Taya was alone in the house, the only noise coming from the movie she'd left on the TV. Her dad had left half an hour ago for work leaving Taya alone. With little else to do she decided to finish the homework she had. She'd gone into her bedroom, grabbing a textbook from her bag. As she prepared to leave she caught sight of something moving from the corner of her eye by her bed. Turning to look she saw the broach that sat on her bedside desk. It was a very beautiful piece of jewelry. The gem in the center was pitch black, the darkest color she had ever seen in the stone. She didn't know what the gem was but knew it had to valuable. The gold that encircled it was old and tarnished, its design like a nest of thorns.

       A crashing sound made her jump. She scanned her room looking for the source and discovered one of her picture frames laying face down in the middle of the floor. Gently picking it up, shards of glass falling. It was a photo of her friends and herself, smiling and happy around a campfire. She didn't recognize the photo nor did she ever remembering taking it. Taya looked at the frame and at the empty space on the wall. A chill went through her spine.

       When did I take this? She asked herself. Was this on my wall the whole time? 

       The photo bothered her for reasons she couldn't grasp. Sitting on the edge of her bed, trying to catch onto the memory that was too elusive. Unable to find an answer she turned her attention back to the brooch. Like the photo, she had a strange sense of deja vu.

       I know I've seen this before. She just didn't know from where. The bedroom and hallway lights began to flicker on and off rapidly, the temperature in the room dropped seeing her breath puff out in small clouds. It can't be! Taya raced to the front door but stopped in her tracks. Standing in her living room, watching her, was the shadow man. Its hollowed eyes glowed an unnatural white, its head tilted to the side as if in wonder. Her heart was pounding hard inside her chest. What felt like an eternity was only a few seconds as Taya ran toward the front door, grabbing her mother's car keys from their usual place on the table. The shadow was in front of her before she could reach the door.

       "NO!" She screamed. She fell to the floor, certain that she would be attacked again. But the shadow did nothing. It stared down at her before disappearing again. She raced toward the door but it refused to turn. She could hear the slamming of the doors and windows across the house, boom, boom, boom. A definitive click from the front door. She banged and pushed at the door yet it would not budge. That thing was in her house and she was alone with it.

       She ran back to her room, looking for some kind of weapon to guard herself with. Like that's going to do me any good! Where's my fucking...

       Her phone went off. The ringtone was the one she used for Margot's number. Taya dove for her phone on her bed.

       "Hello? Taya is that..."

       "Help! It's here!" She screamed into the phone.

       Swirling darkness appeared above her head and began to encroach the rest of her room, leaving only pitch darkness surrounding her. Taya threw her desk lamp at the thing and ran out her door. Darkness encompassed her, all light being swallowed by it. It felt as if she was running to nowhere. The front door and windows covered in the inky darkness blocking all of her exits. Taya threw open the hall door by her parent's bedroom, which led to the upstairs attic. Her mother's workspace. That was the one place she felt safe. Darkness crept up behind her, tendrils reaching out for her from the walls. Taya burst through the red door and shut it behind her, locking herself inside. It rattled and shook violently but nothing came through. No darkness leached into the room with her. She wasn't safe but she had bought herself some time.