The Death Venom

Chapter 5 - Mom, Is That You??

Wandering through the murky and endless hallway of the house, fear once again became my companion. After the chaotic and unexplainable events that progressed through the night, I was literally on edge.

"What can I really expect after a night like tonight? There's something off about this house tonight, and I can't quite put my finger on what it is, that's keeping me on my toes."

I've never been afraid to walk through this house before, but tonight? Tonight was different for me.

"What if 'someone' or 'something' is watching me? What will I do if I encounter such a horrid and immoral presence, such as the one I came face to face with, in my nightmare? Will I scream out in vain, desperate for anyone passing by to hear my cries for help, or will she seize me right then and there?"

With every ounce of courage I had left, retained in my being, I willed myself to continue. To continue on the journey through the dreadful abyss of the night, exploring my surroundings and keeping my senses on high alert. I have to make sure my family is okay!! Their safety is my number one priority.

I can feel the sweat drench my skin, the throbbing of my own eyes, the ringing screams vibrating in my ears, and the thumping of my heart against my chest. My fingers are curled into a fist, nails digging into my palm. I can't hear my rapid breathing, but I can feel the oxygen flowing in and out of my lungs.

Cautiously, I reach the living room, tip-toeing my way through the room, being careful not to make a single sound. Looking around the room, I notice there is not one ray of light in here at all. It's so dark in here, I can't really see much of anything, except the shadows that the moon casts off through the window, reflecting off of the glass in the window pane, and the crystal marble wall that encases the window.

It is at this moment, my eyes freeze on a very distinct figure. Studying the area surrounding the window, I notice a faint silhouette standing next to the window, her back facing me. Her outward appearance displays the exact representation of my own mother. Her short, straight deep burgundy hair emulated in the moonlight, and her stunning, long elegant purple Victorian dress flowed ever so gracefully down to the floor.

"Huh, this is strange. Mother is up, too?? She's not just awake, though, she is dressed in her formal attire, which is quite unusual at this time of night. Perhaps she couldn't sleep for the same reasons that I can't? Only one way to find out why she's still awake..."

I hesitate and take a deep breath, not certain of why my mother would be standing there, awkwardly staring out the window at this hour. "Mother?? Is that you? What are you doing awake at this time of night?"

Taking another deep breath, I wait a few moments for her to reply, only to be standing there in complete silence. Okay, this isn't off-putting at all... Normally mother would at least acknowledge my presence by now, but it's clearly evident she is ignoring me.

"Excuse me, mother? I hope you don't take me as a coward, but I am having trouble sleeping. I am exhausted, but I saw something that put my mind at unease, and I was thinking that was maybe the reason as to why you're still up?" I stood there, once again, awaiting her response.

But for some reason, she's still not acknowledging me. What the hell? My mom never just stands there and ignores me.

Lost in my own array of thoughts, she finally answers me in a soft, harsh tone, "Go to bed, Holly. It's late, and you shouldn't be up at this time of night."

Anger flooded me, as I began to pulsate in rage with my own blasted outbursts. "Did you not listen to a word I just said!? I can't sleep because of some shit I saw in my bedroom!! I thought I could at least talk to you about it, since you're up."

My impatience was wearing thin at this point. If it's one thing I hate the most, it's being ignored and brushed off as if my feelings don't matter. As if I don't matter.

Her response came quick, this time more angrily and annoyed at me than before. "Go to bed, damn it!! I don't want to talk to you about whatever it is you saw. Knowing you, it was something petty and stupid. GO TO BED!!"

My blood boiled and burned with fury; enmity makes us do the unthinkable, as I was indefinitely out of line with what I was about to say next. "I won't go to bed until you turn around and listen to what I've to say. You're acting really strange, anyway! Normally you at least listen to me and comfort me! So what the fuck is your problem, huh!?"

An eery tone came from her, as she claimed, "I warned you. You're gonna regret what you've just done. I'm not someone you wanna mess with."

Exasperated and at a loss for words, I stood there in utter shock. I heard this same thing from somewhere, but the question was, where? And from who??

I decided to push her buttons even further, all my rational thinking going completely out the door. "What the hell are you talking about? Mom, please stop playing your damn games and turn the shit around and face me when I talk to you!!" I replied to her in a sarcastic, condescending voice.

Once again, she repeated, "Like I said, I warned you."

The figure turned around, facing me, but once I peered into the face, I quickly realized, this is not my mother!! The black silhouette had no face, once again, just like the heinous entity I encountered in my nightmare. The figure that stood before me now, had blood splattered all over the face, leaving bloody imprints of a face that looked like as if it had been ripped out. Blood covered where the eyes and nose should have been. What the hell is this 'thing!?'

"Please, please don't hurt me!! I don't know what you want nor why you linger nigh, but please, leave me unscathed."

Fear. It haunts our core to the very essence of our being. It runs after us, clutches the innermost part of our souls. It was here, that fear threatened me once again.

The fear sits quietly, eroding the person I was born to be. What starts as a contortion of my stomach, becomes a feeling of being smothered by an invisible hand. My breathing becomes erratic, deep, then shallow. I try to fight it.

Run. I ran as fast as my little feet could carry my distressed and worn body, hoping with every step along the way, that 'thing' would not follow.