The soft glow of the moonlight filtered through the curtains. Goosepimples scurried down her bare arms.
Dympa, who’s 21st Birthday was in the morning, was just wondering what had awoken her when a dark shadow drifted past her bedroom window.
She froze, unable to move. She couldn’t hear the sound that stealthy footsteps would make, but intuition told her she was not the only one up at this lonely hour of night.
Clyde, her three-year-old cocker spaniel, was sitting underneath her window, alert and whimpering softly. Finally after what seemed like an age, she made the decision to investigate.
Getting swiftly, but silently out of bed, she slipped on her robe and slippers that were always within easy reach. Finally standing she wasn’t so sure she had seen anything at all, mabie it had just been a tree moved by the soft breeze. But if so, she told herself, why had Clyde been acting so strangely?. As if to confirm her suspicions, a loud crash resonated from downstairs. She nearly lost it then and there, in fact she nearly wet herself, but regained control just in time.
Gradually, a new feeling overcame her. Not one of fear, but anger and outrage, that someone had invaded her sanctuary, her home.
She tip toed to her dresser.Catching sight of her reflection in the mirror, she winced. Her auben hair was in a dissaray around her shoulders. Her eye's, nomaly pale blue, were dark and wide with fear. Her thin body looked hunched, ready for attack. Taking her attention away from the mirror, she opened the top drawer and extracted her trusty Smith and Wesson. The feel of the sturdy pistol in her hand boosted her confidence by a few notches.
She knew it was illegal, but didn’t particularly care. How many women would be alive today, if they had been wise enough to purchase a pistol for home protection?
Her sister for one! Wincing at those thoughts, she quickly blocked the painful memory from her mind closed the dresser drawer and started towards her bedroom door. Putting her ear against the cold wood she listened for any suspicious sounds, and after a few minutes of not hearing any slowly started turning the door knob.
Once the door was open a few inches, she poked her head out part way. Looking in both directions she didn’t see anyone sneaking around in the hall, or hear anymore noise from downstairs. With only a seconds hesitation she stepped outside her room, and quietly eased her door to.
She could see the head of the stairs from her spot in the hall. She dreaded going down to the ground floor but didn't have any other choice, exept to join clyde cowering under the bed. As inviting as that may sound hiding wouldn’t accomplish anything.
Not wasting another minute, she headed down the stairs, stairs that once looked familiar now looked as inviting as the the fiery steps to hell.
She trod from heel to toe trying to make as little noise as possible, but despite her many efforts, random steps would give away her location by letting out creaks of protest. Her beloved house had now become her enemy determined to rat her out, despite their many years together had sided with the enemy. She chuckled quietly to herself at this, crazy thoughts, absolutely bonkers but cold hard fear, as she was feeling at this moment, did strange things to people. The reason for her fear was justified, however, because a simple prowler or even a rapist wasn’t why her body shook or why her heart pumped nearly hard enough to jump right out of her chest.
These type of prowlers would be scary, but they were nothing compared to what she thought awaited her. She had been waiting for this moment, had thought she would be prepared ever since four years ago.
She remembered it well; it was a Friday night she and her younger sister Cassie had been looking after the house. Their parents, attending a work function, wouldn’t be home until the early hours of the morning. They had rented videos, scary videos, because after all they were grown up girls and could handle any horror some tacky video had to offer.
Getting comfortable on the sofa together Dympa realized that she hadn’t brought any popcorn and what was a video night without it?
Cassie informed her that she would be fine while Dympha went to the 7-11 to pick some up. So kissing her sister goodbye totally unaware that this would be the last time she saw Cass , Dympha headed outside to the carport.
The drive to the store was reasonably uneventful and except for the occasional hooligan with a car stereo blaring also quite peaceful.
She arrived at the store in about eight minutes, even though she had told herself before hand that she wouldn’t get stuck listening to Millie, the store clerk, gossip, as usual she felt rude hurrying out without saying a word.
She ended up spending ten minutes hearing all about Millie’s next door neighbour, her affair with the milkman and that creepy old man across the road who Millie swore was stalking her. Trying not to seem abrupt, but not wanting to leave her sister alone too long, Dympha quickly paid for her goods and said goodbye.
The drive back was a little more busy than she had thought it would be. An accident on the road had her held up for ten minutes and she had to fight traffic nearly all the way home.
When she finally did get there the first thing she noticed was the front door, bolted and locked when she left was now standing wide open. An invisible hand grabbed her stomach and twisted it, intent on ripping it in half. Chills raced up her spine almost rendering her immobile.
When she was able to move again, she ran, not caring who might be inside. The only thing on her mind being her sister, and any amount of time no matter how small could be vital.
Once inside, she slowed down. The hallway in front of her seemed to go for miles, finally she reached the door that lead to the loungeroom, and was just about to sneak in when she was hit from behind.
As she fell to the floor, she saw him, running towards the door, he had Cassie swung over his shoulder and as he reached the front entrance looked back at her.
She would never forget his face. Unruly hair framed it, the colour of rats fur brown and dull, his eyes the most memorable feature were huge, the colour of dirty icebergs and unlike his hair were shiny almost supernaturally so. His body was thin but strong, he smiled at her then, not a warm smile but cold and devoid of any human emotion, then he was gone, just like that.
Dympha tried to lift herself to go after her sisters kidnapper but didn’t have the strength. The blow had knocked out all energy, by the time she could get up and could get to the door, he was gone and so was Cassie.
Dympa spent hours searching for them, only stopping when she was picked up by a patrol car that her parents had called.
Arriving home they had found the girls missing and had become worried. On the way back to the house she told the policeman everything, they told her that they would inform her parents and that it wasn’t her fault, that there was nothing she could have done.
But Dympha knew the truth. She knew she had failed, failed her little sister, failed her parents and ultimately failed herself.
That was four years ago, ever since that night she had been waiting, sure that her sisters kidnapper would hunt her down eradicating the only witness to his devious act. That moment had come and although she wasn’t as prepared as she’d hoped to be, at least she had a weapon, somthing she should have had all that time ago because if she had maybe her sister would be here today. Her sister, that never had a chance to become a woman.
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