October 2023 Continuing Story

Jim woke up later, not even remembering falling asleep. He was still in the bed in the farmhouse, but he appeared to be alone and he wasn’t sure if he’d dreamed the whole way too attractive beanie man.

And where had the idea the guy was attractive from? Jim had only ever been interested in women. Right?

But there was that dream.

Jim sat up and looked around. He could see through the window that night had fallen. He turned on the bedside lamp and saw by the clock on the wall it was nearly eight. Why was he sleeping this early?

Perhaps he really had a concussion and the beanie man had been there. There was no sign of a soup bowl or a TV tray though.

He got out of bed and went into the bathroom to pee. With the light on, he looked in the mirror and saw that he did have bruising on his neck above the collarbone.

Not a dream.

Jim headed downstairs then, feeling vaguely woozy.

The light was on in the kitchen and a discarded mug was in the sink.

“Is anyone here? Spock?”

He didn’t know why but the house suddenly felt eerie, and like it didn’t belong to him.

Jim grabbed his windbreaker off the coat tree and went out the back door. He shrugged it on and glanced at the sky. A storm seemed to be approaching as clouds gathered over the moon. It looked spooky like one of those pictures you might see with a witch on a broom flying by the moon.

“Spock? Are you out here?”

He heard the snap of a twig and he swung around to look behind him. But there was nothing. He suddenly wished he had a phaser.

A what?

“Hello? Who’s out here?”

Because he was pretty sure he could hear someone breath. His heart pounded hard in his chest. He walked quickly back toward the house, which suddenly seemed miles away though he hadn’t gone that far.

The breathing he could hear became heavy, like panting, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

He grabbed the handle of the door, but it wouldn’t budge. It was like the door was locked.

Impossible.

Jim turned, pushing his back against the door, but there was nothing and no one there. At least that he could see.

The door suddenly opened and he fell backwards inside.