Scary Story Contest: Jake Bontrager

While baby-sitting the new neighbors’ children for the first time, Katie answered the phone.

“Oh, hey, Jenny, for a second you had me scared! I thought you were some crazy axe-murderer!” Katie said.

Suddenly, an important news brief interrupted Katie’s late-night movie.

“Augh! I hate these news briefs! They always come on during the best times!! Hold on just a sec Jenny, OK?” Katie reached over and put the T.V. on mute. As Katie headed for the kitchen with the phone in quest of a midnight snack, a message flashed across the bottom of the screen.

“WARNING! WARNING! Lock all our doors and windows. An anonymous tip has just come in. A young woman, age 15, has just been reported to be dead. All we know is that her first name is … Jenny, and her killer may still be at large.”

“Katie?”

“Yah Jenny, what is it?”

“I, I, I’ve got to go, I can’t say here any longer, but, but, beware of … ” Suddenly, the line was filled with static.

“Weird,” Katie said aloud, “must’ve lost service. Oh well.”

Katie laid down the phone on the counter of the kitchen, and headed for the stairs. Suddenly, a loud crash came from the top of the stairs.

“What the …?” Katie ran toward the upstairs kids’ room. When she got there, she couldn’t believe the brutality of the sight before her. The twins, 10-year-old boys, like in their beds, brutally stabbed. Their window was shattered, but their door was untouched.

Katie ran to their window, and stuck her head outside. There were footprints in the dirt, leading up to the house, and the trellis against the window was snapped in multiple places.

Katie screamed aloud, and then grabbed her mouth. Floorboards down the hall were creaking. Someone was in the house. She darted to the front door, only to find it jammed. She turned around and saw someone at the base of the stairs.

“Kaaatie, you can’t leave … you can’t!!!”

Again, Katie screamed. She ran toward the window, but another figure stood outside of it. As she spun around, its twin stood no more than 10 feet away. Katie lashed out, going into survival mode. Only then did she notice the details of her attackers. One was feminine in form, and roughly her height. The other two were smaller, and looked a little more masculine. They all wore dark, hooded sweatshirts and dark blue jeans.

Slowly, the three figures moved close. Katie lashed out, but couldn’t seem to hit them. She grabbed a picture of the twins and launched it, but it sailed harmlessly by, crashing to the floor.

“Stop!” yelled one of the attackers as it lowered its hood.

“Oh my .. and you?” she pointed at another shadowed figure, and its hood was lowered. “The twins! But you’re …”

“Dead,” they replied “we’re all dead, and you couldn’t protect us! Failure!” Slowly, they faded out existence, as Katie stood wide-eyed. She turned around, and looked at the other figures, now holders.

“Jenny, but you’re not … I just … talked …”

“I’m dead Katie, my spirit remained to warn you, but I can’t stay here … I have to go. Save yourself, Katie!” Slowly, she too disappeared.

In an instant, a crash sounded behind her. Jerking around, Katie saw another figure. … herself.”

“What, but, how?”

“No need to explain, but just to let you know, “YOU’RE DEAD!” the newly arrived Katie shouted, flinging a shard of glass at the real Katie, slicing her neck.

“Katie, are you here?” a voice called. Katie jumped from the couch, realizing it had all been a nightmare.

“Yah, I’m here, but I’m leaving!”

Katie’s neighbor walked into the living room as Katie stormed out, and she picked up something from the floor.

“Now, how’d the twins’ picture get all the way over here?”