Scratch

By Shawn Koch

Lisa heard it.

That sound. That evil sound...she heard it tonight. Scratch.... scratch.... scratch. Like every night....scratch.....scratch......

Like fingernails clawing at some type of surface....scratch...scratch...

Granite...scratch...metal...scratch...

wood...scratch...dirt...scratch scratch...

It drove her crazy. She knew it was down there.

She lived in one of those nice houses, with two stories, an attic, a basement, a garage, 4 rooms, and 3 bathrooms. She lived in the country. 2 miles to the next house. It was beautiful out here in Missouri. Lush plants. Animals everywhere. She wondered what animal was making that sound. It was below her.

Scratch...scratch...scratch...

Under her. Under the bed. She looked over the edge and under, seeing nothing. Under the floorboards, that was where it was. The sound started moving towards the door. Scratch...scratch...scratch...scratch...

It had always done this after a while. She never had the guts to follow. Now she did. Death would be worth it to stop that scratching sound. She jumped out of bed and followed it. It continued down the hallway and then down the stairs.

Scratch...scratch....... nothingness.

She went to the last place she heard it. It started up again, but to her right side. Scratch...scratch...right at the basement door. It stood gaping...open to that inky black darkness. She walked into it, and the darkness enveloped her. She turned around. The door slammed shut. Then she heard it. Scratch...scratch...

but as though it was above the floorboards.

Right in front of her. Standing. She couldn't see it in the dark.

She grabbed the chain and yanked. The tiny light above her shone down.

It stood before her. She now knew why it made that scratching sound. She screamed as her neck ripped open...

Then her eyes couldn't see...the light had been turned out by something...

her eyes covered by her own red...her own blood...then the rats came...

Then pain...

then blood..

then there was a chewing sound...

then more blood...

and the chewing continued...

then more pain...

then nothing...

then...

She wakes up...this nightmare had scared her. It was more realistic than last time. And the time before that.

Then Lisa hears that sound. It heads towards the door. Scratch...scratch... scratch...she follows it, not caring about the dream. Into the basement. She goes in. The door slams shut...she turns on the light. There it is...in front of her.

She realizes why it...no, she now knows the truth, realizes why she was scratching. It's a she.

Then Lisa realizes who it is.

Who she is...

Who Lisa was...and is... and will be...

Then Lisa's neck snaps...she falls

Paralyzed...her hands are on the light, and it goes out...

She lays on the ground...

Then the rats come...

Then the chewing sound...

Then pain....

Then blood....

And more blood...

And even more pain...

More rats... all chewing...

Then crying...no one else's...not hers...but all of theirs...

Then nothing...

Then...

Then she will wake up. She will run out of bed...down the stairs...to the basement...the darkness...and all the pieces will fit together...

Of her life...long age...but she will remember all she can. All this was that one occurrence...

She will walk in. And turned on the light. There she will hang. It will be horrifying to see herself hanging from a rafter. She will looked at Lisa...at herself...and scream.

Lisa remembered when that happened.

That it is happening.

That it will happen.

She will scratch at the noose around her neck.

And the rope will brake...and Lisa's neck will snap...

And she realizes why they were here...

Are here...

Will be here...

And then the light will go out...and then the dark...

And the rats will come...then the chewing...

Then the pain...and blood...

Then nothing....

Then she woke up. She walked to the basement. She put the noose around her neck....Hanging...Suicide...it was a sin...and that’s why she was here...

Because she has been here...

is here...

will be here...

For eternity....

Then there was pain...

is pain...

will be pain...

then there was blood...

is blood...

will be blood...

and the rats came...

are coming...

will come...

and there was chewing...

is chewing...

will be chewing...

then it was quiet...

is quiet...

But it will never truly be quiet...

For eternity...

Except for the scratching on the noose...

And Satan's laugh...

And Lisa....

...was....

...is....

...will be....

...here....