Emily

That night, he had tried to break into her room first. Mark remembered waking up to Sarah's scream, our father running down the hall with an old baseball bat. The man had fled, but he wasn't done. He had come to my window next. It hit me like a punch to the gut. Whatever had haunted me all these years wasn't a nightmare. It was a memory.

A memory of glowing yellow eyes, a sinister grin, and tapping claws on the window pane. A memory of real danger lurking just beyond the glass. Nothing was ever the same after that night. The fear had clawed its way into the innards of our family, and it wouldn't release its grip.

A memory of glowing yellow eyes, a sinister grin, and tapping claws on the window pane. A memory of real danger lurking just beyond the glass. Nothing was ever the same after that night. The fear had clawed its way into the innards of our family, and it wouldn't release its grip.

My parents tried to put a good face on, but I could sense the tension in their eyes, the taut way they walked around the house, always listening. They installed additional locks on every door, nailed shut every window, but still, it didn't seem enough. That sense of security, one which I had always taken for granted, was gone, broken by the man with the glowing yellow eyes.

My parents tried to put a good face on, but I could sense the tension in their eyes, the taut way they walked around the house, always listening. They installed additional locks on every door, nailed shut every window, but still, it didn't seem enough. That sense of security, one which I had always taken for granted, was gone, broken by the man with the glowing yellow eyes.

I would lie in bed every single night, and all my gaze would focus on that window now covered by heavy curtains. My heart would pound with the creak of the floorboards, the rustle of the leaves outside, and the distant howl of the wind. Every sound felt like a warning, a reminder that he could come back.

I would lie in bed every single night, and all my gaze would focus on that window now covered by heavy curtains. My heart would pound with the creak of the floorboards, the rustle of the leaves outside, and the distant howl of the wind. Every sound felt like a warning, a reminder that he could come back.

I would close my eyes and attempt to fall asleep, but all that I could see was his face, his grin, those eyes. I was always on the alert, waiting for those taps to start again. My sister, Sarah, did not say a word about it. She tried to act like nothing had happened, but I have also seen fear there. She would not go near the windows.

I would close my eyes and attempt to fall asleep, but all that I could see was his face, his grin, those eyes. I was always on the alert, waiting for those taps to start again. My sister, Sarah, did not say a word about it. She tried to act like nothing had happened, but I have also seen fear there. She would not go near the windows.

She would not play outside unless our parents were watching her. She clung to our mother in a way she never had before, and it broke my heart to see it. The carefree innocence we once knew was gone, replaced with an ever-present gnawing fear. My older brother Mark tried to be the strong one. He was the one who told us that everything was okay, that the man would not come back.

She would not play outside unless our parents were watching her. She clung to our mother in a way she never had before, and it broke my heart to see it. The carefree innocence we once knew was gone, replaced with an ever-present gnawing fear. My older brother Mark tried to be the strong one. He was the one who told us that everything was okay, that the man would not come back.

But he, too, was not spared the terror. I would catch him at night standing by the front door with the old baseball bat in his hands and his eyes scanning the darkness beyond the window. He slept little after that night, and so did I. Indeed, none of us did. Our father...

But he, too, was not spared the terror. I would catch him at night standing by the front door with the old baseball bat in his hands and his eyes scanning the darkness beyond the window. He slept little after that night, and so did I. Indeed, none of us did. Our father...

once so strong and unshakable seemed different too he was more cautious now more guarded he would check all the locks every night his eyes moving toward the windows toward the shadows outside he never spoke about what had happened not to us not even to mother Still, I could see the weight of it in his eyes, the unspoken fear that hovered over him like a dark cloud.

once so strong and unshakable seemed different too he was more cautious now more guarded he would check all the locks every night his eyes moving toward the windows toward the shadows outside he never spoke about what had happened not to us not even to mother Still, I could see the weight of it in his eyes, the unspoken fear that hovered over him like a dark cloud.

The police came that night, sweeping their flashlights through the darkness, searching the woods behind our house. They promised to patrol the area to keep an eye out, but it didn't bring any comfort. The man was gone by the time they arrived, vanished into the shadows of the forest.

The police came that night, sweeping their flashlights through the darkness, searching the woods behind our house. They promised to patrol the area to keep an eye out, but it didn't bring any comfort. The man was gone by the time they arrived, vanished into the shadows of the forest.

and even though they never found him i knew he was still out there somewhere watching waiting the days passed turned into weeks but fear did not leave it crouched in every nook and cranny of our home in the dark bunks below the bed in the whispering of the wind outside the window

and even though they never found him i knew he was still out there somewhere watching waiting the days passed turned into weeks but fear did not leave it crouched in every nook and cranny of our home in the dark bunks below the bed in the whispering of the wind outside the window

my mother tried to do all the usual things cooking our favorite dish humming our favorite tunes cracking jokes that would make us smile but there was a tautness in her smile a tightness in her voice that told me she was just as scared as the rest of us We never talked about that night again. It was as if the words would make it real all over again, bring him back.