Chapter 26

Chapter 26


THE MONSTER AT THE DOOR

Point of View: Luna Hart

With my heart thumping like a drum, I freeze beneath my blanket. With its dark and cruel eyes, the pallid face at the window smiles like a monster. I feel sick because my stomach twists so much. I want to shout for Mr. Cole or my mother, but my throat feels like it's being squeezed. Breath misting the window, the face presses closer to the glass. With shaking hands, I back away from the bed and slide out, my feet chilly on the floor. My skin prickles when the monster gently taps the glass, almost like a knock. It feels stupid, yet I reach for my pillow and hold it like a barrier.

The visage vanishes and the tapping ceases. I wait, panting, but nothing occurs. I sneak over to the window and take a quick look. There is no monster, only a creepy, dark swaying of the trees in the wind. It might have been a dream. However, the message on my phone is genuine: Ethan has been caught, but I have not. The pawn was Victoria. The actual game has begun. I have a new, worse-than-before assailant.

I stealthily approach the door and slowly open it, causing a slight groan in the hinge. With the exception of a tiny kitchen light, the hall is dark. In his room, I can hear Mr. Cole dozing softly. The door to my mom is closed. Silently, I slip into the living room. The entrance door is chained and locked. When I peep out the curtain, the trees are motionless and the yard is deserted. My stomach aches even though my heart slows down a little. I start to move away, but I'm startled by a gentle knock. Like a buddy dropping by, it knocks on the door.

My hands are icy as I back up. "Who is present?" I spoke with a small whisper.

There is no response, yet the knob rattles and turns slowly. My knees tremble, but the lock stays in place. I dash to the room of Mr. Cole and rap on the door. "Mr. Cole! Get up! I shout, raising my voice now.

His eyes bright, his hair disheveled, he opens the door quickly. "Luna? He grabs my arms and asks, "What's wrong?"

My voice trailing off, I continue, "Someone's at the door." A monstrous expression at the window. Now knocking.

His expression hardens, as if he were angry at work. With me at his heels, he dashes to the living room after grabbing a flashlight from his table. Once more, the knob rattles before ceasing. With his flashlight on, Mr. Cole peers through the curtain. "There is no one there," he replies softly. With the flashlight flashing, he unlocks the door and slowly opens it.

The yard is dark and the porch is deserted. However, there is a tiny box on the mat that is tied with a crimson string. My stomach turns around. Stable-handed, Mr. Cole scoops it up. He says, "Remain inside," and locks the door.

My mother emerges wearing her robe, her eyes drowsy but alert. She gives me a hug and asks, "What's happening?"

Mr. Cole's face is white in the light as he opens the box. A small doll with a pin in its heart that resembles me is within. A message appears: Luna, the game is on. You're not going to win. My mother tightens her arms around me as she gasps. I feel like ice on the inside.

With his hand white, Mr. Cole crumples the message. His voice is harsh as he declares, "We're leaving." "Now."

We pack quickly, and I cram clothes into a bag with unsteady hands. My mother assists, her expression concerned. Her voice is gentle as she says, "Who's doing this?"

Mr. Cole gives a headshake. "A new individual. Even worse than Ethan.

The night is cool against my skin as we slip out the back. As we leave, Mr. Cole's automobile waits with a silent engine. Behind us, the trees are black, and the safe house gets smaller. I turn to look behind me, but there is no shadow. My stomach continues to twist even as my heart slows.

We take a car to a different location—a tiny hotel with lots of lights. Mr. Cole speaks softly to the clerk as he checks in under a false name. There are two beds and a table in our simple room. With her hand on my forehead, my mother tucks me in. "Luna, go to sleep," she murmurs. "We're secure."

My eyes remain open and fixed on the ceiling while I nod. I can still picture the doll's pin as if it were genuine. Who is the monster? Why me?

The sun wakes me up the following day, and the room is warm. My mother is smiling softly as she makes tea in the small kitchen. Mr. Cole is talking quickly on his phone. He hangs up after saying, "Find out who." His eyes are kind as he looks at me. "Are you alright?"

I sit up and nod. "Yes." But I keep thinking, You can't win.

We have bread, fruit, and a bag for breakfast. I chuckle a little when my mom shares a story about me when I was younger. Mr. Cole observes with a little grin. With a firm voice, he declares, "We'll fix this."

My heart feels a little lighter as I nod. Following our meal, we took a stroll in the hotel garden, where the flowers were dazzling in the sunlight. My mother selects one and tucks it into my hair. She gives me a cheek kiss and says, "Pretty."

This time, I genuinely smile. Birdsong fills the stillness of the garden. I forget about the monster for a second. However, Mr. Cole's face changes as he answers the phone when it rings. His voice is stern as he asks, "What?"

His eyes widen as he listens. He grips the phone tightly and asks, "They escaped?" My stomach aches once more. He looks at us as he hangs up. "The man with the knife and Victoria broke out of jail."

My mother puts her palm to her mouth as she gasps. "How?"

Mr. Cole gives a headshake. "They were assisted by someone. We must relocate once more.

My hands are shaking as we pack quickly. We take a car to another location, a cabin surrounded by big trees in the woods. The air has a crisp, fresh pine scent. It's warm inside, with a fire roaring in the stove. The soup my mom makes smells wonderful. With a solemn expression, Mr. Cole checks the windows and doors.

He sits with us and says, "Safe here." Even though our soup is hot and delicious, my stomach is still twisted. According to the statement, the actual game has begun. Who is participating?

I lie in bed that night when the cabin is silent. Beside me, my mother snores softly. Mr. Cole's light is on in the adjacent room. I try to sleep by closing my eyes, but a gentle scrape at the window wakes me up. My heart leaps. I peer out into the dark woods. The same monster from earlier is smiling and pale as its face brushes against the glass.

I let out a sharp, loud scream. My mother hugs me when she wakes up. With his headlamp on, Mr. Cole dashes in. He shines the light outside and asks, "What?"

The face is gone, but there is a little knife embedded in the wood on the win
dow sill with the words, "Time's up, Luna," connected to it.