Those Eyes...

Renee Holmes was sitting on the ledge of her living room window. She is an elderly lady who lived alone since her husband had passed away five years ago. She would sit there every day watching the cars go back and forth on the road outside, remembering the times she had with the love of her life. Taking a sip of her tea she burns her lips on the hot drink.

“Ouch!” she said while holding in a swear word. Grabbing a napkin from the stand behind her she dabbed around her mouth. “This tea is going to need some time to cool. I think I’ll go and take care of the dishes.”

Over in the corner was her cane. She used it a lot these days after falling down the basement steps and breaking her leg. That was months ago though, and she has mostly healed.

Making her way toward the kitchen, she glanced at a photo on the wall. It was her husband and his dog Max. They were playing fetch in the yard of the first house the two of them had ever owned. She snapped the picture before he had even known what she was doing. Simon was not known to like his picture taken. He would always complain when someone wanted to snap one. So the only way she ever managed to get one was to sneak up on him. Just like she did with this one here. The picture was old and the colors were faded. The yard was small with a big white wooden fence in the background. Simon was kneeling down in the center of the picture trying to remove the ball from the dog’s mouth. He just happened to look up just as the picture was taken. It was a nice picture and it always made her feel better every time she saw it.

Her kitchen was nice and cool because she left the air conditioner on all of the time. Above the sink was a window which always let in the Sun’s rays. There was an alley outside of this window and an open field. Not a bad view but not a good one either. She turned the faucet on and began filling up the sink. There really wasn’t a lot of dirty dishes for her to do because she was the only one that ever ate there. Never having any kids with Simon and being the only child in her family meant that she would spend a lot of her time alone. Sure it was boring but she kept busy as best as she could. Scrubbing away at the pan that housed the steak she made for herself, she began to cry. Being lonely is one of the worst things in this world and it was showing on Renee.

She scrubbed hard trying to remove the stuck on grease and pieces of burnt steak. Getting frustrated, she tossed the scrub pad down and stood there staring at the terrible pan.

Then there was a knock at the door. “Well this is strange. Who would be coming here?” She asked herself. Drying her hands and grabbing her cane, she made her way into the living room to answer the door. A knock again, this time louder than the last. “Alright already, I’m coming.”

She first looked out of the little window at the top of the door but didn’t see anyone standing out there. Stepping back, she stood there asking herself if she was just hearing things. Another knock, this one made her jump. Slowly opening her door, she peaked out trying to see who was out there. There was nobody. She unchained the chain lock and opened the door all of the way. Standing there looking around there was nobody to be seen.

“Well this is odd,” she thought to herself aloud. That’s what happens to people that live alone. After a while they start saying all of their thoughts out loud. And that’s what Renee did all of the time. She even caught herself doing it in the grocery store. Getting ready to checkout at the register while thinking aloud, “boy this cashier guy sure is slow.” It made for an awkward moment.

With no one around she decided to close the door. After all she was letting all of the nice cool air out. It was hot outside and she didn’t want any of that getting into her home. She locked the door with the chain lock and the sliding lock. Turning around she began to walk back toward the kitchen when suddenly, there was another knock on the door.

“What in the blazes,” she said with frustration building. “It must be those stupid kids from down the street. Playing pranks on me.” She hobbled fast back over to the door, her cane getting caught on the rug here and there. Opening the door again, she was greeted with nothing. Her face made a mean grin.

“Hello,” a small voice said.

“Huh… he-hello?” Renee said looking around. A tug on her arm followed by the small voice again.

“Down here lady.” It was a short girl wearing a Girl Scout uniform. “Hi, I’m selling cookies. Do you want to buy some?” She looked up at Renee with a cute smile. “Oh hey there. I didn’t even notice you were down there.” But how could she have missed a child standing on her front porch?

“So do you wanna buy my cookies?” The girl seemed to be getting a little angry. Her arms were crossed with the cookie bag lying on the ground next to her.

“Uh well I guess I could dear. Tell me, how much are they?”

“Five bucks,” the girl shouted pretty loudly.

“Ok then, I’ll take two boxes. You hold on right here while I go and get some money.” The small girl just rolled her eyes. Reaching for her purse which was on the counter next to the TV, she pulled out a ten. “Here you go dear.” Renee leaned toward the little girl and held the money out. The child grabbed the money fast just snatching it out of her hand.

