The Thing Who Knocks

My father had always told me growing up to never open my eyes when it was a full moon. He claims that there was a spirit that lurked at night, preying on people who were awake past the witching hour. I never believed those silly stories he told me; I thought it was stupid. I never believed in urban legends. I really, really wished I did.

It was May 26, 2002. It was going to be a full moon tonight. I always loved staring up at the sky at night. The stars twinkling, the sounds of owls, it always gave me a sense of calming. But tonight, it would be much more different. I was sitting on the couch, watching a movie on the TV. I had a bowl of popcorn on my lap and was heavily invested in the movie. My father came into the living room, standing in front of the TV.

“It’s getting late, Kira.” He said, crossing his arms. “It’s nearly midnight. Please go to bed.” He frowned. I rolled my eyes at this. I was still watching the movie. I wanted to finish it.

“No, dad. I’m watching a movie.” I responded, leaning my body to try and see the screen.

“Kira, listen… I told you many times what happens whenever you’re awake this late.” He stared at me. “I don’t want it to hurt you.”

“Dad, come on. Are you serious?” I held back a chuckle. “There’s no way you actually believe that.” I smirked.

His face faltered, and it contorted into a more agitated look. “I’m not going to ask you again, Kira. Go to bed.” He insisted, narrowing his eyes.

I rolled my eyes, turning the TV off. I put the bowl of popcorn on the coffee table, frowning. “Fine.” I said, before turning around to walk up the stairs.

I walked into my room and shut the door behind me. I was going to go back downstairs when he went to bed to continue my movie. After all, I did have to rent it from Blockbuster. I wasn’t going to not watch it at all. Plus, it was a horror movie. I loved them, especially at night.

So, whenever I heard my father’s door shut, I waited for a minute. After I was sure he was asleep, I crept my way downstairs, heading for the living room.

I made my way to the couch, sitting down. I turned the TV back on but made sure to turn the volume down to avoid it blaring and waking him up. I grabbed the bowl of popcorn I had left, placing it back on my lap.

As I continued to watch the movie, I began to hear slight rustling outside. I looked to the window beside my front door, but assumed it was a racoon and didn’t get up. I turned back to the TV, slouching in my position.

The rustling continued, but I ignored it still. Little guy must be digging through the trash. Not my problem, my dad would clean it up.

I soon heard soft tapping on the window. It’s just a month, I thought. A moth hitting against the window, trying to get towards the light. I ignored it once more. But the tapping persisted, and only got louder. The movie eventually ended, and I got up to put the finished popcorn bowl in the sink. I walked into the kitchen, putting the bowl in the sink. I looked up to stare out the window and saw a face. A deformed human face.

I stumbled back, my heart racing. The face was pale, almost translucent, with hollow, dark eyes that seemed to bore into my soul. Its mouth was twisted into a grotesque grin, revealing sharp, uneven teeth. For a moment, I was frozen, my mind struggling to process what I was seeing.

Then, the face moved closer to the glass, and I could see its breath fogging up the window. It was real. I wanted to scream, but no sound came out. I forced myself to look away, stumbling backward into the living room. My breathing was shallow and quick, my heart pounding so loudly it was all I could hear.

I had to get to my dad. He’d know what to do. I turned to run up the stairs, but my foot caught on the air, sending me sprawling onto the floor. Pain shot up my leg, but I didn’t care. I scrambled to my feet, but then I heard it: the front door creaking open.

I whipped around, my eyes wide with terror. The door slowly inched open, the hinges groaning in protest. A cold draft blew in, chilling me to the bone. I took a step back, glancing toward the stairs, but it was too late. A figure slipped through the door, moving with an unnatural grace.

It was the girl I saw in the window! She was inside the house… What do I do?!

“Kira…” The figure groaned, floating towards me, as I froze in place. It slowly inched towards me, holding out a pale hand. It beckoned me, wanting me to come closer. It felt like I was in a trance.

The world around me seemed to blur as I was drawn toward the figure. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my legs felt heavy, rooted to the spot. The spirit’s eyes locked onto mine, and I could feel a strange pull, like it was reaching into my very soul.

“Kira…” it groaned again, the voice chilling and ethereal, echoing in my mind.

I took a step towards it, and its grin widened. I don’t know why I started walking towards it, but my body felt so light. I was drawn to it, like a moth to a flame.

I took another step, my mind screaming at me to stop, but my body moved on its own. The spirit’s grin widened, revealing more of those sharp, uneven teeth. A sense of dread washed over me, but I was powerless to resist.

I now stood in front of whatever it was, and its eyes bore into my very being.

“Come with me…” It whispered; its hand extended farther towards me.

I raised my own, placing my hand on its cold, dead fingers. The chill spread through me, freezing my blood and numbing my senses. For a moment, the world seemed to fade away, and I was consumed by darkness. The spirit’s hollow eyes glowed brighter, and its grin grew impossibly wide.

“Yes… Kira,” It groaned, as it began to lead me out of the house.

But before we could leave, a bright light flooded the room, breaking my trance. I was yanked backward, away from the spirit’s grasp. I fell onto the floor, frozen in place.

The spirit shrieked, recoiling from the light. It vanished into thin air, just like that. It left me spooked… What just happened…?

“Kira,” my father said, his voice shaking with relief. He knelt beside me, pulling me into a tight embrace. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, still catching my breath. “I’m… I’m fine. What was that?”

He helped me to my feet, his expression a mixture of relieved and grave “That was the spirit I warned you about. You should’ve listened…”

I shuddered, remembering its cold touch. “I didn’t believe you… I’m so sorry, Dad.”

He hugged me tighter. “It’s okay, Kira. The important thing is that you’re safe now. But you have to listen to me from now on. These things… they’re real, and they’re dangerous.”

I nodded, the weight of his words sinking in. “I will, Dad. I promise.”

He sighed, leading me towards the stairs. “Let’s get some sleep. We’ll talk more about this in the morning.”

As we climbed the stairs, I couldn’t help but glance back at the window. I was half-expecting to see that terrifying face again. But there was nothing. Just the peaceful night outside, the full moon casting a gentle glow over everything.

That night, I lay in bed, unable to sleep. The events of the night playing in my head. I shut my eyes, expelling a breath I didn’t know I had pent up. It was still shocking for me… The spirit was real. It was real. My father’s warnings were no longer stories I refused to listen to: it was a matter of life or… whatever happens to someone who was whisked away by that… thing.

But sometimes I still hear that spirit’s whisper… and the small taps on my bedroom window… a cold hand on my shoulder sometimes. It wraps around my neck, and I choke.

“Kira…”

Credit: Alcy