The Stranger

By Clea Grade 6

“Honey, are you sure you’ll be alright?” asked Natasha’s mom.

“I’ll be fine, besides it’s only for the night,” replied Natasha.

“Please remember to lock and bolt the door behind me,” said Natasha’s mom.

“Ok, ok I will. You’ll be late… hurry go,” ordered Natasha.

“I love you,” called Natasha’s mom as she stepped into her car.

“Don’t forget to put Jack to bed,” added her mom.

When her mom drove out of their driveway, Natasha shut, locked, and bolted the door as her mom instructed. Then she walked into her living room and picked up her baby brother who was playing with his blocks. She propped him up next to her. Then she reached across the couch and grabbed his favorite book and a nearby blanket to lay on herself and her brother. When she was close to the end of the book, Jack was curled up in a ball with his sweet eyes shut. She took out her phone and saw that it was well after nine. Her mom left at 9:00 pm. She was happy that the time was passing quickly. She cradled her small 2 year old brother and carried him upstairs to bed.

Once he was in his bed, she kissed him goodnight and pulled the covers over him. Then she went downstairs, opened the refrigerator and got herself a glass of milk. She thought she heard a strange noise coming from the living room, so she went to see what it was. She quickly learned it was just the radiator. She felt silly for being so nervous.

To distract herself, she turned on the television but the first thing that came up was the movie “Friday the 13th,” so she quickly turned it off. Natasha was starting to get paranoid. Thankfully, she noticed her backpack and remembered she should work on her essay that was due soon. This, she hoped, would get her mind off the noises in the house.

She was so caught up in her essay that she nearly fell off the couch when she heard the phone ring. She looked at the clock that read 11:20 pm. Natasha was surprised that someone would be calling so late, she wondered if it was her mother or one of her friends wondering about homework.  She got up from her comfortable spot on the couch and trudged across the floor to the phone, she expected to hear the warm voice of her mother asking how she was. Instead, she heard a cold breath that gave her chills all down her spine to her toes.

She managed to choke out the word “Hello,” but there was no answer. She quickly hung up the phone and ran to the door to check to see if it was locked. She looked outside, it was pouring rain with flashes of lighting and roaring thunder. The door was locked just as she left it a few hours ago.

She crept into the living room silently, expecting a person to jump out at her but no one did. Natasha continued writing her essay because she still had to do her conclusion, but every few minutes she would jolt around to see if someone was behind her. Again nothing.

Sometime later, when she had finished her homework, she heard RING, RING.  The phone rattled on it’s stand. She was scared to answer it but if it was her mom she knew she would regret it and her mother would worry. So she took a deep breath and took one step at a time toward the phone. Once she got there, she laid her fingers on the phone and slowly put it to her ear. Natasha heard the same breathing as before. This time there was a strange voice that said, “I see you are home alone”.

She covered her mouth and slammed down the phone. She quickly tried to call 911 but her mind went blank and couldn’t speak. Frozen with fear, she thought about what the stranger had said, and knew she would have to get her brother and get help.

Natasha quickly ran up the stairs and opened Jack’s door. The first thing that she noticed was the window was open. Was it always open? She tried to remember if she had opened it but she didn’t it. She went to get Jack from his crib and he was gone. Natasha gasped and looked around to see Jack sitting in the corner of his room with a lollipop in his mouth. This only meant one thing: someone is in the house.

Natasha ran to her baby brother, picked him up and pried the lollipop out of his mouth. She knew she didn’t give him the lollipop and that someone else must have to keep Jack quiet or even make him sick. She felt his forehead but he seemed fine. Then Natasha realized she needed to get downstairs as soon as possible. Natasha grabbed Jack and quickly ran down the stairs.

Her heart was thumping faster and faster as she got closer to the phone. Seconds later she was standing right in front of it, and grabbed the phone and dialed 911. She could hear her voice vibrate as she waited for someone to answer. Then she heard a voice that calmly said, “911. What’s your emergency?”

Natasha was so happy that there was someone that could help her. She could barely speak. The only thing she could say was “I live at 327 Cider Lane.”

Then Natasha heard the Stranger’s voice behind her coldly say,“Hang up the phone.” There was a bolt of lighting and the lights went out.

Natasha, not daring to say any more, turned around and sprinted through the dark house making her way to the back door. She could hear the Stranger’s footsteps pounding on the wood. Grasping for the handle of her door, she swung it open and charged out of the house. Still holding Jack in her arms, Natasha quickly ducked behind a nearby hedge concealing herself from the dark, rainy night.

Peaking through the holes in the hedge she could see the outline of the Stranger. Suddenly, he turned his head in her direction. Did he see her? Natasha could barely breathe. She could hear sirens coming towards her and see faint lights blinking on the foggy road. Seconds later, the police pulled into Natasha’s driveway. They stepped out of their car and briskly walked to her front door.

This was her chance to run. Without thinking, Natasha darted towards them screaming, ”HELP! HELP! THERE IS A MAN HE WAS CHASING ME AND HE WAS IN THE HOUSE!”

The policemen started running towards her. Catching her breath Natasha told them that the man was close by and that he was just outside her back door when she last saw him.

The police found the Stranger quickly and arrested him. Several more police cars arrived and examined the whole neighborhood and inside Natasha’s house. Her mother was notified and arrived shortly after. Natasha and her family were safe in their little house on Cider Lane . . . for now.