Hi guys! This one started as a conversation between me and my mom: what would you do to survive in this house if no one else was here? So obviously my mind started thinking in terms of supernatural stuff and what monsters were making it impossible for me to go outside. This is what I came up with so far, and I may or may not have gotten carried away… so since it’s super long I’ll be posting on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for this week ONLY, and only because I’m too excited to post it 🙂
P.S sorry this one doesn’t have a title yet 🙂

I’m out of food. I have been for a few days now, surviving on lemon water and  the last of the crackers. But now there’s nothing. A new message came through from the … the word government feels wrong. The people in charge of whatever sick experiment/apocalypse this is, they cut off our water supply today. They say that today is our last day of electricity. But we still aren’t allowed outside. I quickly text Madison, the only girl I know on this street, and have been in touch with for the last year and a half.

She is lucky enough not to be living alone. Her mother made it back in time. The rest of my family weren’t so lucky.

“Hey” I text, drumming my fingers against the phone case as I wait for her reply.
“Hey. U heard about the water?” Comes her reply.
“Yeah. I’m out of food too. Whats our plan?”
The bubble that showed she was typing was back. Then gone. Then back. Then “can we call?”
I call her. It’s not video call, we aren’t allowed to see each others faces. It’s another strange rule the people in charge made.
“Hi.” My voice is scratchy from lack of use.
“Hey, I… Listen, Ruby… I … I don’t know if I can help you.”
I still. “What… what do you mean?”
“I mean… you can’t leave the house, can you? We can’t even look outside, we have to keep the windows closed. And don’t tell me you don’t hear that thing every night.” Maddy has always seemed truly afraid of whatever’s outside but…
“What thing?”
“You know what I’m talking about Ruby. I know you can hear it too, it’s that scratching noise.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Maddy. Are you okay? What have you been eating?”
“I’m fine, but… you’re saying you never hear it?”
My heart is pounding. “No, I never hear it.”
Suddenly, there’s a scream from the other end of the line. “MADDY!” That’s her mom screaming. I freeze, and hear scratching from Maddy’s side. “Maddy?” I whisper.
“Ruby.” She’s panting heavily.
“Maddy are you okay, where’s your mom? What’s going on?” I’m freaking out now, hearing panting from Maddy and… and a faint scratch… scratch…
“Maddy?”  My voice is high with panic. “MADDY?”
“I’m here.” She’s whispering. “Ruby.  Ruby please, please be quiet.”
“Why? What’s happening?” I tried keeping my voice low. I hear growling from the other side.
“Ruby. I’m in my closet. And that thing? That thing I’ve been hearing, it’s inside.” Her voice is hushed and urgent. “It’s inside right now, on the floor below, Ruby it’s inside, nothing’s safe anymo-” Her voice is interrupted by a scream. The growling is closer now. The call ends. And I am staring at the blank screen of my phone, trying to convince myself that why I just heard didn’t actually happen.