The Unbeknown

The Unbeknown

It’s a quiet, peaceful night as I enjoy the relaxing calm of the house alone.
The lights are all turned off, just the television is on and no one for the benefit of my sanity has decided to blow up my phone.
Peace and quiet alone in solitude is my safety zone.
It’s where I go to escape the annoyance of everyday life that I feel growing inside my bones.
Tonight, it’s just me and the television, all other plans have been postponed.
However, my peace is about to be interrupted by something unbeknown.
Something dangerous is driving down the road right towards me and is blasting his radio.
Shortly, there will be a battle for control.

I notice car lights as a vehicle slowly makes its way down my driveway.
I wonder who it is, friend or foe?  Hunter or prey?
I peek out the living room window and witness a strange man exit the vehicle dressed in dark clothing.
He walks with a swagger and carries a gun, his presence is imposing.
I may be no genius but I know when danger is approaching,
and I can tell by the smile on his face that he plans to leave her gloating.

I quietly sneak away to my bedroom and collect my gun.
Whatever is about to go down tonight, it surely won’t be any fun.
We haven’t even made each other’s acquaintance and he already has me on the run.
Nervous, I swallow spit and pray to God that I will still be alive to see the rise of the sun.

I sneak quietly out of my bedroom and hide behind the couch in the living room.
I hear a loud thunderous knock on the front door that fills my heart with a feeling of doom.
Another knock and I hear the man yell for whoever’s home to open the door.
I refuse to give myself away and remain lying silently on the floor.
I hear the man try to open the door but finds it to be locked.
I hear him threaten me by saying that once he gets inside we are going to have a very long talk.
The man gives the front door a few hard kicks then out of anger gives up and moves away from the door.
I need to find my phone to call for help but who would I call for?
The police…yes the police!
I see my phone sitting next to the living room chair I was sitting in and make my move.
I move as stealthy as a ninja to gather my phone and dial up the police like I have something to prove.
I hit 9-11 then get, “your phone is temporarily out of service, please hang up and call again later.”
I look at my phone and discover I currently have no service.

Panicking and trying to figure out my next move, I hear the back door open and the man enter the house.
Shit!  I forgot to lock the back door, that has now backfired on me and is causing a rouse.
I make a split-second decision, fire a shot at the intruder and quickly escape out the front door.
I quickly run to my car not wanting to find out what this man has in store.

At my car, I realize I left my keys in the bedroom lying on the bed.
I’m instantly filled with dread.
Stay and fight or flee and run?
I will stay and fight and do what must be done.

I crouch behind the garage and keep an eye on the front door expecting the man to eventually emerge.
His existence here I need to purge.
After a seemly long wait, the man slowly makes his way out the front door.
I must have hit him in the left arm when I fired my shot, I can tell by the way he is favoring it.
He exits and house and yells for me to reveal myself.
If only I was that confident.
He walks down the front steps of the house and begins walking towards the back yard.
We are playing a game of cards
but I’m beginning to stack the deck.
He has written and I’m about to cash his final check.

I have him injured and have him in my sights.
I can also hide in the shadows under the cover of night,
and it’s a very dark night, not a star or a moon in the sky.
One of us is about to meet our demise and it’s going to be him saying his final goodbye.

I begin to slowly follow he man into the back yard.
I’m the one that now has him on guard.
I arrive to the back yard and the man…is nowhere in sight!
Where did he go?  He was right in front of me!  This doesn’t feel right.

Now on high alert, I begin to slowly walk back around the house looking for the man.
I have my gun ready to fire as soon as I get him in my sights and can.
I tip toe back around to the front of the house.
Still no sight of the man, now I’m beginning to feel like a mouse
trapped in a cage unable to escape and waiting for death to arrive.
Maybe now is the time to go back inside, grab my keys and go for a drive?
No, one more pass around the house then I’ll consider it.

I slowly make my way back around the house again and arrive back in the back yard.
I scan the entire area remaining high on guard.
Behind me, I hear the man speak telling me I’m dead.
Fear creeps up and down my spine, no that can’t be what he just said!

I turn around and come face to face with the man with his gun pointed directly between my eyes.
He immediately pulls the trigger and there is no way for me to escape no matter how hard I try.
I bullet hits me square between the eyes and everything around me goes black.
I’ve become a victim of this man’s attack.

Blackness… silence…blackness…silence…this is not how I pictured death to be.
Blackness…silence...blackness…silence…maybe this is all that the other side has to offer.

My eyes slowly open and I discover I have a pounding headache.
I look over at my alarm clock, it’s 3 am.
3 am, it’s always 3 am.