Entry 2: No One’s There

No One’s There

by: Carly Locke

Riley stepped out of the book store around 10:00 PM, and she quickly turned right back around and locked the door. It was dark and a little chilly out, but her apartment was only a few blocks away. So, like every other night, she had to make the dark, cold, lonely walk alone back to her apartment. As she shoved her hands in her pockets, she went on her way. After a few steps Riley heard footsteps following closely behind her. Too close for comfort. As fast as she could work up her nerve she turned to see if anyone was behind her. “Hmmm no one.” she queried to herself.  The woman tilted her head in confusion, but after a moment of contemplation, she shrugged and turned, continuing on her way.

After a couple of more steps she heard the noise again, only this time it seemed to be getting closer. Again she turned to find that no one was there. “Okaaaay…that’s not at all discomforting” She said softly to herself. So she began to walk again, and again footsteps followed her. She stopped and looked around, making sure no one was trying to pull a prank on her. “Not funny!” She called out to no one. No one answered. Now angry she started to walk and again the footsteps followed her, but this time accompanied by a dark, low chuckle.

The woman stopped dead in her tracks, her heart jumping into her throat. Come on Riley, it’s all in your head, She told herself as she shook her head and walked again. Again, after a few steps the sound of footsteps appeared again, and several more times after that. Each time Riley stopped and then continued to walk the footsteps became closer and closer.

At about the ninth or tenth time Riley started to become nervous. No, not nervous, scared, and not just scared, she was absolutely, and without a doubt terrified. Someone was following her. But no one was there.The footsteps were closer than ever now, but that wasn’t what frightened her at this point. No, it was the terrifying feeling of someone breathing down her neck, and the fact that the cold night air seemed to disappear and was replaced by the feeling of a warm body close behind her. Riley walked faster, almost breaking into a run. But the feeling remained, and the footsteps stayed on her heels. But she did not turn, she did not look. She was too afraid of what might happen if she stopped again.

Finally she made it to her apartment and slammed the door shut, and locked it. Looking around her dark living room she watched the shadows from the chairs and the couch stretch out onto the floor. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door behind her, nearly causing her to scream. “W-who’s there?” She called to the door.

The door handle began to turn and click open, a dark chuckle emitted from the doorway, and a deep, gravely voice answered, “No One.”
When you’re walking alone in the dark of night and you hear footsteps, whatever you do, don’t turn around. No One’s there.