I always wanted to start a story that way but I figured it would be a work of fiction. The idea was to have a dark and spooky evening, and that is what we got, but not quite the way we planned.
Hubby and I planned for a rare romantic evening out - a presentation of ghost stories by a local storyteller and then a trip to Harbour Haunt for a good scare. Creepy to some is romantic to others. My brother and his girlfriend showed up to babysit and we were all ready to go when our youngest lay down on the couch and started to fall asleep.
Now maybe for some parents this would be a sign that the babysitter is in for an easy night, but when our little ball of energy is quiet it is not a good sign. A quick check of her temperature showed that she was running a fever. In the matter of a few minutes we had a sick little person and cancelled plans.
Now this has been a terrible fall for us weather-wise. Lots of rain and lots of wind and very cold temperatures have kept us indoors for most of October. Last night the wind picked up with gusts howling around the house and slamming into the windows and doors. Once the kids were settled in for the night there was time for a scary movie and then it was off to hide under the covers from the wind and rain. What I thought was the end of my night was just the beginning.
I woke up suddenly, and I was immediately aware of the darkness. There was no light at all in the bedroom or hallway. A noise in the kitchen had me grabbing my flashlight and scrambling out of bed to investigate.
I know, I know. This is the part of the horror movie where the girl who is stupid enough to go seeking out the cause of the noise comes face to face with the axe murderer. This is why I keep a flashlight near my bed. And a baseball bat. Over active imaginations are very good for keeping you prepared.
Luckily for me, the source of the noise wasn't a psychopath, but my husband who was standing in the open kitchen door surveying our backyard. Our power was out. Only one other house on the block seemed to be affected by the outage. Now I was a little creeped out, thinking of all those late night B movies where the killer cuts the power before sneaking into the house.
To add to the creep factor, the direction of the wind was bringing in a salty spray that clung to the windows. The window panes looked like frosted glass. It was impossible to see anything through them. There is something very eerie about a sinister salty wind that clings to your house in the dead of night.
Back in bed with my trusty flashlight and baseball bat, I pulled the covers up to my chin and waited. I can't tell you what I was waiting for, but I was sure there would be something. I lay perfectly still, my ears open to any sound that seemed out of place. I held my breath, tensing with each groan of the house as the wind continued to howl.
The cat picked this time to go thumping down the stairs. I thought my heart would jump clear out of my ribcage.
I got out of bed to check on the little sick person far more often than was necessary. The fever meds had done their work and she was feeling much better, but wandering out into the hallway gave me a sense of control. It was better than lying in bed, barely breathing, expecting at any moment that the silhouette of a murderous monster would step into the doorway.
Finally, at 4:38 am the power returned. With a sigh of relief I settled under the covers and allowed myself a few precious hours of sleep.
I guess it's safe to say that at this time of year my imagination runs away with my sanity.
I can't wait until Halloween is over.
