Midnight Fright

A crash, like that of a window breaking, woke me with a start. I started to fall back asleep when I heard it again, but this time even louder and coming from downstairs. Sitting upright, I thought of what it could have been. Hopefully, it was my dog. Never had I had a burglar come in the house, so what should I do if it really was a burglar? Fear spread through me as I remembered that I was home alone. Of course tonight of all nights there had to be mysterious noises; the night my parents are out of town, and the night my brother is over at a friend’s house. The night that I am alone.

As I heard a soft clinking of metal coming towards my room, I froze. I watched as the door slowly creaked open. Instead of seeing a burglar standing before me, I saw darkness. Someone was in my room, but it was too dark to see. Before thinking, I flicked on the lights. Looking around, I saw nothing..but my dog. Relief spread through me as I pick up my dog. Don’t get me wrong, my little pug was no guard dog, but at least I had someone with me; I wasn’t completely alone.

But the horror wasn’t over yet. From downstairs a drawer slammed, and all the fear had returned. But I wasn’t going to act like I did before. When I thought that my dog was the burglar before, I had froze. However, I shouldn’t have. I am an athletic, fourteen year old girl, and I am not completely defenseless. Besides, no burglar was going to catch me by surprise. I am going to be prepared. And with that attitude, I grabbed my brother’s old bat. Then and there, I decided to gather my courage and check what was really happening downstairs.

Creeping down the stairs, careful to not make a peep, I heard silence. Once I reached the bottom of the stairs, and the silence continued, I silently prayed that whatever had made the noise before had left. But just my luck, there was a clang from the kitchen. With my dog in one hand and my brother’s old baseball bat in the other, I was prepared to swing. My courage quickly faded as my dog started to bark in my arms. Swiftly, I set my dog down, hoping he would stop barking. But it was too late; the sound of footsteps were heading in my direction.
I was left with no choice. Before I knew it, I was going in the kitchen swinging. Just before I actually hit the stranger, I heard him screech, “Alice, what are you doing?!” Suddenly, I dropped my bat to the floor, as I recognized his voice as my brother’s.
“Jack!” I shrieked with relief.
“Why were you trying to hit me?” my brother asked, scared and surprised.
“I..I thought you were a burglar because I heard breaking glass.”
“That’s cause I broke this dang glass that I knocked over by accident.”
“But I thought you were over at your friend’s house?” I questioned, confused.
“I had forgot a few things,” Jack explained.

Feeling embarrassed, I sauntered upstairs to my bedroom. How could I have let myself get scared so easily? It was only my brother, no burglar. Wondering how I could have been so paranoid, I grabbed my dog as he trotted by me. Even though I was mad at myself for being so foolish, I didn’t want to be alone. After lying in my bed, I realized how worn out I had become from everything that happened tonight. But in order for me to feel completely safe, I got up and turned on the hall light. Leaving my door open a crack, allowed a bit of light to shine in. Although I hadn’t felt fear of the dark since I was young, a little light would help me feel less nervous. And with that feeling of reassurance, I drifted into a comfortable sleep.