“Here’s your cookies,” the girl said while handing the boxes to Renee. She smiled this time showing her teeth. Renee made a grimace when she noticed the child was missing many of her teeth. They weren’t like any other normal kid who is missing teeth. These teeth appeared to have been knocked out, broken and shattered. Some of them were rotten and a spot of blood could be seen on one of them. “Is something wrong lady?” The kid asked while smiling away. Her breath smelled worse than the left over tuna Renee forgot to throw out in her fridge.

“Uhh… no dear. Thank you,” she shook her head as she smiled at the little girl. Closing the door she could see the child skipping away toward the road. “What an odd one,” she said to herself.

As she locked the door, with the chain and sliding lock, she looked through the glass at the top of the door and saw the child walking down the street. She was swinging her cookie bag back and forth with her right hand.

“Her mother should have taught her how to brush,” Renee said. The little girl stopped in her tracks right after Renee said this. She turned around very slowly and looked directly at Renee through the glass at the top of the door. Her lips were snarling showing her busted teeth. Blood was dripping down her chin as if she had just took a bite out of someone’s neck. The Girl Scout had to be a good distance away so there was no way she could have heard Renee talking. Right? Renee stood there staring at the girl who made her feel very uneasy. For a moment she thought the deranged child would come back but luckily she didn’t. She turned around and continued skipping down the street. The cookie bag once again swinging beside her. With a sigh, Renee made her way back toward the kitchen. The cookie boxes she was holding didn’t seem too appetizing so she tossed them into the trash. Walking past the picture on the wall again. She saw that something was different.

The picture of her late husband, Simon, seemed a little odd to her. She had walked past this picture every day, stopping to look at it, while mourning the loss of her husband. It had been the same thing, Simon kneeling down beside the dog while trying to get the ball from its mouth. He’s looking up directly into the camera as the photo was taken. The white picket fence in the background stood tall over the nicely cut grass. This time, however, she noticed that her Simon had turned his head. He was no longer looking at the camera but now, he was looking at the fence in the background. She stared at the photo with a confused look on her face.

“What in the world?” She thought aloud. First the little deranged girl and now this? “I need some booze,” she said to herself. There was no booze in the house, and maybe that was a good thing.

Later on in the evening Renee was sitting in her favorite chair in front of the television. She was really never much of a soap opera fan but she did like sports. She sat there watching the Pirates while eating some popcorn. The man on the plate was about to strike out as the pitcher was winding up. The pitch came like a lightning bolt moving through the sky. The guy swung and missed the ball by a mile.

“Oh come on you dumb dummies,” Renee screamed while dropping some of her popcorn on the floor. “How could you be so stupid? That pitch was way off to the side. You should have never swung.” She yelled as if the players on the screen would actually hear her. The Pirates were losing this game, and Renee wasn’t going to sit there because she was becoming increasingly frustrated. She turned the TV off and sat there in the dark.

The night was quiet, maybe a little too quiet. The highway near her home was usually bursting with traffic. It was hard for her to get some sleep on most nights as the trucks and cars roared passed constantly. Tonight though, it was very quiet. She couldn’t even remember the last time she heard a car drive by. Then again with the volume cranked up on the TV how could she? The only noise she could hear was the sounds of the crickets chirping. Some wind would rush over her house every now and then. A storm maybe? The weather man said that there was only a slight chance of rain tonight, and he was usually right.

Her eyes began to close as she sat there in the dark. The quietness along with her old age made her really sleepy. In her mind she could almost hear the lullaby her mother sang to her when she was a kid.

Go to sleep, little one. Can’t you see, daytime is done. If you wake, before…

There was a knock at the door. Renee’s eyes shot open as she heard this loud pounding. Thud, thud, thud, could it be that little girl again? Looking at the clock by the TV she saw the time was 1:25 AM. Grabbing her cane she braced herself as she stood up out of the chair. Thud, thud, thud, the knock was deafening. It echoed throughout the house which made Renee a little frightened. Slowly walking over toward the door, she looked out of the glass window at the top. Once again she couldn’t see anybody but she knew it had to be the small girl again.

