A Visitor At An Ungodly Hour

Running down the street for quite a long time, Alicia panted so highly. She didn't know why she kept running, but she did. There was no light down the street, no human being that caught her eye, but her instinct told her that someone was after her.

As she continued to run, her breath became shallow, but she still chose to keep running. It was as if she were being chased by someone, or rather, something.

Finally, she reached the end of the street and stopped to catch her breath. She looked around, but still, there was no sign of anyone or anything following her. She laughed at herself, feeling silly for getting so worked up. Maybe it was just her imagination playing tricks on her.

As she turned to head back home, she noticed a small, dark figure in the distance. She couldn't quite make out what it was, but it seemed to be getting closer. Suddenly, she felt a shiver run down her spine.

Without thinking, she started running again, this time faster than before. Her heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted down the street, not daring to look back. She felt as if every fiber of her being was urging her to run as fast as possible to escape the danger that was chasing her.

Spotting the familiar area in front of her, she wandered her gaze frantically, looking for something, and as she did so, there was a slight relief that felt in her. Her lips lifted, and hope rose in her.

The café!

Yes!

"Com'on, Lise. You can do this!" She muttered, mustering confidence in herself.

"A little more, and you'd get in."

Finally, she made it to the glass door and slammed it shut, locking it tightly behind her. She leaned against the door, panting heavily and trying to catch her breath. As she looked out from behind through the transparent door, her eyes widened, and she stood in front.

It wasn't a figment. It was coming right at her. Right toward her. It seemed there was no stopping. The hollowed black eyes looked straight into her with so much craze.

CRASH!

The glass door was broken.

Alicia stumbled back in shock as the glass shattered, allowing the dark figure to enter the café. Fear gripped her tightly as she realized that whatever had been chasing her was now inside with her.

Without wasting a moment, Alicia darted towards the nearest exit, desperately searching for a way to escape. But the creature wasted not a second. In a blink of an eye, it stood in front of her, ready to quench its thirst. The rogue was ten times faster than an average vampire and had no rationalism.

Fear surged through Alicia's veins as she realized the dire situation she was in. The creature's inhuman speed left her with little time to react. The creature lunged at her with blinding speed and slammed her to the ground. Its claws extended, aiming for her throat.

Having no choice, she screamed with all her might.

"AHHH!!!"

"Alicia!"

She heard a familiar voice out of the blue. Confused, she snapped her head to her right and saw her mother. Alicia gazed back for the creature, but instead, she saw her room ceiling.

Alicia's heart was still racing, and her body was covered in a sheen of cold sweat. She struggled to catch her breath as she realized that it had all been a vivid nightmare—a figment of her imagination that felt all too real.

Relief washed over her as she realized she was safe in her own room. Her mother, concerned by her screams, had rushed in to check on her. As the remnants of the nightmare slowly faded, Alicia's racing heartbeat began to calm.

Her mother approached her, worry etched on her face. "Alicia, sweetheart, are you alright? You had me really worried."

Alicia took a moment to gather herself, her breathing gradually returning to normal. She managed a weak smile and nodded. "I'm okay, Mom. It was just a nightmare."

Her mother embraced her tightly, offering comfort in the midst of the lingering fear. "I'm glad you're safe. Nightmares can be so unsettling. Do you want to talk about it?"

Alicia took a deep breath, trying to steady her thoughts. "It was just... I was being chased by this terrifying creature. It was so fast and relentless. I thought it was going to hurt me, but then you called out my name, and suddenly I was back here."

Her mother gently stroked Alicia's hair, soothing her troubled mind. "Sometimes our minds conjure up frightening images in our dreams, my dear. But remember, they are only dreams, and you are safe. It's natural to feel scared after such an intense nightmare, but it's important to remind yourself that it was just your imagination playing tricks on you."

Alicia nodded, taking in her mother's comforting words. She knew deep down that her mother was right, but the residual fear still lingered within her. She decided to take a few moments to calm herself, focusing on her breathing and grounding herself in the present.

As Alicia looked up at her room's ceiling, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the safety and comfort of her own familiar surroundings. The nightmare served as a reminder of the power of fear and the strength of her own mind.

