall, and listened. When she heard nothing, she went to the one window in the apartment and opened it will great caution. She slowly peeked her head out and could see a shadow of somthing near the wall, she pulled her phone out and went to her flashlight setting.

Sara raised her flashlight up and pointed it at the south wall, there she saw somthimg that made her almost drop her phone. There was danny... dangling from a rope, and bouncing off the wall as he swung back and fourth.

Sara screamed and her phone did fall this time, but not before she saw Danny's head was not with his swinging body, but it was on the ledge below, his cell phone laying in front of his mouth with Sara's number displayed on the call screen.

She pushed back into the apartment and turned to run for the door, that's when she stepped on some broken glass and fell to her knees. Feet bleeding and emotions in over drive, she got to her feet and yanked the door open and ran through.

She stumbled a little and was surely going down, when she felt someone's hands catch her. She looked up to see Danny standing there holding her. ' whoa, whoa, slow down speedy' he said. She looked at him in amazement, confused and scared she looked around to realize she was standing out the doors of the abandoned building they had explored.

' what happend' she asked timidly. Danny walked her back to the car and helped her in. He climbed in the drivers seat and pulled away. ' I looked everywhere for you girly, I thought you got scared and went back to the car, so I went to see if you were okay' he explained. She stared at him not sure what to think. ' soo? Where were you? What happend back there' Danny asked.

She layed her head back on the seat and didn't say anything until they pulled into the parking area of her apartment building. He parked the car and turned to her. ' so, same time tomorrow'? He asked laughing. She stepped out of his car and leaned into the window. ' I'm never going out with you again' she said and walked away.