Haunting

2:45 am,

I still couldn't sleep. I kept shifting and rolling over on the couch. The dark room didn't help much too. The mere idea of someone calling me great is indigestable and a sweet medicine at the same time. I wasn't anxious anymore. But this little thing will always prick me. I killed that woman.

I looked at Marie. She was like a little doll, sleeping peacefully like nothing is fundamentally flawed or ironic here. Should I tell her what I did? But then a freezing anxiety got me. I will become...terrible to her. I myself was not sure if what I did was something extraordinary or just a passing by petty desire that will weight heavy on me in near future.

I lift my head up to look out the window. The scenery outside was still and calm. But also giving an errie undertone. I couldn't see anything but it surely was getting cloudy. There might be a storm. I could hear the rustles cause by the wind, even making the glass pane move. But I couldn't care less. I rested my head back on the worn out cushion and looked up at the ceiling. It wasn't really a great sight to watch but I couldn't sleep.

But I was also slightly nervous about what I did back then. I used those damned symbols to cover up my crime. Police might be thinking that it was done by some cult and is already investigating. What if police finds it out?

But out of nowhere, I started hearing tapping noise on the roof. My heart stopped at that noise. I sat up and kept staring at that spot.

I then lay down thinking that something must have fallen. Some minutes passed and at that time, the storm had started. Trees were bent under the power of wind, creating a peaceful but unsettling weather. Under those conditions, I used to sleep like a log. But for some reason I was still awake.

I looked out of the window. It was dark and I couldn't see a thing. I wasn't scared of that. Or I just didn't want to be scared of that. But then a lightening flash illuminated the dark landscape only to force out a terrified gasp from my mouth. I saw a man for a split second standing a feet away from my window.

I jumped up from the couch and grabbed my chest. My face turned pale and I was barely able to breath properly.

'What was that?' I asked to myself and slowly stood up. If there actually was someone, then he could be a thief. I didn't had anything valuable but I had to be cautious. I slowly approached the window. Turned on the flashlight of my phone and opened the window.

There was no one there. Wherever my flash went, I could only see some bushes.

'That must be a passerby' I thought and slowly closed the window, still looking out to make sure there was no one. That shadowy figure frightened me for my life.

I turned back and started approaching the couch before hearing the similar tapping coming from the ceiling.

Tap! Tap!

Like someone was hitting the ceiling with a stick or rod. I looked up again but that sounds also lasted for only a couple of seconds. But ceiling was now not the only source of the sound.

From the wall beneath the window, I heard the similar sound. My nerves were on their edge. And now from the adjacent wall. And now from the wall opposite to me! And now from the front door!

Whoever it was, it was sure that I was surrounded. I looked at the window and heard a loud rustling sound. I hurriedly grabbed a torch and flashed it on the window only to see a shadowy figure for a second, sprinting across one wall to another from outside.

There were many cases of families killed in their homes under some Satanic ritual according to news. Was I their next target? If that was the case then I was doomed. A whimper unconsciously escaped from my mouth after thinking about my impending demise. I couldn't die like that.

Without even looking at Marie, I dashed towards a small cupboard which is supposed to be my attic. I opened it and hurriedly grabbed a hatchet in case I had to defend myself.

I turned away from the cupboard and went to the middle of the room. Suddenly, everything went quiet. The only sound was that of my breath and Marie's peaceful breathing, completely unaware of the situation.

Then a lightening flashed. Are they...gone? Then a deep rumble caused by thunder was heard. But in that silence, I heard the faint sound of chanting. It was a deep and gravely voice, singing with an outworldly flow.

'That is not a thief' I realised and at that moment, my throat went dry. My legs were quivering and I was barely able to stand properly.

I finally looked at the sleeping figure of Marie. She was sleeping so peacefully, completely unaware of our situation. I hurriedly pulled out my phone to call the police. But I was late. A Molotov broke through my window. I looked back and saw another one thrown inside in now broken window.

I screamed in terror and dashed towards Marie who was sleeping. The interior of my cabin was now on fire.

She woke up after I screamed and sat up hurriedly. "What happened—" she asked but when she saw fire, she screamed in terror too. I held her in my arms and and was about to make my way towards the main door until...I saw a shadowy figure standing infront of the kitchen.

"Who are you?!" I screamed.

He took a step forward. His face was covered with a black cloth and he had a hatchet in his hand. How did he get in? Was he the one tapping on the ceiling?

He took up his hatchet and pointed that at me. "Back off!" I screamed but that beast of a man didn't budge.

'Was this man inside my house all along?'

"Hey...hey! Put that hatchet down!" I screamed. But at that, he started approaching me.

My throat went dry at that and unconsciously stepped back. Marie was clinging to me and started crying.

"Go away!" She screamed, her voice cutting through the crackling of fire. There was not much space left for me. The smoke was suffocating and fire limited my movement.

Now I had no option. I tightened my grip around Marie and lifted up the hatchet over my head. "Stay back!" I warned him for the last time.

At that, he lunged at me. I screamed and swung the hatchet to hack away any part of him that may come in contact.

