The Shadow

Six months ago is when it started. It was purely an accident the first time but once he started he couldn’t stop. He had been walking home after being fired from his latest job for showing up drunk. He stumbled down the road and passed a house with the curtains opened. He saw a beautiful girl sitting in the floor playing with two young children and he was shocked. He had never seen a prettier girl in his life and was instantly smitten. In his drunken state he didn’t stop to consider that he was a stranger and would scare the young lady. All he could think about was meeting and maybe kissing her. So he staggered up to the window and watched her closely. The young blond stood up and he could hear her as she told the kids it was bedtime and he watched her usher them upstairs.

He was not a patient man and after several drinks he couldn’t wait any longer. He tried the door and was surprised that it opened quietly. He couldn’t believe his luck as he creeped into the house and waited to meet the beauty that he spotted and now claimed as his new love.

He decided to wait for her out of sight as not to frighten her not realizing she wouldn’t be receptive to him. When she came back down stairs half an hour later he was waiting. When she flipped on the tv he decided it was time to make his move.

Mandy Williams was babysitting in Huntersville for her neighbors 3 houses down from her house. She had been babysitting these two kids for a year now and they always got along great. She made them a quick dinner of hot dogs and Mac n cheese. She helped the 2 little boys bathe and read them a story and took them upstairs and tucked them in to bed. Mandy had a good routine down with the kids and stayed with them singing softly until they fell asleep.

Once they had both drifted off she walked down stairs to watch some television and enjoy her evening until the boys parents returned. Mandy had just sat down and turned on the set and was flipping through channels when she heard a quiet hello behind her. Mandy jumped up and spun around and almost fainted in shock when she saw the strange man standing there. She started trembling and had to clamp her mouth shut to stop the scream that she was holding back from tearing out of her. So many things were running through her mind at this time. The young boys upstairs sleeping, her boyfriend, her parents. Mandy quietly whispered who are you?

The stranger was so focused on Mandy’s face it took him a minute to realize she had spoke. He took a step toward her and reached out his hand. Mandy was so scared she almost wet her self as she quickly backed up. He looked at her confused and said why are you running. I saw you through the window and you looked so beautiful I knew I had to meet you. His alcohol soaked brain didn’t see anything frightening in his actions. Mandy however wanted to run home but she couldn’t bring herself to leave the boys alone. So she said the only thing she could think of at the time. My boyfriend is on his way over so you should leave. She hoped that it would scare the stranger away of he thought someone else would show up at anytime. She didn’t plan for her words to ignite anger and rage so suddenly.

The stranger closed the distance between them quickly and grabbed Mandy’s arm roughly and screamed what boyfriend! You can’t have a boyfriend when I love you so much! Mandy was now terrified and confused as she couldn’t understand how this stranger thought he loved her. He continued shaking her asking her how could you do this to me? How could you? You were supposed to wait for me, don’t you know that?

Mandy was crying by this time and whimpered I’m sorry, I don’t know you. I’m sorry. Mandy couldn’t comprehend that she was saying the wrong thing and her words were only enraging the stranger.

Mandy didn’t know what to do as no one was coming to save her. That was just a lie she had said in hopes of scaring the stranger off.

He leaned close to her face and asked once more If she had a boyfriend? Mandy was sobbing and shook her head yes. She never expected that this stranger claiming to love her would roughly turn her around and snap her neck in the next instant.

Mandy’s last thought before she slumped to the ground was “ please don’t let the boys upstairs get hurt”.

The stranger had no reason to hurt the young boys however. Mandy was the one who rejected him and wanted him to leave. He only wanted to love a beautiful girl like her and she wouldn’t listen. He felt If he couldn’t have her then no one could.

He walked out of the house after looking longingly at Mandy one last time.

Three hours later the young boys parents returned from their date not knowing what their children had slept through. When they entered the house they were stopped cold in their tracks when they spotted Mandy laying in the floor in front of the tv with her neck turned at an odd angle. The boys mother screamed and covered her face while their father took the steps two at a time to the boys bedroom.

Their father hesitated at the door fearing what he would see but he forced himself to open it slowly. He let go of the breath he didn’t even realize he had been holding when he realized both his sons were safe and sound asleep.

Walking back down stairs he assured his wife that the boys were fine. Their mother raced up the stairs to see for herself while their father called the police.

The parents could not figure out what happened to Mandy.

They didn’t know she wouldn’t be the only one.