It was a dark and stormy night. The rain was pounding against the windows. Thunder rumbled loudly, drowning one's thoughts. Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating it with an ominous glow. It was a mysterious night. Sitting there in her room was a whimpering little girl. She was all alone. A feeling of gloom had settled upon her. She had been alone for a long time, she did not like it. As lightning struck again, a chill ran down her spine. The air was frigid and she shivered against the bitter cold. She thought maybe a cup of hot chocolate would help. She descended the stairs, jumping every time the stair creaked and the thunder boomed. She put milk on the stove; standing as close to it as possible. She went to get the cocoa out of the cabinet, making the sugar fall as she did so. It was hard to see and there wasn’t a candle in sight. She stood there watching the hot chocolate simmer, finding some comfort in it.
As she brought her steaming mug to the round table, she heard a knock on the door; it was barely audible. She looked up her eyes popping with fear. She hesitated. She didn’t have many visitors and who would come at this time in the middle of a raging storm. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Again, somebody knocked and this time there was no mistaking it. She moved towards the door uncertainly. She did not want to open it.
Again, somebody knocked, very loudly. She could not move, she was rooted to her place, petrified. KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! Whoever was outside was getting impatient. Suddenly the door burst open and light flooded into the room. Stood, more like suspended there was a black cloaked figure. Hanging mid air, it stretched its arm out, its long, slimy fingers were grasping something in the air. She stumbled back and fear engulfed her. She stood there trembling. The figure edged towards her. There was an eerie mist surrounding it. The figure picked up the cup of hot chocolate and gestured her to take it. She didn’t move. The figure snarled at her and gestured again for her to take it. She slowly stretched out her hand and took the cup. She couldn’t feel her fingers. Her face was growing paler and paler by the second. The figure issued a hissing sound and she stared at it aghast. The figure gestured her to drink it. She held the cup to her lips and tried to take a sip. The hot liquid went burning down her throat. It wasn’t comforting. The figure made an impatient rasping noise. She drank the hot chocolate faster.
Her knees were giving away; she couldn’t stand much longer but she didn’t dare move. Barely breathing, she finished the hot chocolate. The figure made a sudden croaking noise which frightened her and made her drop the cup. The cup shattered into a million pieces sending shards of glass flying everywhere. The figure, unaffected by this, advanced towards her. She stood there her heart palpitating, watching the figure apprehensively. It was in a minute when her world went black, all the noise died and she lay spread-eagle on the floor for it was Death who visited her that night.
Comments