"Emma! Get inside now!" My mother screamed from the doorway, and I raced inside to her.
"Is it starting already?!" I asked, watching her lock and bolt the door behind me.
"Soon," she answered, sliding the desk across to block the door, pushing it close. "The windows, quickly!" she commanded, and I rushed off across the house, drawing the curtains closed and checking the windows to make sure they were closed and locked.
I could hear a voice on the radio through the static. "One minute before the solar eclipse-"
"Emma!" my mother yelled again, desperation creeping into her voice.
Grabbing the radio, I followed her into the hall closet and shut the door.
We huddled in the darkness for a moment before Mom flicked her lighter on for some light. I located the end of the extension cord she had dragged in here and plugged the radio in. The voice came on again, "only 30 seconds before they arrive. Please get to safety."
I tried to speak, but my mother shushed me.
"Ten seconds."
My mother flicked off her lighter, leaving us in blackness once again.
"Five... Four... Three..."
"Are we gonna be okay?" I said hurriedly, although I never expected a response.
"Two... One..."
Silence. All we could hear was the sound of our own hearts beating and our laboured breaths.
And then...
Knock. knock.
I held my breath, trying to slow my beating heart.
More knocking followed, like a multitude of creatures begging us to let them in the front door.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLlR1zSeM7
The knocking grew more furious. My foot was falling asleep, but I could not summon the courage to move an inch.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0QRTU8sK7
Knock! Knock! Knock! Skreeeee...736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJrmST35yZ
I heard Mom's sharp intake of air at the sound of something heavy scraping across the floor. Could they have gotten inside?
More scraping, more panic. Minutes? Hours? How long had we been hiding in this closet? How much longer did we have to wait?
I heard the front door open and knew we were in trouble. I knew Mom heard it to from the way her hand grasped mine tightly, shaking.
From right outside our santuary, I heard an unearthly shriek, it's haunting tone carrying the promising agony of death. I gasped aloud in spite of myself, and tears streamed down my face in terror.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uHwjWmJQX
Mom's hand gripped me painfully tight as the closet door began to open slowly, tantalyzingly. We huddled together in the darkness, awaiting our fate.
A chorus of angry shrieks from all corners of the house echoed in our ears as light began to flood back into our house. The closet door stopped opening.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPv2qqwNL96
"We're in the clear, folks!" the voice on the radio suddenly returned, making both of us cry out. "The danger has ended. I repeat: the danger has ended."
Mom and I both crawled out of the closet, stretching as we stood up. I briefly glanced around the house in dismay. Furniture was overturned, food spilled out onto the floor, containers and drawers smashed to pieces. They were thorough in their search for food. For us.
"Mom..." I started, but she grabbed me in a hug and pulled me close.
"It's okay, sweetie. We're alive." She stroked the back of my head.736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcoN49RLJz
"We're alive..."736Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJS6qPIOZ9