It made contact with the handle of his weapon, deflecting his attack. My heartbeat raced at that and then with a sudden surge of energy, I took a step towards him and in that split second, I crashed the blunt metal on his head with full force of my body, throwing him on the burning floor.

He fell back on the floor and I struck down the hatchet on his arm. He screamed in pain and now I had the time to escape. I dashed towards the door and escaped the house. I went outside with Marie in my arms. She was crying.

I stopped a few minutes away from my house. I put her down on the ground. She was clinging to me and crying about that whole incident. I patted her back continuously, trying to calm her down.

"It's fine...don't cry now". But there was no stopping. And then I slowly stood up but before that...a rod hit my back.

I slowly looked back in pain and found another man with that same mask. I looked past him and saw a group of people approaching me. My face got paler and I couldn't move. I pushed Marie away.

"Run away!" I screamed. She immediately ran away towards the nearest colony.

"What do you all want?" I asked in pain. They said nothing and surrounded me. Two of them held me by hand and pinned me down. They punched me from every direction and pushed me down before kicking me mercilessly. I convulsed in pain on the ground like a worm. Nobody minded to give me any explanation.

But after a long session of beating, they all backed away. I was sprawled on the ground, groaning due to pain.

'They will kill me. Is this how I'll end?'

Tears started coming out of my eyes. This is my tragic end? I don't want to die now. There are many things I wanted to do and become.

Eventually, they talked. But not to me.

"Is he any good to be sacrificed?" One of the asked.

"The one who is to be sacrificed should be someone pure"

"And this asshole is any pure? Not a chance"

"He used our name to kill a woman. Pretenders should be punished. What he did was a total blasphemy!"

After hearing that, a spark of hope ignited within me. Maybe...maybe they will let me go alive.

I hopefully looked at them with my bruised face, slowly gathering strength.

"But this man is convenient. Nobody will care if he just disappears. In addition to that, he lives all alone here"

"Yeah but that's not all"

"What are you talking about? He should be punished as he disrespected our lord"

"But still—"

"Shut the fuck up!"

"What did you say?!"

They both approached each other but others caught them.

"Please...let me go" I said after gathering enough strength. This is so embarassing but I couldn't do anything else.

They all looked at me before one of them laughed.

"Why should we let you go?" He said

I went silent at his retort. Why should they let me go? I couldn't think clearly during that moment with broken bones.

"Isn't there any way to atone to my blasphemy?" I asked, trying to get a clear picture.

That man paused for a second and eventually said,"Blood atonement". He said in a matter of fact tone.

My heart was racing. Partly due to the adrenaline and partly due to the situation I was in.

"That could be anyone's blood, right?" I asked.

That man laughed a nodded. "Not just anyone, you can atone your sins only with an innocent human" he said. His words were cold and cruel.

"Give me one day and I'll find someone else!" I exclaimed, trying to buy some time. I didn't know what expression they made but it surely was due to amusement and slight distrust.

"Go ahead" one of them said. I was shocked. But that shock was a pleasant one. "Please...I'll bring you a better sacrifice" I said. "That would be better, we won't have to sacrifice someone like you. That would be so shameful" he said before laughing and started going away with his people.

I was still laying on the ground only to lost consciousness.

________________________________________

Next day, 11:47,

I opened my eyes and saw the white ceiling. I was in a room, filtered by sunlight from the window next to me. I tried sitting up and saw the face of the doctor. He was working on some papers. Eventually, he looked at me.

"Ah! You are awake now" he said in a dry tone. He was eyeing me with slight contempt but mostly with indifference.

"You were lucky enough that people carried you here. Thanks to that little girl. They heard her pleas and carried your torn ass here" he said.

I gritted my teeth. I should be used to this by now but it still hurts.

"And yeah, that little girl is waiting outside" he said.

My eyes widened at his words. She is waiting for me? I slowly got out of the bed still whincing due to my pain.

I opened the door out of the room and my eyes landed on Marie, sitting on the floor outside of the room.

"Hey" I called her out.

She looked up at me. She bursted into tears and started clinging to my legs. All of her sass was gone and what only remained were her tears and relief at my condition.

________________________________________

Some hours later,

"I am very sorry! Please forgive me!" That man who dared to beat me was on the floor, crying for mercy.

"How so? What you did was unforgivable! You bastards shouldn't live!"

He screamed in dread and terror. He was trying to slither away from me. But I am not going to forgive him!

I pulled his mask to reveal his real face. I pulled out a nailcutter from my pocket and pinned him down. He cried louder but before he could do anything, I grabbed his hairs and punched him straight on his face, breaking his nose.

I continued punching him until his groans went silent and all of his energy left his muscles. He couldn't do anything but to see and feel.

I fixed the nailcutter over his incisors. Slowly pinched his gums with it until forcefully pulling it out. He whimpered in pain. Tears streaming down his cheeks, silently asking for forgiveness. But I laughed. His pain and suffering is fueling my mirth. It is my joy!

But then Marie held my hand and broke me out of my trance. My eyes widened and I looked down at her.

"Are you okay?" She asked. I shook away my hand from her grip. I was daydreaming again. Now a 8 year old girl is pittying me? Pathetic.

I have to look for a scapegoat. To get away from them, I need someone. But who—

I looked at her.