AkumaQuil

He inches closer, a single finger roaming her heated skin. Breath mingling with breath. 

A loud bang vibrates through the room, so thunderous as if god himself was furious.

Slowly he looks up staring out the large glass windows to the backyard, 

"You have a visitor." His rasps calmly.

"Who?" Rose quickly fires, feigning ignorance. She knew well enough who it was. Her nightly visitor has arrived.

Surprising, He only visits when she is alone.

"One who comes out at night. Lurking in the shadows, in the darkness... just like its intensions."

He looks down still leaning on top her, once more pinning her with his intense gaze.

"Are you afraid?" His voice dead serious, eyes going back to look outside.

And Rose lied, "No." 

But is it a lie when her fear was never really rooting enough to make her run the other way but instead often getting mixed with exhilaration.

"You should be."  

He leaves her staring wide eyed on the sofa and goes to stand before the glass panes.

"It's not happy to see me here. I can see the raging pits of fire in it's gaze. Ready to burn me right where I stand." he chuckled, sounding most sinister, "It definitely wants to rip my innards out."

"You should take off your shirt." He suggests casually.

"Excuse me?"

"Let's see if it riles him up even more to shatter instead of just slamming the windows like a wuss." He rouses under his breath, his excited provocative tone not escaping Rose's attention. 

What the hell is he up to?

"This isn't funny." Rose sputters out, standing up from the couch.

"I'm not trying to be." He faces her again, sporting a deadpan face. 

"Whatever. You think I'm one of your stupid fan girls to take my shirt off just because you want to rile someone up? Besides, there's probably no one outside and you're only making it up to see my boobs like a pervert."

His eyes roams her from top to bottom, there was distaste evident in his gaze.

"When he comes at night and leaves a little something for you, maybe then you take off your clothes for him... like a slut." Rome stared into her eyes with nothing behind those icy orbs to show for a lack of meaning behind his words. Because he means every single thing he says to her.

"Get. Out. Now!" Rose boomed furiously. 

"Whatever, I was leaving anyway. This has become boring." He walks towards her front door.

"Wait. How do you know he comes at night and leaves something?" her eyes narrow.

"Because I've seen it before."

"You saw him? It is a real guy?" Rose wanted to confirm, for some reason she thought otherwise.

"I never said I saw him. I've only seen it happening to someone else." 

"Whom?" 

"You don't need to know." He closes off.

"Then at least tell me what happened to her? Can I meet this person?" 

"You can't." Refusing calmly he was almost out the door when Rose pleads against hope.

"Please."

"You can't because she disappeared." Those were the words that finally did it. Brought her racing heart and buzzing head to a sudden halt. "Never to be seen again." 

 "When he stops visiting, that's when you should be most afraid." His words rang like a siren in the silence of her mind as he left.

Now she felt true fear for the first time.

==

In the embrace of her ancestral town, Rose seeks refuge from the echoes of her past. 

Little does she know, her return to her roots will awaken dormant shadows, shattering ordinary her existence. 

For when the darkness falls over the town, from the pitch black rises a shadowy figure that haunt her nights. 

In the darkness he sweeps her off the ground in terrible fear and the allure of sinister intrigue.

And once the sun comes, a man with a god awful attitude, haunts her in the broad day light. Causing her to swell with pure disdain. 

With each passing night, it draws closer to Rose, casting a chilling spell that both terrifies and exhilarates her.

Thrust into a labyrinth of mysteries can she navigate the treacherous path laid before her, or will her nightly visitor consume her whole?

He Comes At Night

The first thought; it was that shadowed figure standing behind her.

"Oh Jesus!" she shrieked, whirling around to face the unexpected assailant. Her hand flew instinctively to her chest, attempting to quell the frantic pounding of her heart, though she knew it was a futile effort.

"Whoa! Easy there, it's just me." he said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to scare you. Are you okay?"

"No, it's okay. It's just me. I'm being paranoid for nothing. Yes, I'm okay now," she reassured him. But his expression betrayed his skepticism, and his next question confirmed it.

"Are you sure you're okay? You could tell me if something is going on with you. I'm here for you, Rosie. I know I wasn't before, when you needed me the most, and I can't put it into words how sorry I am about that. But I'm here now, and I promise you I'm never leaving you alone like that, ever again. Please trust me."

His words resonated with a sincerity that echoed in the depths of his eyes. Despite the lingering pain of past actions, Rose could sense his genuine remorse and the earnest desire to make amends.

He may have made mistakes, but she couldn't deny that his intentions were rooted in a desire to protect her, to shield her from further harm. Yet, in his attempts to safeguard her, he inadvertently inflicted more wounds.

They both carried the weight of their shared loss, grappling with the aftermath of tragedy.

Now, all that remained was each other, navigating the murky waters of grief and redemption together.

With determination coursing through her veins, Rose resolved to break free from the chains of her past.

She recognized that dwelling on the tragedy that had befallen her family only served to imprison her in a perpetual state of grief.

It was time to release the burdens of the past and embrace the possibility of a brighter future.

For the first time in a long while, she felt a glimmer of hope stirring within her, propelling her forward toward a life filled with purpose and promise.

And so, opting for action over words, Rose chose to express her sentiments through a heartfelt embrace.

In that silent embrace, she conveyed her forgiveness, her acceptance, and her commitment to moving forward together with her only family now.

For a moment, Jake seemed taken aback, perhaps not anticipating such a gesture from her given their recent interactions. But gradually, he reciprocated, enveloping her in a tight embrace.

In that moment, Rose allowed herself to release a few tears, a mix of relief, forgiveness, and the weight of their shared past.

As they pulled away from each other, she brushed away the tears and stood up straight, a silent acknowledgment passing between them.

"Umm, uncle Jake, about your promise; I would appreciate it if you would leave me alone long enough to go to college. I do like my privacy there, I don't wanna seem like a wimp coming in with my uncle on my first day." she said with a smile, attempting to lighten the mood. Jake chuckled in response, understanding her need for space.

"Okay, I'll consider your request," he replied, playing along with her joke.

"Come on now, let's get you home. I got your new room ready for you; the whole barbie theme and all, I hope you'll like it." He draped his arm around her shoulder casually.

Rose stopped in her tracks to give him a look of pure horror before he gave in and laughed.

And they started walking towards their car.

Before getting into the car, Rose remembered the mysterious figure who had been watching her—or at least she thought he had been. She turned around to where he had been standing, but there was no one there anymore.

She shrugged and got in. She was definitely being paranoid over some unsuspecting man, there for a harmless reason no doubt. Not everything is about you Rose.

12. Paranoia (part 2)