I wake up to a crash coming from the depths of the living room. I shake my husband awake. He’s resistant to even opening his eyes. I shake him with more force this time but to no avail. It’s not until I speak, the alertness in my voice convinces him to go check. He sits up on his side of the bed, sighing his annoyed sigh. He reaches for the bat he keeps under our bed, and walks out of the bedroom. 

I lay awake in bed now. I dart my eyes around the room, and my breathing becomes heavier, but I attempt to cease it. My anxious mind starts to flood with all the possibilities of what might await in our living room. My heart is pounding in my chest, and my mind is racing, but I am stuck paralyzed, unable to move everything except my darting eyes, which carefully watch the door. Then swiftly look to the wall beside me, a window, maybe one to jump out of. I can’t hear what's going on outside the door, if anything the ringing in my ears drowns out any sound that could be coming from the living room. Suddenly, I hear raucous footsteps impending towards the bedroom. Soon, followed by the slow creaking of the door. 

“It’s gone now” 

His voice was raspier than usual, as he spoke. I nodded and laid back down. I pulled the comforter around my quivering body. Unsure if it was from the cold or the fear I had just succumbed to. He got in bed with me too, laying down and taking what little of the comforter I had left for him. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer to him. His presence is comforting, but doesn’t fully ease the unruliness within me. My body has gone limp now, but my mind is far from tranquil. I know I’m safe now, or at least, I think I am, I should be. That’s what my husband would never do, reassure me everything was going to be alright. I peeked my head towards the digital clock on the nightstand, seeing the time read “3:47”. I sighed in frustration, knowing I’d have to get up for work soon within the next three hours, I really didn’t need to lose any more sleep. As I try to drift back into sleep, I feel his hands reach for my hair. He runs his lengthy finger through several strands in an attempt to soothe me. I do feel safe knowing he’s beside me, but something still isn’t right. The bedroom is so dark, the blackout curtains not allowing even the slightest amount of light to peer through. What if the intruder is still there, lurking in the shadows, was he really sure it was gone? 

“I know you're awake Honey” 

He whispers in my ear, causing my eyes to open once again. He knows me well enough to know I can’t possibly be sleeping. I know he can sense my fear, he’s always had a sixth sense for these kinds of things. I don’t turn to face him, I stay where I am.

“You killed him, right?” And without hesitation, the creature replies, “Of course.”