Play No More (Player Next Door sequel) ✓

70 | Nine Chances

I'm baaaaack. Hi. Thank you @mxchael_06 for the poster and those silhouettes x

Let's get into it :)  Please vote!

Chapter 70: Nine Chances

The only light in the room was coming from my phone's screen. Luke was speaking to me on the other line, but I couldn't hear anything. Just the sound of my own heart, beating in fear. I heard the footsteps - slow and steady - treading up the stairs.

A stranger's cold-hearted steps in my home.

Every second lasted a lifetime.

The feeling of dread weighed like a stone in my chest. The rest of the world felt like light years away and I was alone. Terribly alone.

"Millie?" Luke called my name through the phone.

I was breathing rapidly and still failing to get enough air.

"There's someone in my house," I whispered, slowly peeling the covers off my bed, "I'm in my room. Please come."

I put the phone on silent and dimmed the screen. I didn't want to attract attention to my room.

A stranger had broken into my house and I tried to think of rational alternatives to calm my mind. Maybe mom or Flora had returned home? Maybe the blackmailer wanted to stop by and apologize?

I wasn't planning on sticking around to find out.

My hands were shaking as I got up, not wanting to let go of my bedsheets. I left my slippers by the bed and tip toed across the room, as stealthy as I could be, while I listened to the sounds in the hallway.

The slippers weren't good for stealth mode-

The stairway creaked as the intruder reached the top step.

And kept walking.

Whoever it was, was coming to my room. I could feel it. Every step felt like a violation that I could do nothing about. It made me angry but, at the same time, utterly defenseless.

Is the closet a good place to hide?

Maybe if Narnia's inside.

Oh, flippety flip. Why did I even come to this side of the room? Closets are such an obvious hiding place...

It's unoriginal. Why can't I take action? Shouldn't I move? I'm running out of choices here. My room doesn't have many places to hide.

Please Luke. Hurry.

I never pictured myself in a horror movie. But as I stood in the darkness of my bedroom, listening to the footsteps outside, I felt like this was it.

This is how I'm going.

Goodbye to everyone I have ever loved. My garden gnomes, who I have neglected lately. The raccoon I once saved – may you be living carefree and remember me fondly.

Terrified.

I'm beyond scared. I need the toilet. Is that my last thought? I should spend the last few minutes of my life pondering the meaning of life or something.

**

~Luke's POV~

Nine chances out of ten, the intruder was not an intruder at all.

Could be her family or a tree branch scraping the window outside. Minnie has a flare for drama but the fear in her voice is what shook me.

I've never felt as worried as I did then. Feeling her fear was worse than my own. Even with a low chance, I'd do anything not to risk it.