What Happens After Dark

What do you think happens after dark? Do you imagine that night crawlers creep around outside your house? For me this was the scariest thing I have ever discovered. Here is my story about what lurks about after dark.

I was never a believer in the paranormal. In fact, I didn’t believe in Bloody Mary or Candy-man or any of those other legends of the spiritual realm. But that was until I moved to Maryland.

We moved to a beautiful house. Its beauty hiding who — or what — lurked around it. The first night there I slept with my sister, who is three years older than me. My phone was charging against the wall and I was about to drift to sleep when I heard the sound of keys clicking, making a new text. I glanced up at my sister. I thought it was her phone. Then I realized there was no glow on the face of her phone. I asked her if she was texting. “No, I thought that was you,” she said. We shrugged it off, but that was just the first night.

The second night I was curled up in bed. When I looked at my window I noticed it was open and the curtains were blowing gently. I got up and shut it. After awhile I dozed off. Then I heard my name being called in a gentle whisper. The next morning I found my window open again.

About a week later I invited my neighbor to spend the night. She dared me to go into the woods at 11:00 p.m. I said I would if she came with me. Finally the hour arrived and we went out. She was carrying the flashlight. When we got to the middle of the forest we found a deer stand and a rotted door. Well, the deer stand didn’t really stand out much to us, but the door really confused us. We stared at each other for a minute and then we looked back at the door again. Both the door and deer stand were gone. We freaked out a bit and ran back. We looked out my window to see a white light from the woods. We clambered into the bed and tried very hard to forget what happened.

On another night my parents were out on a date and my sister was at the movies with her friends. I was home alone. As I watched TV I heard footsteps and turned around to see a red-eyed, hairy, black-faced scarred body staring me down. You might think it would have laughed. But no it walked towards me and snarled. I screamed Jesus’ name, but I was frozen. The demon screeched. I blinked my eyes and he was gone. Terrified I walked over to my neighbor’s house. As I passed my living room window I saw the demon again. He had the look of pure hatred in its bloodshot eyes.

It was the last night in our house before we moved. I was watching Paranormal Activity when I heard a growl. I slowly turned around to see the same demonic creature I’d seen four months ago — only he looked meaner and angrier. I froze and my heart dropped. It forced me up the wall. I screamed and I was stuck. It laughed as I struggled to get free. Fear overcame me, I couldn’t move. My mom burst in and yelled, “LET GO OF HER!” Before I blacked out I saw my dad come in with my sister. Then, nothing.

A few years later we went on vacation to Maryland. I didn’t want to go because of the horror I’d survived there earlier. I went anyway. We passed by the old house which no one had bought. It sat empty since we moved out. I looked up and saw the demon face in my old bedroom window.

That was the last time I ever saw it. This story is true and now I sleep with at least one light on in my room every night. Thank you for those who believe me.