It was late at night. Like I usually do to pass time when the sun is down, I scrolled through my news feed on Facebook.
“Wow, another marriage proposal,” I said to myself in sarcasm. Deciding to watch a few YouTube videos to go to sleep, I turned my phone sideways and adjusted my pillow. One video after the next, I feel myself drifting off to sleep. Just before the overwhelming feeling of tiredness rushes over me, I realize my lights are still on. Pulling the cover off me, I get up and hit the light switch, turning my room into complete darkness.
The sounds of crickets chirping and my fan is all that could be heard throughout the night, a sound I know and loved. All that was interrupted whenever I heard scratching against my door. Realizing my dog was in its kennel, I jump up and sit on my bed, gazing at my door in pitch black darkness. It doesn’t help that I binge-watch MrCreepypasta every night before. I pass out. So many thoughts rushing through my head, I do what almost every scared girl does in a horror movie when she’s alone and hears a noise.
“H-hello? Is there anybody out there?” my breath gets heavier and heavier as I wait for a response, but to no avail, it never came.
“Maybe I’m just overreacting. This is all just my brain playing tricks on me. It has to b-”
A loud creaking sound fills the room. I jump up and jet to my door, locking it and flicking the light switch beside it.
“F**k f**k f**k,” I mutter my breath. Sitting on my bed, I keep glancing at the door, just waiting for it to slowly open again. Only this time, it made no noise. I decided that maybe I was just tired and sleep deprived. After all, working those long a*s shifts at the office can be such a pain in the a*s. I lay back down, only this time I keep the lights on. I feel myself drifting as something rubs across my exposed foot. I look up to see a tall, dark figure standing beside my bed.
“Never sleep with the lights on,” it muttered in a low tone. I was lost for words.
Captivated by its beaten up face, all I could force out was a, “Who the f**k are you?”
“I am your worst nightmare, your darkest fears and dreams. I am what kids keep the lights on at night for. I am the scratching at your door. I am why you don’t keep the lights on.”
My light-bulb shattered onto my bed, leaving shards of broken glass everywhere. My mind racing, I grab my pistol from my nightstand. My hand shaking, I c**k it and grip the trigger, aiming for a target in the darkness.
“You can’t kill your nightmares. I’ll always exist, even after you’re dead.”
Tears rolling down my face, I shout out, “What do you f*****g want from me? Leave me alone!”
“I want your blood.”
To actually get a clear look at this a*****e, I grab the matches from my light stand and strike one, causing the flame to brighten my whole room.
“I’m not afraid of you, show yourself!”
The shadowy man appeared, leaning against my door and re-locking it.
“Have fun escaping now, Sarah.”
“How the hell do you know my name? F*****g leave!”
He sighed. “Sarah, oh Sarah. Now you know I can’t do that…this is too much fun to end!”
I cried out, “Let me go you sick freak!”, as I bolted towards the door to unlock it. I put the match to the man, setting him on fire. Ash covered the doorway, leaving a black s**t residue beneath my feet. Trying to gather myself, I sit on my front porch hyperventilating. I quickly moved out of that house and took that man’s words to heart.
“Never sleep with the lights on.”