The Odd Family's Book of Bedtime Stories

Knock, Knock

The night was clear and cool, a gentle breeze coming in through the open window of the old Ford as it cruised down a lonely back road. Emma hung her hand outside, enjoying the feel of the cool air over her fingers and in her hair. Beside her, her boyfriend Hank drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, bobbing his head along to the song playing on the speakers and occasionally singing along. A full moon illuminated the night sky, providing enough light that they almost didn't need their headlights to see the road ahead.
The car gave a sudden lurch and spluttered a bit, causing Hank to turn down the radio. He seemed confused, frowning at the dashboard lights. He sat up to examine them more closely as the car gave another jerk and slowed down. Emma shook her head and sat up.
"What's going on?" she asked. Hank glanced at her and shook his head as the car gave a final jerk and slowed to a stop. As it did, Hank heaved on the steering wheel, guiding it off the road. Emma looked to Hank and then out the windshield, listening. "Did the car die?"
"Yeah," Hank replied. He turned the key in the ignition, listening to the engine turn over again and again. Then he let go and tried again, but it was no use. The car would not start. Finally, Hank gave up. He turned off the ignition and the headlights before sitting back in his seat. "It's dead."
Emma grabbed her cell phone and held it up, frowning at it.
"I don't have any signal."
"Me either." Hank replied, tossing his on the seat beside him. He smacked the steering wheel and gave Emma an apologetic look. "I think we're out of gas."
"What do we do?" Emma asked. Hank sat up and looked around. All they could see in any direction was the road and dense forest on both sides. The trees were so thick that not even the bright light from the moon penetrated them. They hadn't seen another car since they'd left town. Hank looked out the back window and frowned.
"There's a gas tank in the trunk," he told her. "I remember passing a gas station a few miles back. I'll just have to walk."
"I'll go with you." Emma said, preparing to get out of the car.
"No." Hank stopped her, shaking his head. Emma looked back over her shoulder at him, and he gestured to her shoes. They'd been at a school dance before going out for a drive, and Emma was wearing heels. "You definitely can't walk up the side of the road in those." He turned and got out, closing the door behind him. Emma took a long look around at their dark surroundings. "You'll just have to stay here and wait for me to get back," Hank went on, opening the trunk. Emma turned in her seat to face him better.
"Are you sure the car's out of gas?" She didn't want to be left alone out in the woods.
"Yeah, I'm sure," Hank replied. "the gauge has always been faulty. I thought it was okay... but I guess not." Emma listened to him rummage around in the trunk for a moment, trying to see in to the deep shadows of the forest. She tilted her head back toward her boyfriend.
"Maybe we should wait for a car to come by or something?" She jumped a little as the trunk lid shut and blushed, embarrassed. Emma had always been a little jumpy. Hank smiled as he came around the passenger side of the car, his feet crunching in the stones and bits of debris there. In one hand he held a bright red gas can with a long yellow spout, in the other he had a heavy green blanket. It looked as though it had seen better days.
"It could be morning before a car comes by," Hank replied, "and you know your dad. He'll call the cops. Here." He heaved the blanket through the passenger car window and into Emma's lap. Then came the keys. They landed on the blanket with a soft tinkle of metal. "I'll leave the keys with you, but don't leave it on too long, you'll kill the battery. Play games on your phone or something, till I get back. If you get scared, you can just climb in the back and hide under the blanket." Hank knew Emma scared easily and gave her a sympathetic look.
Emma gathered the blanket closer to her. She knew Hank was right and nodded weakly. She'd never make it to the gas station in heels and barefoot was not an option with the sort of things laying on the side of the road.
"How long will it take?"
"I have no idea." Hank replied, looking back in the direction of the gas station. He looked back to Emma. "If you're scared, lock the doors. When I get back, if you're under the blanket, I'll knock on the window three times so you know it's me." Emma nodded, looking around once more.
"Okay..." she replied, "hurry back...and be careful."
"I will." Hank replied. He grinned at her and gave her a wink before turning and walking into the darkness. Emma turned, watching him through the back window until he was gone.
Then she was alone. Emma sat for a few moments, contemplating what to do. In the silence, alone in the woods, it seemed even scarier. The cool breeze seemed a bit too cold. Reaching over with the keys, Emma rolled up the windows and locked the doors before taking the keys back out and tucking them into her pocket. Then she pulled out her phone and found a game to distract herself and watch for Hank.
It seemed like she played forever, running her phone's battery down bit by bit. She hadn't thought to check the time when he had left, but it seemed like he'd been gone long enough. Occasionally, Emma looked around, expecting to see him returning. When he didn't, she got worried. Knowing she was probably just overreacting, Emma tried to calm herself. The gas station had been several miles behind them and would take a while to get to and back from. She wasn't even sure how long it had been.
Then there were the trees. Emma couldn't see into the forest around her, on any side. Even with the full moon, the light stopped at the treeline. There, everything turned to pitch black shadow. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was there, watching her and waiting. When she had finally had enough, Emma double checked the locks and climbed into the back seat to hide with the blanket, just in case. She took the time to make sure she was completely covered before pulling the blanket up over her head and checking the time on her phone.
