Nocturnal [COMPLETED✔️2018]

Chapter Three: Silent Ghosts

After what Julie and Jonah said about my house, I find the bike ride back to be even creepier than it had been the first time. Every crunch of a leaf is a murderer coming to get me, and every bird chirp is a cry from a ghost lady, waiting for me behind the bark of every tree.

When I finally get to the gate, I run in as soon as I can, leaving my bike behind the wall in such a way that my parents won't drive over it when they get back. I practically sprint up the hill, needing to be away from those trees as quick as I can.

I feel relief wash over me the second I get through the door, but the relief soon fades, replaced with the dreaded feeling I had felt all morning before going to the town.

It's now four, and the sky is growing even darker than before. Before I have time to drop my bag, the light patter of rain hitting the house sounds above me. Shutting all the curtains downstairs, I flick on the lights, wishing my parents would hurry back. I don't like this new me- afraid of every creak and groan the house makes. I'm Nyx- not afraid of anything. But as each second passes, I feel like I'm going out of my mind. The sound of rain is not enough to drown the silence, and so, I grab my phone from my back pack and quickly switch on music. I feel better now that there's some noise, but there's still something not right.

Okay Nic, I tell myself. You're in a new place, you're not used to it. Don't let what Julie said scare you. You're inside. You're safe.

My little internal pep-talk seems to calm me down, and I decide to go about with my plans for the day. Before doing that, though, I go into the living room to sit down for a bit. My legs hurt from cycling and my whole body is tired from lack of sleep last night.

I take a seat on the new couch my parents bought for the house just a few weeks ago. It's a large grey sofa that curves into a semi circle. It came with matching arm chairs, but unfortunately, they don't match the rest of the room. The walls are covered in a hideous yellowing crème wallpaper, and the floor has a dark green carpet to match the one on the stairs. The large window is framed by heavy, green curtains that don't even match the green of the carpet. The only things that probably won't have to be changed are the large chandelier that hangs from the ceiling, and the grey marble fireplace.

As I look around the room in distaste, I begin to find my eyelids growing heavy. I don't want to sleep, but I'm just so. . . tired. . .

A loud thump startles me from my near sleeping state.

Immediately, the feeling of dread fills my body and I find myself gripping the arm of the couch.

Another thump.

I immediately know that it's coming from basement- the same as yesterday. . .

It's an animal, I say to myself. A mouse. A bird. . . Something logical, Nyx. Something logical.

To prove that I'm not going crazy and there is in fact a logical explanation to the noises, I stand from the couch and walk towards the door.

The door is already open, and from where I'm standing, I can see the basement door.

There it stands. Lonesome. Menacing.

My breathing is shallow as I walk forward- I don't even have the will to try and assure myself that I'm just being stupid.

I reach the door and quickly, turn the knob. It swings open- revealing the pool of black that I'm about to dive into.

Taking a deep breath, I put my hand forward. Dad told me that the light for the basement is turned on by pulling a little string. The electricians are coming next week to put in some more modern lighting, so until then, I guess I have to do it the old-fashioned way.