Alexander Pate

Hello

 

 

It was night, and the lamps painted the living room in a warm beige glow. A girl sat on the couch with the light from her phone screen highlighting her features. Some B-list horror movie that her friend suggested played in the background as she immersed herself in Facebook and Instagram.  

           

            "Hanna, we're leaving. We'll be back in a few hours. Call if there's an emergency," her mother said. She walked over and kissed the top of Hanna's head.

           

            "Yeah," Hanna replied.

           

            Her parents shut the door behind them.

           

            For the next hour, Hanna just sat on the couch, occasionally looking up to see if she missed any CGI gore.

           

            Of course he's going to get you if you try to run past him. She scoffed at the movie and stood up leaving her phone on the armrest, but before she started walking to the kitchen there was a knock at the door. She went to the door and looked out the peephole.

           

            A malnourished man in a black trench coat stood there, smiling at the peephole. His eyes seemed too large for his face and his grin was unsettlingly wide. His pale skin seemed even brighter against the outline of his black hair, which he had slicked back.

           

            "Hello," he said.

           

            A chill went down Hanna's spine as she made sure the door was locked. She backed away slowly until she was sure he wouldn't notice, and quickly jogged through the kitchen to check the back door.

           

            Locked. Good. Now, there's no way he can get in without—

           

            Her train of thought ended as soon as she heard a noise coming from the basement. It sounded like boxes were being knocked over.

           

            There's no way he fit through one of those tiny windows. This is just a badly timed raccoon, or something.

           

            She took a breath as the noise stopped. She made her way to the basement door and slowly opened to confirm. Her heart sank as she looked down. There was just enough light from the living room for her to make out his outline, and his glistening teeth.

           

            "Hello," he said.

           

            She screamed as he crawled up the steps. She slammed the door shut and ran upstairs to her room. She slammed her bedroom door shut and locked it. Her heart jumped to her throat and she became lightheaded from her breathing. She didn't hear anything for several seconds, so she checked her pockets for her phone.

           

            Shit.

           

            She put her ear to the door, attempting hear any sign of him. Nothing. She unlocked her door as quietly as possible and opened it ever so slightly. As her gaze got to the stairs, her phone slammed against the wall inches from her head and shattered. Her eyes darted to the foot of the steps.

           

            "Hello," he said. His grin was wider and more twisted than before and his eyes were red saucers, full of insanity. He began crawling up the steps quicker and more bestial than before.

           

            She screamed and slammed the door, locking it as quickly as possible. She sat against the door, expecting to have to hold him off, but nothing happened. She calmed her breathing, and waited a few seconds before peeking under the door.

           

            "Hello," he said as her eye met his.

           

            She screamed again and recoiled. It sounded as if he was throwing his entire body at the door. She backed up to the far end of the room, got to her feet, and looked out her window.

           

            Either I risk the jump and possibly break something, or stay here and he gets me anyway.

           

            A loud crack jerked her attention back to her door. The frame was beginning to give. He was only a couple more pounds away from her now. She lifted her window as quickly as she could and kicked out the screen.

           

            One final bash and her door crashed open. She closed her eyes as he moved in on her and let herself fall out of the window. She landed with a crack. Her ankle was fractured. She got to her feet and hopped across the yard. She looked back and there he was, staring at her from her bedroom window. His sickening grin and beet-red eyes burned into her soul. She made it to her neighbor's house and beat on the door.

           

            "Help! Let me in! He's coming after me!"    

           

            Moments later the door opened and in she hobbled.

           

            "What's going on, dear?" her elderly neighbor asked.

           

            "He's coming after me! Call the police!"

           

            "Okay, dear. Just try to relax."

           

            Hanna stared out the living room window at her house as the old lady called the police. He wasn't in her room anymore.

 

            "The police are coming. Can I get you something to drink?"

           

            "No, just... just don't leave."

           

            "Okay, I'll be right here." Her neighbor grabbed a 9mm she had hidden in one of her side tables.

           

            The police arrived and began searching the neighborhood. Shortly after, her parents also returned and were directed to the neighbor's house.

           

            As they crossed the yard, Hanna and her neighbor heard shuffling from the basement.

           

            Hanna's heart dropped.

           

            "Damn raccoons," her neighbor said.

           

            "No! Don't go over there! That's how he got in!"

           

            "Don't be silly. No one can fit through—"

           

            The basement door slammed open and the man got to his feet.

           

            "Hello." He threw his knife at the old lady. His smile grew wider as she went down with a shriek.

           

            Hanna dove to the ground and grabbed the lady's gun.

           

            Gunshots rang throughout the neighborhood, drawing every police officer in the area to the house. Hanna's parents barged through the door.

           

            Hanna sat, cradling the old lady in her arms. The man lied on the floor mere feet away, bloody and unbreathing.

           

            Hanna's parents rushed to her side. "It's okay now, baby. You're safe."

           

            Hanna hasn't slept well in months. Every night, she is greeted to the dream world with a soft, but malicious, "Hello."

 

 

Alexander Pate is currently studying in the Florida sun on his way to a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree for Creative Writing for Entertainment. He enjoys writing dark fantasy, but his true love is mimetic horror. He has a small e-book published on Smash Words called Date Night that features two flash fiction pieces.