Hannah rushed down the stairs, her lips quivering from holding back her tears. She reached for the doorknob, too overwhelmed with emotion to realize how cold it felt against her skin. Though the frigid wind made her hesitant, it was a familiar male voice behind her that snapped her out of her potential reckless action.
“Hannah…? W-where are you going?”
“Anywhere…. anywhere but here!” Hannah cried. He took a clumsy step closer to which prompted his sister to take a step outside. “Go away, Josh!”
Groggy, drunk, and clearly confused, Josh pointed outside. “It’s cold… though. I mean…why do you want to go outside?”
“Hannah!” Beth was the first down the stairs. “Hannah, close the door.”
Now crying and still clutching her unbuttoned blouse, Hannah reluctantly shook her head and took another step back.
“It was just a prank, Han,” Emily said, standing on the stairs with the others.
“Wait… what prank?” Josh asked.
“Shut up, Em,” Sam snapped.
Shocked, Emily said angrily, “Excuse me?” Just as Emily was about to push her friend, Matt grabbed his girlfriend’s hand to which Emily glared at him before yanking her hand back.
Suddenly, a loud, deafening shriek echoed throughout the area.
“What in God’s name was that?” Beth asked.
“Just close the damn door,” Jessica said, rubbing her arms. “It’s… It’s fucking freezing!”
The shriek came again. Only this time much louder and much closer.
Mike came down the stairs which made Hannah immediately turn outside. “Hannah, just come inside. We’re… we’re sorry.”
“Um, guys… I really think we should close the door,” Ashley said, clearly worried.
Still unable to meet her friends’ eyes, Hannah looked toward the woods and was terrified to see a tall, bony creature half hidden in the trees. Its milky eyes staring right at her.
Just as she swiftly shut the door, the creature had thrown itself against the pane, smashing it entirely.
Then it was gone.
Upon recovering from the shock, Sam muttered quietly, “What in fuck’s name was that?”
evening tea musings 