“Why would she be coming back here this late?” She wondered, but then realized that the girl with the broken teeth probably wanted to hurt her. She stood there by the door contemplating whether or not to even open it. The little girl reminded her of something she had read about in a horror story. Something she did not want to come face to face with.

Thud… only one knock this time. It was as if the person outside gave up. She looked out of the glass again hoping to see whoever it was walking away. Maybe they would give up and leave her alone. That was wishful thinking though.

Help me… a voice called from outside of her home. It was the voice of a small child. She didn’t sound as if she was in trouble on in pain though. The tone sounded as if the girl was trying to lure her out. Hey… I need you… the voice said again. Oddly it came from outside of the house and inside of the house. Was this little girl inside of Renee’s mind? I need you to let me in… please…

“What do you want from me?” Renee asked with the sound of fear in her voice.

I want you to let me in… I need you to let me in… open the door. The child’s voice began to sound angry. Like she was getting mad the old lady wouldn’t open her door.

“No, you can’t come in. You should go home child. I’m sure your mother is worr—” the little girl starts to scream.

Open the door now… I have to come in. You have no choice… Placing her hand to her mouth Renee stood there not knowing what to do.

THUD! Another loud knock. This time the door shook.

Let me in… let me in… let me in…

“No! Go away!” Renee wobbled away from the door as fast as her cane could move. She went down the hallway toward the bedroom. The phone was in there and she wanted to call for help. As she moved by the picture on the wall, her Simon was standing up staring right at the camera. His arms were stretched out like he was offering his help. “Oh, Simon. How I wish you were here right now.” THUD… the door shook again and crackling sounds could be heard. Another one of those hits might bring it crashing down. She had to get into the bedroom and call for help. Somebody would come, somebody had to come.

THUD… let me in you old lady… The Girl Scout was screaming at the top of her lungs. The door was still there, luckily. She opened the door to the bedroom and hobbled in. Turning around to look back she saw the front door was still intact. Strangely there was a bright light shining through the glass at the top of the door. So bright it resembled the Suns morning rays. Over on the bed was her phone so she made her way there and sat down. “Nine… one… one,” she said while she dialed the numbers on the keypad. She put the phone to her ear but then realized it wasn’t even working. The display was on but for some reason it wouldn’t call out. Smacking it on her hand (like that would actually make it work) she tried desperately to make a connection. “Nine… one… one,” again it didn’t work.

Over in the bedroom window she saw something moving. Twisting her head upward she saw the little girl standing there gawking at her. Blood was dripping down her mouth and a smile once again revealed those vile teeth. Her Girl Scout uniform was capped with mud, and her skin was a pale white color.

“What is wrong with you?” Renee asked the girl. Lifting both of her arms above her head the girl place them both on the window.

Please… I have to come inside… Her voice now echoing throughout the house. Renee now saw something that really made her skin crawl. Sitting there on her bed looking at this strange evil little girl, she noticed that the child’s eyes were black as night. There was no color there at all. Just straight black eyes.

“Oh my God” Renee said in disbelief. “Your eyes, what is wrong with your eyes?”

Please… I need to come inside… This monster said with a really sad looking face. Tears appeared to be rolling down her cheeks. Renee couldn’t help feeling sorry for her. Was this a trick? Was this little girl somehow messing with her emotions? Renee stood up slowly from the bed and moved over toward the window. The girl was standing there looking up at her. Blood oozing from her mouth and those black eyes raining water.

“Oh my god, your eyes are so pretty,” Renee said to the hideous looking child. “Your eyes, I must see them in the light.”

Will you let me in? The girl seemed nice and calm now. The anger she expressed earlier had all but left her.

“Why yes little one. You can come in right away. Hurry around to the front door.” The bloody girl ran to the front door and knocked three times again, thud, thud, thud. This time Renee opened it up. Standing in front of her was the Girl Scout looking deader than dead. She put one foot in the door than the other. Now standing right beside Renee she looked up at her with watery eyes.

“Did you try my cookies?” The girl asked with those black as night eyes staring at Renee.

“No, unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to. I will tomorrow when I wake up. How about you go and sit at the table and we’ll have some tea?” The girl just nodded, then walked to the table and sat down. Every step she took left a bloody footprint on the floor. Renee couldn’t help but think of how hard she mopped it the other day. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”

The bloody Girl Scout sat there at the table looking around. Her black eyes scanning the room all over. Over in the corner was the trash can that Renee threw the cookies away in. The girl hadn’t noticed them though.

