Crash

Creeeeek. creeeeek. A pause of noise then silence. As if something was halted or stopped suddenly.

The sound or sudden stillness made me look up from my screen. My fingers froze in their mid typing position as i waited for something but I can not imagine what before resuming the work i had been doing. Then there it was again.... something slinking across the floor with a creaking motion this time slowly getting louder and creepier as it slithered seemingly across the slick floor in the hallway.

My fingers once again pausing in the middle of my work to take in the noise. This time taking the time to raise up and walking to the office door knowing that the house is or had been empty. My voice calling out "helloo, speak please" echoing down the empty hallway. The silence after the echoes died away making my hair tingle. Quickly reaching for the intricate wooden walking stick that I used sometimes, I started walking out into the hallway.

The dank dark light filtering in from the the draped windows guiding my way as I stepped carefully. Pain from each step causing me to grip the stick harder. Inwardly cursing as i here the mysterious sounds sounding louder then quieter as if its playing with me.

Freezing as the last creeek seems to vibrate down the hall while sounding closer and closer. My heart thudded in my chest with each uneven step till finally I reached the end of the hallway only to discover nothing.

Grumbling and steadily cursing beneath my breath , I walked into the small room, the only one with the door visibly open and flicked on the light. The regular scent of an unaired room was replaced by something else as I turned around looking at the empty room before turning the light back off. Questions forming in my mind as I shut the door firmly making a mental note for the cleaner to throughly deep cleanse that room.

Making my way back to my office, I reluctantly shut down my work and decided to get some rest. Walking into the bedroom across the hall and laying down on the bed, I slowly massaged my leg feeling the pain slowly ebb away. Memories of the accident that left me with a permanent limp and scars flickered in my mind.

It was night as we were coming home, my partner and i laughing as we heard the kids singing along with the music. Stopping at a red light and waiting before pulling into traffic and feeling a speeding car suddenly slam into us. Rolling as pain ripped through my body with screams piercing the air before it all stopping with abrupt silence. Then bright lights and neverending pain.Coming to and grieving over the loss. The drunk driver, minimal injuries, charged and jailed. Grieving while trying to heal, leaving behind and moving to a new house.

Its been a year and the pain is still fresh and as sharp. I sighed and then slip uneasily into sleep. A broken dream wakes me and I hear it once more that same creeek as if something was pushing past my door. This time I ignore it and take a quick sip of water from the glass and a pain pill from beside the bed before drifting back into a dreamless sleep.

Morning comes as it always does with a broken heart. My caretaker comes in to make sure I am ok, as she putters around the (strange to me still) house. I choose not to tell her about my rather auspicious night and our day continues along until she leaves for the evening leaving me to my solitude.