With her mother by her side, Alicia felt a renewed sense of security. She knew that she could face any challenges or fears that came her way, both in her dreams and in the waking world.

"Come down, dinner's ready. If you wish, we could speak over it," told her mother. Alicia remembered that was supposed to freshen herself and go down but had fallen asleep while scrolling down social media, unknown to her.

Alicia nodded, grateful for her mother's presence and the offer of dinner. She realized that she had been so caught up in her own thoughts and the unsettling dream that she had lost track of time.

"Thank you, Mom. I'll freshen up quickly and join you downstairs," Alicia replied, mustering a small smile.

She quickly made her way to the bathroom, splashed some cold water on her face, and took a moment to compose herself. As she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she reminded herself that the nightmare was just that—a figment of her imagination—and that she was safe in the real world.

Feeling slightly more at ease, Alicia descended the stairs, limping a bit, and joined her mother at the dinner table. Her foot wasn't entirely okay, so she had to cover it up with her long dress and walk normally.

She thought of lying to her mother and saying that she had tripped on a stone when walking down the street if her mother were to spot her limping.

The aroma of a home-cooked meal filled the air, comforting her senses. She sat down and began to eat, her appetite slowly returning.

Her mother served her dinner while they had little chit-chats about both of their days. Mrs. Anderson had visited the neighbors today, which was the main topic, or that was what she thought until a while before she brought out the topic of her bike.

"Remember, you owe me an explanation, sweetheart." Her mother sweet-coated the words, but her eyes held the opposite of what she showed.

Alicia took a sip of water and took a moment to gather her thoughts. "Actually Mother—"

'DING DONG!'

The doorbell interrupted Alicia's response, causing both her and her mother to turn their attention toward the front door. A part of Alicia sighed in relief as soon as she saw the topic lift away. They exchanged a curious glance, wondering who could be visiting at this hour.

Mrs. Anderson got up from her seat and headed towards the door, with Alicia following two steps behind. As her mother reached the door, she hesitated for a moment before opening the door not-so-wide.

"Yes?" She questioned with a frown settled on her forehead as she glanced at the visitor from top to bottom carefully, looking for any possible threat, which she did when her eyes landed on the steely-looking gun resting on the intruder's belt.

Alicia tried to get a glimpse of who it was, but her mother kept the whole gap occupied.

Alicia's curiosity grew as she strained to catch a glimpse of the visitor who had arrived at their door. However, her mother's protective stance and the way she positioned herself in front of Alicia made it difficult for her to see who it was.

Alicia leaned slightly to the side, attempting to catch a glimpse of the person's face or any distinguishing features, but her view remained obstructed. She noticed the tension in her mother's body language and the furrowed brow on her face, indicating that something was amiss.

"Mom, who is it?" Alicia whispered, her voice filled with concern.

Mrs. Anderson saw the young man's eyes look past her. She pushed her daughter inside, making sure the man didn't get a glimpse of her.

"The house is registered in Mr. Anderson's name, am I right?" he questioned, to which Mrs. Anderson agreed, batting no eyelid. "And if I am right, you must be his wife, Mrs. Anderson?"

"Yes, and who might you be at this ungodly hour?" she questioned sternly.

"Forgive me, but I would like to talk to your daughter. It is quite urgent," he said, adding more frowns to her face.

"Give me a minute," she said, closing the door. "Lise!" she whisper-yelled at Alicia, who was trying to poke her nose into the little encounter between her mother and the intruder.

"There's a guy out there waiting for you on our porch. He says he needs to talk to you, and it's urgent."

Alicia frowned in question.

"Who in the holy cow would want to meet me at this hour?" The words slipped out of her mouth, earning a glare from her mother.

"Mind your words, Lise!"

"I apologize, Mother, but could you move aside so I could get a glimpse of the man and confirm?" Her mother glanced at her for a moment before she moved aside.

"He has a gun," she warned her not-so-loudly. Alicia got more confused. She creaked the door open slightly and glanced at the person through the little gap.

As she did so, her eyes widened, and she shut the door hard.