“Well now, here is your tea.” Renee places the tea cup beside the girl and sits down on the other side of the table. The odd girl just looked at the steaming drink. “Where are my cookies at?” She asked.

“Don’t be rude child. Drink your tea before it gets cold,” and she did. She picked up the cup and sipped away at the tea. It wasn’t a normal slow sip any other person would take, no. This bloody monster sucked this burning hot tea down in one gulp. Making disgusting slurping sounds as she did so. Renee just sat there and smiled. Amazed by those black eyes.

“Get my cookies,” the girl said in a demanding voice.

“I will dear, but first let me take care of your cup. We don’t want to leave dirty dishes around now do we?” The girl stood up and walked over to the counter. She began to pull out the draws very aggressively, throwing them on the floor one by one. She was looking for the cookies.

“Where are my cookies? Where are my cookies? Where are my cookies?” She shouted over and over. Renee, very oddly, just stood there tilting her head off to the right smiling at the small girl.

“Please don’t hurt yourself now dear… especially those eyes. We need to take good care of those.” The monster girl looked at her with a confusing glare.

“I want my cookies,” she said as she continued to pull all of the draws out.

“I’ll be right back little one, don’t you go away.” Renee clasped her hands and gave a very eerie smile at the bloody girl. Taking her cane with her, she hobbled back toward the bedroom. The girl finished pulling out all of the drawers which now lay all over the floor. Scanning the room she sees the garbage can. She quickly kicked it over spilling its contents. On the ground mixed in with all of the trash was the Girl Scout cookies. The little girls eyes became blacker than they already were, (if that’s even possible) her forehead became wrinkly and her lips snarled. She was furious that this old woman would throw away her cookies. Blood began to pour out of her mouth as she screamed. Reaching up, she began to pull out her own hair. Clump after clump, her head bopping with each pull. Renee made her way back out from the bedroom and sat down at the table.

“You threw my cookies away… you threw them away!” The girl said with rage.

“Yes dear, I tossed those disgusting things out. You didn’t think I’d actually eat something that came from you?” Renee placed a bag on the table and began rummaging through it. The monster girl started to howl letting out shrieks louder than anything ever heard in a monster movie.

“I’ll kill you,” the girl shouted as pieces of rotten teeth flew out of her mouth.

“Oh dear, you’re getting your filth all over. Please don’t do that.” Renee’s eye’s widened as she apparently found something in the bag. “Ah, there it is.” she pulled out a small leather container. It had the words, Lestor, written on the side.

The Girl Scout jumped up on the table and lunged at the old woman. She lands on her lap with her rotten teeth ready to bite the lady. At the last second the girl collapses falling limp. Renee puts her hands around the girl’s throat and holds her up close to her face. The girl’s eyes were half open.

“Look at those beautiful eyes. You my dear are going to be a great addition to my collection,” she licks her lips with excitement then lets out an evil laugh. She tosses the girl onto the floor as she stands up from the chair.

“Ha, ha, ha, I got one daddy. I got one just for you!” She was clapping her hands and laughing with great joy. And if it wasn’t for her leg she would probably be dancing as well.

The girl, still conscious, peered up at the woman with her black eyes. Renee was opening the small container to retrieve whatever was inside. The nice old lady now seemed to be a crazy old witch. She pulled out a small camera which also had the name, Lestor, written on it.

“Say cheese my little black eyed kid,” and with a click of her finger the camera snapped a photo of the monster girl laid out on the floor. In a flash of light she was gone. With another flash of light, a picture appears from the bottom of the camera. Picking it up the old woman looks at it with a disturbingly happy look. The Girl Scout was now in the picture still lying there on the floor staring up at the camera. The old woman walked over toward the other photo of her husband, Simon, and hung it up.

The bloody Girl Scout with the black eyes was now a part of the old woman’s photo collection. Simon was still standing there looking at the camera. This time his arms lay to the side, and a very sad expression appear on his face. She had not only captured him but also her whole family which she kept in an album right below his picture. She laughed again as she walked over toward the TV.

Now she could rest.