Story

Thud... Thud... Thud. Three distinct knocks came from the closet. Fifteen year old Nancy Baker turned in bed and pulled the sheet up to her neck. Darkness shrouds everything. A creature blacker than the darkness emerged from the closet. He stood around seven feet tall and had a cockeyed, broken neck. His eyes were missing and he cried blood. The blood and face were the only red parts of this creature.

It was gaunt and emaciated. It seemed to have long, black hair. It stood at the end of her bed. Nancy felt his presence. Her breathing grew shallow. Her breath became visible. ''Please go away,'' she whispered.

her toes became uncovered by an invisible force. It knelt down and licked the young girl's big toe. She fell out of bed. She crawled on hands and knees and by the time she reached the door the apparition was on top of her, choking her. She felt the room spin. She choked and thrashed. She felt herself slip into unconsciousness.

She awoke in her room but it was on fire but she did not burn. She woke up with her dad kneeling beside her. ''Are you okay?'' her dad asked.

The birds chirped outside her window. Light poured into the room. ''He came back,'' Nancy said.

''Who baby?'' dad asked.

''The shadow-Man,'' Nancy whispered.

''Oh no,'' dad whispered.

He hugged his daughter. ''I'll call Father Cliff. Perhaps he'll perform another cleansing.''

''Okay,'' Nancy said.

''I have to go to work,'' Dad said. ''You going to be okay?''

Nancy nodded. She watched in horror as invisible hands snapped her father's neck. He slapped her across the face and pinched her boobs and backside. The apparition lifted her by the ankles and she floated out into the hallway. She screamed as the invisible force dangled her over the banister.

Pictures of herself watching this scene. ''Please, God,'' Nancy pleaded.

It slammed her down. She gasped for breath. She made her way to her shaky feet and hustled down the stairs. Her cooked noodle legs did not seem to want to cooperate. ''Get down the stairs. Please!'' Nancy pleaded with herself.

The basement door swung open when she hit the carpet downstairs. A blast of now-hot air hit her in the face. An invisible force dragged her into the basement and slammed the door shut. ''I'm going to rape you and kill you and rape you again!'' the invisible apparition growled.

Nancy screamed and cried and the wood began splintering. Boom. Boom. Boom. It splintered more and more until and a bloody and beaten Nancy broke through the basement door.

Her nightgown was torn. She dragged herself on her stomach. ''Get to the door,'' Nancy thought.

She had cuts on her forearms. Her fists bled from all the pounding she had done to break free from her prison. Her hands throbbed. She grimaced as she dragged herself across the floor. She reached toward the doorknob, too weak and far to reach it. Nancy passed out.

She awoke in a hospital and saw her mother's face. ''Thank God you're awake.''

Nancy could not speak much above a whisper. ''Hi mom. I'm glad to see you.''

''Likewise, sweet face,'' Nancy's mom said. ''How do you feel?''

''Like crap,'' Nancy said.

''The police couldn't find the guy that assaulted you,'' Mom said.

''They're not going to,'' Nancy said. ''It was the Shadow Man.''

Mom's mouth became cotton. ''I thought he was gone.''

''He came back,'' Nancy said.

She grabbed her daughter's hand and they began to pray for deliverance from the Shadow Man. She kissed her daughter's forehead. ''I love you.''

''Love you too, mom.''