Kimberly Deertz
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Robyn stirred in her bed. The bedroom was dark. Something moved. She blinked her eyes open. She was in her bed in her room; but something was off. Even in the darkness there was always some light: the moonlight throw the curtains, street lamp glare, the little red light on the TV. The space was void of all signs of light. Her eyes darted to the closet, something had moved, she could sense it. Drawing deep, warm breaths Robyn propped up on her elbows searching for the bedside lamp. Never taking her eyes off the closet her hand found the switch. Pausing, she prepared herself for whatever it might be. The light snapped on and her eyes withdrew from the intrusion. She blinked several times to adjust. Looking around something was off. Off like before the milk curdles and smells but after the expiration date; it was probably still fine to drink but it felt wrong. It was her room. She was sitting on her bed next to her bedside lamp on her bedside table. The closets door was slightly ajar, she could see her clothes on her hangers. The bookshelf was filled with her books. It was her blue and white flower curtains over the windows and her sandals by the door. But somehow it was still wrong. Even with the lamp on it was too dark. Usually that lamp cast brightness into every corner. Now it was more like a dim, dying fire. Robyn was sitting up against the backboard. She was steadily scanning the room to try to find what was wrong. She could hear her own breathing, thats when she realized how loudly quiet it was. There were no sounds: no AC, no fan. Breathing deeply trying not to go into a panic, she stared at a single spot. Blinked. In the slightly ajar closet behind clothes and hangers the darkness was staring back. The tiniest sound came from the staring darkness, like someone shifting their weight. Now she was giving herself permission to panic. She pressed into the backboard and clumsily scrambled away from the closet. Her left hand pressed down on air and with a scream Robyn tumbled to the floor. A small male voice whispered “I’m sorry” after she stopped screaming. Robyn’s eyes grew to the size of oranges. A hand came out from the darkness grabbing the edge of the slightly ajar closet door. The hand pulled the white door open. A forearm formed in the light. He moved slowly trying not to startle her. She was well past that point. She screamed again and railroaded for the door. It opened easily but there was nothing on the other side. Just a pure black void. She was so flustered she pushed her hand into it, it was like a stone wall. Pivoting, almost face planting, she rushed for the windows. Nearly ripping down the rods, she threw the curtains open. It was just wall. Robyn suddenly remembered the man in her closet and whirled around falling into the windowless wall. He was just standing there, lips pursed. Staring at her. He looked nervous. He hadn’t tried to grab her as she rushed around the room. She could see him swallow hard. He pointed to the open door leading to the nothingness, “Um, that’s for your own protection.”
By Kimberly Deertz4 years ago in Fiction
