What's in your pencil case? (Patrick Hockstetter)

A Nocturnal Visitor (Part 17)

There's a hole in my window if you want to sneak in
There's a crack in my windshield and i'm waiting for it to cave in (The Clubs/The People's Attention)

At night the dark creatures you hide inside finally come out. They'll start gorging themselves on your mind, soon enough they'll devour your heart and move on to your soul. Before you can do as much as scream, they'll feast on the empty shell of your body. And you can't even see them until it's too late and they've consumed your essence whole.

No. She refused to believe that. How did these words even appear in her head? They most certainly weren't her own. But in all honesty, vulnerable in her room, at night, they were truly frightening.

As a child she would have laughed over the fake dramatic tension built up with these words. However, in the last few years she had started to believe these angsty sentences, with her doubts increasing and the naive sentiment of invincibility tumbling down. Staring holes in her window, she sighed.

She had pulled her blinds down. If any people -monsters?- lurked outside, she wouldn't have to see them. If she couldn't see it, it couldn't see her, right? She clung onto childish hopes that she deep down knew to be rubbish. But how could she sleep with the knowledge of disturbing creatures visiting her at night?

Inside and outside of her head, she couldn't escape them. Her eyes glanced over to the old gun she usually hid in her closet in a box with childhood memories, she had never opened again before today. Still, the knowledge that it was there had always gave her a certain sense of comfort. Somehow she figured that she'd needed it tonight. She was not alone. And as a strange rustling resonated from outside, she simply knew that someone -or something?- lurked outside, waiting for her. Suppressing the shivers creeping up her skin, she forced herself to be calm and collected. Calm and collected. Taking a deep breath she grabbed the gun. Calm and collected. Right then a light tapping on her window resonated. Persistently, adding in volume. The figure wanted to get inside and it would find a way. Her clammy hands clinging to her weapon, she reached out to her window. She was in control. Calm and collected. Her mantra couldn't fool anyone with her fingers shaking as they wrapped around the window handle.

Freezing air hit her trembling figure and with it the chilling sensation of being watched. As anticipated a dark figure outside had only awaited that particular move. Sharp teeth flashed up to her, the first feature she noticed of the supposed monstrosity lurking outside. With a boyish grin Patrick Hockstetter gleamed up at her. Proud of his romantic idea of a midnight visit. That would surely sway her away from Bowers. He was met with a stone cold gaze and the barrel of a gun. "Woah! Relax!", he breathed out once he faced the gun she was holding. Though he regarded the weapon with an almost morbid curiosity. His teeth weren't that sharp. Just hallucinations. It's only Patrick. She was safe. Still, her fingers clung to the weapon, searching for security. "It's only me, though you should have seen the way Tozier blanched when he recognized me just now!", Patrick snickered maliciously, as he heaved himself inside. At her puzzled expression he explained: "All the houses here look the same, just my luck to end up climbing through Tozier's window. The loser almost pissed his pants. Seriously, he looked like he just met his worst nightmare when I stood in his room.", Patrick was still chuckling at the memory.

She didn't join in. In fact, she hadn't even lowered her gun. Her fear-induced apathy outweighed the humour of this occurrence by far. Instead, she observed him closely to find out just what he had planned. Patrick was swiftly slinking over to her. "Seriously, what's it with the gun? Can I have it?", he actually had the nerve to ask. Already reaching out to take it. Well, maybe it was special for him to even ask instead of just grabbing it. "No. Cut the crap, Patrick. What do you want?", she curtly replied. Shielding the remains of her fear with an unyielding mask of nonchalance. Using the time Patrick took to examine her room to store her gun deep in her closet once more. She wouldn't need it. Not today.