I shouldn't have been there. My friend was supposed to be alone. Three years have passed since that night, but I'll try to tell you what hapened, as far as I know.
Earlier that day, my friend's parents had left for a weekend vacation. She was alone in the house. I offered to come over and keep her company.
I arrived around 8 PM and we spent the night chatting and watching TV in her bedroom. The time passed so quickly that, before we knew it, it was midnight. That's when everything got weird.
We began to hear strange noises outside her bedroom. At first we thought it was just the house settling, but then we stopped talking and listened.
They were soft footsteps, coming up the stairs.
"Do you think your parents have come back?" I asked.
She said her parents were not supposed to return until the next evening. Besides, there were too many footsteps for just two people.
I ran over to the door and, just before the footsteps reached the hallway, I turned the key in the lock.
Suddenly, there was a profound silence.
"Is there anyone out there?" my friend asked nervously.
We were sure there was someone outside, but who could it be?
Just then, we heard a beep. We whirled around and stared at my friend's laptop. She had just received an e-mail.
She opened it. The sender was unrecognizable, just a random combination of numbers and letters. When we read the message, it sent a chill down our spines.
"Whatever happens, do not open the door."
As soon as I read those words, a sinking feeling came over me. My beart was beating fast and I felt like I was about to have a panic attack. I didn't know what to think. Maybe it was just someone playing a silly joke on us. Maybe it was someone trying to save our lives.
Now we knew there was someone out there, behind the door.
Suddenly, we heard a voice. It sounded like my friend's mother.
"Please open the door… Your father and I were in a car accident… we are badly hurt… Please open the door and help us."
When she heard this, my friend stared at me wide-eyed. I can still remember the expression on her face. She was in shock. Neither of us knew what to do.
"Please open the door," a male voice pleaded. "We need your help…"
It sounded just like her father.
My friend and I just stood there for a few seconds, frozen to the spot. Then she started towards the door. I grabbed her by the arm and held her back.
She turned slowly to me and said, "It's my parents. They need help. I'm going to open the door."
"What about the e-mail?" I hissed through gritted teeth. "What if it's true? What if they're not your parents?"
"Nonsense," she said. "You heard them, those were the voices of my parents."
Before I could do anything, she struggled out of my grasp and walked towards the door.
I still don't know what made me do it. Maybe it was sheer terror. The only thing I could think to do was run to the closet and hide. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I was frightened out of my wits.
What I heard then, I will never be able to forget. To this day, I have nightmares about it.
My friend opened the door and all I could hear were her screams. They were blood-curdling screams, filled with pain and terror. I couldn't help her. All I could do was cower in the closet, keeping perfectly still, praying that I wouldn't be found.
I don't know how long I stayed there. It could have been hours. By the time I felt safe enough to come out, it was morning. The bedroom was empty and the door was open. My friend was nowhere to be found.
I ran all the way home and called her parents. When I managed to reach them, they told me they were still on vacation. I told them what happened the night before and they immediately called the police. They searched for days, but they never found my friend. I doubt they ever will.
I don't know what happened that night. I don't know who or what it was that came and took my friend away. But I know they were out there. I also know that I shouldn't have been there that night. I shouldn't know that they exist. I know someday they will come for me, but whatever happens, I will not open the door.