The wind was harsh tonight, and it seemed to be darker than normal outside. Luckily I didn't have any plans to go out. Looking out the window I could see a few stars before the clouds covered them. The night was almost lifeless if it wasn't for the wind. For some reason, I got an odd feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was off.

I don't know what but something about tonight didn't seem right. I closed the blinds to my window and began to head off to bed. Before I did, I finished up on some cleaning and washed up. I could hear the wind outside howling violently. I put on my pajamas and laid down.

Not too long after my head hit the pillow I heard a faint whistling coming from the hallway outside my bedroom. I was doubting wanting to get up and check out what it was but my body was already getting out of bed. I guess checking would help me go to sleep easier. Took a couple steps and grabbed the doorknob getting ready to open the door but heard the whistling right outside my door. I stood there frozen wanting to both open the door and confront whoever was out there, as well just stay here and hope this would all solve itself.

Before I could decide which to do, the whistling started to travel away toward the stairs. I quickly but silently opened the door peering out without giving myself up. I took quick glances where I then saw a faint shadow on the wall. All I saw was the head because whoever it was making their way down the stairs. The faint dark reflection disappeared within that brief moment. I quietly snuck over to the railing of the stairs, slightly looking around them to see who was there. There was a figure sitting on the bottom stair.

His whistling began to break up, like when you're talking and going to cry. Strange enough that's what happened. The figure at the bottom of the stairs was crying. Weeping and weeping, their head tilted what looked to be downward. What should I do? What's going on..? I peeked my head out a bit more trying to figure everything out. Yes, I know anyone with sense would try to call for help or something but reason left my mind then. All I could do was try to see what they were doing. It wasn't long after I looked more past the railing that while crying, the figure turned their body enough to look up at me. I was frozen. The weeping started to cease while turning into laughter. I ran back into my room while hearing the laughter grew louder and louder, grabbing my phone off the nightstand next to the bed.

I quickly dialed 911 and quickly heard the voice of the operator on the other end. I whispered to them that there was an intruder in my house. I described everything about the man and made it known multiple times that I was in danger and needed help. The dispatcher responded, telling me that police were on their way and should be there in five minutes.

They advised me to find a safe place to hide and stay on the line until then. As soon as this was said, I could hear inconsistent whistling being broken with maniacal laughter and thumps from footsteps on the stairs. I hung up the phone in an attempt to be as quiet as I can, trying to think of what to do. The sounds from outside the room grew louder while my heart did the same. I had to get out of here, but how?

With a quick glance I looked out the window. Not the best way but the only one. I quickly opened it, looking to the cold ground below. Could barely see the grass through the darkness. The footsteps and laughter got closer.

Without much hesitation, I began climbing out the window lowering myself as best as I could to avoid injury. I let go and fell to the ground. I quickly ran to the front of the house meeting the police as they arrived. Officers ran into the house where the door was left wide open. One of the officers that stayed behind came up to me asking if I was the one who called. I told him I was while thanking them over and over. He could obviously see how afraid I was he tried to assure me everything's ok, but before anything more could be said; the officers that went into the house came out with a man in handcuffs.

“What in God’s name…?” the officer next to me said.

The man towered over the officers, who themselves were over six feet tall. His pale skin was dirty and cut all over. His shirt, face, and parts of his pants were drenched in blood..fresh blood. His hair was short but long enough to reach his shoulders. Because of the darkness, I could not tell the exact colour even with the bright lights radiating from the police vehicles.

Worst of all, out of all the features and appearance which was also why the officer made his statement.. was the man’s eyes. The same eyes I saw from his ghastly face when he turned back looking at me from the bottom stair. His eyes, there weren't any..

The officer and I stared as the other two walked towards their vehicle. The last thing I saw of the man was his completely bloodied hands. One of the officers that arrested the man came over after locking him into the car and told us that when he was coming out, he noticed that the lock on the door, never unlocked and was just opened somehow without forced entry. We went over to check it out and saw that this was true.

The locking mechanism was still in place as if it were locked. No damage or anything either, which we all could agree this was impossible. In unison, we looked back at the man in the squad car.. it looked like he was crying again.

“What are we going to do with him?” the officer who discovered the lock mystery asked his partner.

“I don't know.” he replied.

There was nothing more they could do, besides those same officers coming out for a brief follow up a few days later, telling me that he was responsible for multiple murders that night around the few blocks around my home. They ensured that I will be safe and that the intruder was sent to a mental institution that had high security.

Ever since that day, I couldn't help but feel paranoid about checking the locks each time I left or was home. Worse, I still fear that he might somehow escape the institution like he does in my dreams, fearing of seeing his barren stare once again.