//------------------------------// // .--. .. -. -.- // Story: Knock. Knock. // by Arreis Of Avalon //------------------------------// I stand, my eyes wide. My heart is fluttering. Was it all a dream? “...Someone just walked over my grave.” I walk to the door, twisting the knob. The light is bright behind me; I think I’ll leave it on this time. Perhaps light is not so bad? I walk to the next room. The static is impossibly loud. My ears twitch, but I keep twisting the light as I fix it. I blink and my bed appears as the lights flicker on. I decide to check my bedroom once more. I sniff. “... Smells like damp earth.” I wonder, has it been raining? My bedroom is fine. I come back. “In general, I need to fill this empty room with something. At the very least so I have somewhere to hide.” I blink and a pot appears. I open the next door and shuffle inside. The static is so loud. I fix the light and sigh as the static stops. “Light brings clarity. It separates the imaginary from the real. Confidence arrives with the night; which is why I anxiously await the break of day.” I blink. I open my eyes. Something has appeared; a gear of some sorts. “Why am I doing all this?... Maybe it’s not even necessary… I forgot something very important. Something that I shouldn’t even try to remember.” I walk to the next room and change the light. A light I just fixed down the hallway blows. I blink. When I open my eyes, the door slams. Just like last time a time I remember. I walk to the door. You’ve… trapped yourself… I quickly open the door. I run to the next room. The shade launches itself at me. I scream, and the sound matches the sound of the lightbulb above me breaking. It claims me, as the darkness has. I awaken. *~*~*~ I stand. “At first… I thought I was sick. But that’s not the case. I’m totally normal.” I take a deep breath. “I’m most likely compensating for something. If only I could take some time off. But it’s so frightening to leave the house now. Something is actually happening outside.” I feel myself shift, glancing at the window slyly. Only blackness. “Who is it that keeps knocking on my window? There are no trees nearby. The house is in the middle of a clearing.” Liar. I walk over to the door and open it, exhausted. I walk to the light and twist it, the floor creaking beneath me. My bed appears once more. “Why haven’t I looked in here for so long?” I stand still for but a moment, contemplating the question as my shadow dances around me. But I can’t just stand around. I need to hurry. Visitors are coming again soon. I go to the door and open it. It takes a moment. Behind me, I hear soft thumping. As soon as the door creaks open, I turn the lights off. Good. Nopony home. Next room. Twist, turn, creak. The room appears as light makes it exist. I blink and exist. My clock appears. With a sigh of relief, I begin to wind. It disappears without incident. I walk to the light. When I turn it off, I hear a nearby light bulb shatter. Visitors, so soon? I walk to the next room and begin to twist the light. Twist, turn, creak. The light turns on. My clock appears right in front of me. I begin to wind. It disappears. I close my eyes. I open them. The room is fuller now. I turn off the light and trot to the previous room. Turn on the lights. Blink. Nothing happens. I turn off the light. I go down the ladder to the downstairs. There is no storm, but lightning strikes somewhere. I feel eyes in my bedroom. Shivering, I turn on the light. Light will bring order. Believe in the light, and the sun will come someday. The sun will come for me soon. Twist. Turn. Creak. The lights turn on. I blink. The door next to me slams, but the room is fuller. My eyes flash open. There is something beside my room. I kill the lights and start to run. Routine. I race downstairs further, down to the basement areas. I start to turn on the light. KNO-KNOCKAKNO-KNOCK It’s trying to break free. It is inside, and it wants out. I can’t let it go now. W-wwaant to s-see yooou…. I blink. Trashcans appear. I hide instinctively. D-Doon’t you hiiiiiiiide from m-me-ee-e It’s a record skipping. It’s a voice, familiar, yet distant. Once so full of cheer, there is blackness and darkness now. I am scared. Terrified. Please, father, help me. Please, mother, help me. I come out of hiding, shaking worse than ever. I start to cross up the ladder, peeking into the room above. It knows where you are. I retreat to the lower level once more, resigned to my fate. The shambling, one legged pony is making her way to the ladder. I know my death awaits. I try to prevent it. I hide. I hide and cower, my light hidden. Light will not save me now. Only silence. Only hiding. I feel the eyes on me. Just w-when you thought about it… it came in. D-D---- hide f-from meee…. I come out of hiding and run to the light, believing myself safe as the feeling fades. I twist. Turn. Creeeak… DO not…. I blink. My clock appears. Stay here. I wind as fast as I can. The clock disappears. I blink. Behind me, a machine appears. It looks familiar. Wires. Buttons. Charts. I remember something. Pink. Lots of pink. H-Hee-eey Yo-o-o---oou~ I start to walk to the ladder, trying to ignore the voices. I’ve gotten a headache. Dawn approaches. The sun rises. It cannot find me in the basement. I awaken. I don't feel like I slept. I stand. Something is... wrong. Very wrong. I look around and realize it. Where did my diary go?!