He Creeps Closer

For my grandson and the day that looms ahead.

He Creeps Closer

 

Legion

25July11

　

The old, oaken trees that surrounded my location, all gnarled and bent, seemed to reach out as he moved. Their branches scraping across the top of my vehicle added to my paranoia. I would like to have gotten out and broken them off to stop their incessant taunting, but fear had taken hold of me and I was rooted in my chair with eyes riveted upon the scene outside the window. The wind, though not a zephyr, pushed him onward with a stumbling gait. I moved further down into the seat of the mini-van as he crept closer and closer. His eyes were darting to and fro looking for a way in. My fear kept me focused on the scene at hand. I felt like the armadillo that is about to be ran over by a speeding automobile. My only reaction would be to jump, but that would only make things worse. I forced myself to stay still. My heart was racing faster and faster as he continued forward. The intensity of its beating was slowly choking the breath from my chest. The air within the van had become stagnant and vapid. I was gasping for said air, toxic as it may have become, and sweat had begun to cling to my body and filling every crack and crevice it could find. I imagined I had become the image of a ghastly ghost or perhaps a decimated ghoul at the least. "My God,' I thought as the blood within me felt as though it was draining rapidly from my body, 'I'm never going to make it." It was indeed receding into the farthest reaches of my torso leaving me light headed and dizzy. I adjusted my collar in hopes to gain an extra ounce of air to stave off passing out. Although, it may have been a small mercy if I had. At least I would not have been aware of what was to come. As I peered out the window, I could see the small hump on his back shifting back and forth in time with each of his steps as if it was controlling his movements. Perhaps it was. Its diabolicalness entrancing me while pulling me further into this traumatic moment. I could not look away. God, how I wish I could have. I could not do much of anything but stare in horror and cringe. As he approached the door, hand outstretched for the handle, I began noticing more of them outside the van creeping closer and closer as well. How many I could not tell. They seemed to be everywhere at once and coming from everywhere. All had the same somewhat desolate and bewildered stare that he had. They were varied. Some had the same type of hump on their backs. Others seemed to be more lithesome but just as precarious. All seemed to have outstretched hands reaching for the handle of the door. I wanted to scream. I wanted to jump out and run. I wanted to do anything but just sit there in the driver's seat of that ivory white mini-van while frozen in fear wondering what was to come and what would be. Each hand rested on the handle of the door. Each hand turned that handle. Each of them disappeared into the darkness of that now open doorway. He, like the rest, was gone too. Gone into the oblivion that I had feared the most, not to be seen again until....

 

 

....3:00 p.m. when the first day of kindergarten finally lets out.

Author's Note

I think I am dreading that day more than his mother is. Hopefully it all goes well for him (and me). :)

Reviews

[Persephone]

You are sly! What a build up, very suspenseful! I must admit I was thinking it would have a much more frightening ending! Don't worry though, he will get through it, we all do somehow!

[Legion]

He did and we did. ;) He starts first grade next month. Thanks for the review. Got to crash for the night.

[Robert The Frank]

interesting

[patricia]

ha ha, I never expected that. A great yarn. Thankyou.