Chapter One
It was a crisp windy December night, Sophie was walking around the block for her nightly walk. But tonight was different, she was walking with more of a bounce in her stride, tomorrow she would be going to Dorney Park in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. She planned to go to The Asylum as the first ride, err haunted house. She was going to take her cousin Sam, who was visiting from San Jose, California for a yearly visit. They had discussed what they wanted to do this weekend. It was a Friday evening and dinner was about to be served so Sophie started to head home for a family dinner with the whole family.
As she started to walk home she heard a shrill blood-curdling scream. She looked around and started to run towards her street and went faster every time she took a stride. She broke into a sprint. The shrieking got louder. She felt around for her phone, but it wasn't there. Soon her house was coming into view. Her lungs began to burn and she started to pant. She saw her family at the dining room table getting ready to eat the weekly Shabbat dinner. As soon as she rounded the corner, Sophie heard the most barbaric scream followed by a ripping sound. She then made a wild dash to her front door. She started pounding on her door and she heard another shriek. She pounded on the door again and the door swung open. She ran in, her eyes wild and frantic, searching for something to protect herself with. She flailed around wildly, slamming the doors, locking and bolting them and ran to the back door and bolted it shut too. Then she ran around the house and closed and locked all the windows. Everyone looked around the house in bewilderment as Sophie ran around the house locking windows and closing blinds. All of the sudden there was a shrill scream.
Everybody gathered together on the second floor and turned off all the lights and grab the home phone and dialed 911. All of the sudden there was a pounding on the front door. It made Sophie and Sam jumped. Ian, Sophie’s dad, inched down the stairs and opened the door. All of the sudden this man walked in and shut the door very quietly. Ian and the man inched quietly up the stairs and whispered to Sophie.
“What did you see?” The strange man inquired.
“I did not see what I heard” she replied.
“What did you hear” the policeman offered.
The officer looked worried and his voice sounded strained like he was hiding something. Noting that Sophie squinted and asked quizzically, "How did you get here so fast. My dad only called you about two minutes ago, and the receptionist said you were about ten minutes away.” She said with a slightly guarded tone.
“I was already in the area.” He countered.
“Then let me see your badge,” Sophie demanded.
“Why?” The strange man retaliated.
“Because I want to see it, you shouldn’t need to question it.” She snarled.
“I don’t have it with me right now.” He replied simply.
“Bullshit, get out of this house. Now.” She practically growled the last word, anger dripping from her voice.
“You have no right to speak to me like that.” He retorted.
With that, she lurched forward and drove her fist into his nose. Leaving everyone, including her in shock. She swung at him again and he fell to his knees. She stood there in shock as she watched him collapse. She noticed the blood coming out of his gut. She looked up to see Sam with a bloody knife in her hand. Everyone’s ragged breathing was the only sound in the whole house. Same looked terrified but too shocked to react. She simply looked down at the man, then at her knife, then back up to Sophie. Her eyes looked dull and lifeless, like a worn out lightbulb.
“Now I don't want to go to the Asylum,” Sam said.
“Yeah,” Sophie agreed. “Neither do I.”
To be continued...