Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-24911945-20140507035855

That’s Right…

    I woke up up in the middle of the night, to the sound of my water heater rattling. It had been doing this for the last week or so, and I had been meaning to fix it. There was a bolt loose, and whenever it turned on the bolt would rattle and make a really annoying sound. The sound was so annoying that it had even been influencing my dreams.

     I kept having the same dream every night. I would be in my room, and when I looked around, there was this one of the most horrifying...things coming down from my ceiling on a web. From the neck up, it was somewhat human, but below, it was a giant spider. It's joints bent the wrong way, and it twisted and skittered as I watched. It's bloodless, pale face watched me with glittering black eyes, staring down at me from behind a mess of long, greasy black hair. In the dream, it would reach down with one of its legs and caress my face, while whispering “That’s  right” over and over again. Then it would reach over with another leg and give me a small laceration on the back of my shoulder. I would hear the rattling of the water heater, growing louder and louder, then bolt upright in a cold sweat.

    Well I was done with that stupid dream and that annoying rattling. I got out of bed and flipped on the lights. I walked to the closet to get a wrench to tighten the bolt. Right as my hand closed around the handle of the door, the circuit blew and the lights went out. I felt the hairs on the back of my rise, and I got the creeping suspicion that I was being watched. I turned around and heard “That’s right, That’s right.” It was barely audible, but I jolted all the same and ran to my bed to get the baseball bat I keep under it.

<span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I lay on my bed and reached my hand behind the bed to get the bat. As I reached my hand behind the bed, the back started itching horribly. I stuck my hand under my shirt and felt a thin scab on the back of my shoulder. I froze. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">“That’s right That’s right!” <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">It kept saying it with increasing volume and intensity. I squeezed my eyes shut and jammed my fingers in my ears. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Its just a dream, its just a dream. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I kept telling my self, I’m <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> about to wake up, then ill go to work, and it will all be okay. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">It wasn't. I heard skittering everywhere, but my eyes told me there was no one in the room. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I'm just dreaming right? <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I tried my best to go to sleep with the rattling in my mind.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">In the morning I woke up feeling fresher. I took a shower, and got on my clothes for work, I felt like a new .an, nothing like the shivering wretch I was last night. Work helped to calm my nerves, and went over to my girlfriend Claire's house, where she was making chicken. We had a relaxing dinner and she sent me off with a kiss. At this point, I was confident the events of last night were a dream. The only doubt in my mind was the scratch, but I dismissed it, telling myself it was from my mattress, whose springs were starting to poke through. I went home, and immediately fixed the water heater. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">That should fix those dreams <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> I thought. That night I slept like a log.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The next week was as normal as ever. Work was lame, but I made it through, and I went out with Claire on Wednesday. By Friday, I had forgotten anything had even happened, and went out with the boys for a couple of drinks. I got home and went directly to bed, but I had forgotten to tighten the bolt which was rattling again, on the water heater. The dream came

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">but it was different than usual. This time never touched me. It smiled and inhuman smile full of sharp, rotten teeth. It skittered down the wall and slipped through the water heater, folding and contorting to fit into the narrow space. I heard a scream and woke up to the rattling as normal.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Except this time, when I went to tighten it, the bolt was tight. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Strange <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I thought, <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">that's always what has caused it. <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> It was then I heard a knock. I opened the door to find a policemen with long black hair standing there. “What's happened?” I asked

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">“Hello I'm Officer Jacobs with the LAPD. Your girlfriend was found dead earlier this morning from an aneurism. We thought you might like to pay your final respects.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">“Th-thank you” I said, with tears welling in my eyes. It was then I realized what had happened. It had taken her. That's why it hadn't touched me. It wanted to hurt me, to isolate from my friends so I had no one. Well I wouldn't let it get away with it.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I had to make sure. The scratch on her shoulder confirmed what I already knew.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">“No!” I screamed “It took her!”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">“That's right” I heard from behind me

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">“Did you hear that!” I yelled, pointing at the empty corner behind me “That's what it says,

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">“That's what it says” I sobbed “That's right....” it said, mocking me

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">“Sir, remain calm” Jacobs yelled

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I looked up at him to see those unmistakable black eyes staring back at me.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">“You're him, you’re him!” I screamed, lashing out

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">The last thing I felt was ten thousand volts of electricity shooting through my veins.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">I was admitted to the psychiatric ward on January eighth, and have been put on probation until my sleeping returns to normal. At least there's no way he can get in in my nice padded room. Ha, nothing to crawl through here! But what about when i go back? When I go back, how can I escape! HOW?

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Afterword:

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.15;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">    <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;">Hello, I am Officer Jacobs. This diary was written by patient #9163. He was incarcerated for several months, but he disappeared the night we released him. We suspect he ran away due to his mental instability. While investigating, we found his apartment had never had a water heater, nor had any of the others, so his story could never prove accurate. The only evidence we found was a long lock of black hair. We suspect it is his, but lab tests proved inconclusive. Oh, <span style="font-size:15px;font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;"> That’s Right <ac_metadata title="That&#039;s Right: A Story"> </ac_metadata>