Page 117 of Creep

I walked over to the window and looked out into the dark space. There were no city lights around to penetrate through the sky, and I could see the moon and stars out.

I didn’t think I had ever seen so many stars in the sky.

Even when I was working at the coffee shop.

I closed my eyes.

I didn’t even know if I would still have a job there once everything was settled.

It wasn’t like I had given them any notice.

I looked down at my phone. Ten minutes until midnight.

I needed sleep and couldn’t put it off any longer. I was about to head back to the bedroom when movement from across the property line caught my attention.

I froze, wondering if the movements were nothing more than my eyes playing tricks on me.

My eyes strained as I tried to look through the dark.

There was nothing for only a moment. Then more movement, and I could see them better the closer they got to the cabin.

My heart stalled at the sight of two strange men approaching.

I blinked and rubbed my tired eyes.

They were still there.

What the hell was happening?

No one was supposed to know I was here. Did they come here for me? Or was it random—that they just happened to stumble upon this place and decided to check it out?

I watched as they got to the front porch. From the angle of the window, they couldn’t see me, but I could see them. I could tell they were men… huge, rough-looking men who I had never in my life met before. I would have recognized their massive physique.

A flash of silver caught my eyes before I heard the unmistakable sound of a key being inserted into the keyhole.

They had the keys to the cabin and were coming in.

I didn’t wait. I quickly ran to the back of the cabin that housed a small kitchen and pantry, just big enough for me to hide in.

I left the door open with a slight crack.

Heavy footsteps came over the hardwood floor, in tune with my heart beating. My chest hurt from the panic trying to take over my body, and I was hit with a strong wave of helplessness.

The men spoke to each other softly in a language I didn’t recognize. Portuguese or Italian, I didn’t know.

They shuffled around the small cabin, clearly looking for something, but they didn’t turn on the lights.

They had the keys to the place, yet they were sneaking around in the dark? It didn’t make sense.

When they obviously couldn’t find what they were looking for, one of them came into the kitchen. I worked hard to control my breathing as the night-light caught on the man’s face for the first time: dark eyes and a bald head. His skin was covered in tattoos from the side of his scalp, down to his neck, and under the black shirt he wore. He spun in a circle slowly, then spoke in English.

“Where are you, little girl?”

I took in a small inhale. Was he looking for me?

I closed my eyes and prayed. How did they know I was here in the first place? And why were they looking for me?

The other man from the living room called out to the bald man in the kitchen, prompting him to walk out of there. I waited until his footsteps faded before I moved. Pushing the pantry door just enough for me to get out, I crawled to the back door, trying not to make a sound as I twisted the knob to open it.

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