Another twenty minutes had passed, and there was still no sign of Hank. Her battery had little charge left and she hadn't seen a charger.
Emma's phone screen had just gone black, and she was about to look again for a charger when she heard it. Emma curled up and stilled, listening carefully to the noises around her. It sounded like footsteps crunching in the gravel on the side of the road, but something told her to be still. They got closer and closer to the car and then stopped. For a few moments, nothing happened. Emma reasoned that if it was Hank, he would call out to her or knock, but there was only silence. It seemed to stretch on forever before the noise came again. Emma was certain it was footsteps now, and they seemed to be circling the car. Clutching her phone tightly to her chest, Emma didn't dare move or even barely breathe. She hoped Hank would come back soon. Then the silence returned.
Emma didn't move a muscle, squinting her eyes closed and listening closely for even the slightest sound, waiting. She nearly screamed when a sudden jolt shook the car. Whatever part of her thought that the footsteps were her imagination or possibly an animal, vanished. Emma bit her lip and stayed as still as she could while whoever tried to get in, pushing on the locked doors.
And then, silence.
This silence dragged on forever. Emma did not hear retreating footsteps or any other cars, so she didn't dare move a muscle. She waited for Hank to call out her name or to knock. She thought maybe he would laugh, having pulled a good prank on her. None of that happened. As time dragged on, she worried about where Hank might be and if he was okay. She could hear the wind picking up outside, whistling around the car and through the leaves. It seemed like a storm might be coming.
knock
Emma almost jumped for joy when she heard the knock on the window. Then, remembering the incident from before, she stilled and listened. Hank would have called out. Hank said he'd knock three times- that had been one.
Knock
Two.
Knock
Emma shrank back.
Knock
Emma didn't move.
Knock
Knock
Squeak
Emma shivered. Something or someone was hitting the window just above her head. She bit down on her lip and listened.
Squeeeak
Something dragged across the glass.
Knock
Knock
Knock
This went on forever while Emma silently cried in the back seat, hidden beneath Hank's heavy blanket. She bit her lip hard to keep from making any sound. Just when she thought it would stop, it would start again, terrorizing the teen.
Knock
Knock
Knock
Squeeeeeak
Not even the sound of the rain could drown it out, and where was Hank? Emma knew now that he'd been gone long enough to have made the trip and come back, but he was nowhere to be found.
Knock
Knock
Knock- squeeeeak
A sudden bright light filled the car, visible even through the heavy blanket. Emma jumped, startled, and then stilled, holding her breath and praying no one had seen her. The noise did not let up.
Knock
Knock
Knock
Knock
Squeaaaak
The light filling the car pulsed and flashed blue and white. Emma blinked and listened as a speaker phone squealed and a loud voice filled her ears.
"This is the Marion County police," a man called. "Is anyone in the vehicle?"
Knock
Knock
Emma peeked out from beneath the blanket, but saw nothing nearby. She raised her head slowly, just a little, and nearly cried out. Facing Hank's car was a police cruiser, the lights on top flashing brightly. A deputy stood outside, his silhouette barely visible, a microphone in his hand. He had seen her, too.
"Miss! Are you Emma?" Emma's stomach sank. Her father had called the police. She and Hank were going to be in so much trouble.
Knock
Knock
Emma glanced back to see what was causing the noise, but saw nothing.
"Emma, are you okay?" Emma looked back toward the police officer and nodded. "Okay, Emma." The cop was moving around onto the road, a flashlight in hand as he inspected the immediate area from a distance. His behavior seemed strange. "Emma, I want you to get out of the vehicle. Keep your hands where I can see them and move towards me." Emma shivered and scooted closer to the door, her heart racing and stomach flipping. She didn't want to be in trouble.
Knock
Knock
The sound was so close. Water dripped from the tree limb above the car and onto her head and Emma climbed out of the car and stood and wobbly legs. The storm was over but the wind was still rough, whipping her hair around her and driving the water from the limbs above onto her face.
Knock
Knock
Emma started to look back.
"Emma!" The police officer's rough use of her name drew her attention back to him. "Come forward now, Emma. Don't look back. Just come to me." Frightened, Emma stumbled forward. Her legs were tingly from having been so still for so long. "Good girl, Emma. Come on, come to me. Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Emma shook her head and rubbed her arm. She was cold but not hurt.
Knock
Knock
Squeak
Emma reached up to swipe at the water on her forehead and frowned as she pulled her hand away. It was stained red.
Knock
Knock
Confused and tired, angry and frightened, Emma couldn't take it anymore. Ignoring the shouting from the police officer, she turned to face the car. The strange knocking had been tormenting the teen all night, and she had to know what caused it. She had to find out or it would drive her insane. What she saw froze her in her tracks. The police officer rushed forward to pull her away from the grizzly scene but it was too late. Emma had seen it.
Hank, his face twisted in fear, hung from a thick branch above the car. A short, dirty rope was around his neck and blood dripped down his fingers onto the roof. As the wind blew his corpse, his dirty sneakers would hit the car, bumping into the dented metal before dragging across it.
Knock
Knock