#2 - Movement in the Basement

Today’s words: Socket, Slot, Bookstore, Basement
Today’s genre: Comedy/Horror/Action
Words: 493

 Note: Yes, I definitely used Slender Man for inspiration 

Not all bookstores were like Mrs Sweeney’s. They didn’t have a wooden spiral staircase, a sweet old lady bringing you free cups of tea, or a basement to read in. That was the best part – the basement; the walls were covered in old wallpaper, the only chair in the room had a really high padded back, and it smelt of lavender due to the potpourri in middle of the desk.

“May I use the computer downstairs, Mrs Sweeney?” Sophie asked the bookstore owner, presenting a large notebook that she was carrying. “I want to type up a story.”

“You don’t need to ask me, child, go right ahead,” she smiled, stroking her head. “Just plug it into the socket under the desk – I always unplug things before I lock up.”

Sophie turned the computer on, slotted her USB stick in, and began typing. Once she had typed a couple of paragraphs, the screen started to go fuzzy and blink on and off a few times. Gasping, she quickly clicked on the ‘save’ button and waited for the monitor to regain its composure.

“C’mon, you can make it, I believe in you,” she urged, tapping it on its side and twisting her mouth.

A sudden chill raced through the room and the desk lamp began to flicker.

“Not you, too,” she moaned. “Stop taking the Minnie.”

All at once, the light went out completely. The computer screen went fuzzy until a deafening high-pitched noise sounded, almost like someone was screaming. Sophie clamped her palms over her ears and closed her eyes, bringing her knees up to her chest. A cold sweat rushed all over her small body and her breathing became strained. She had wanted to call for Mrs Sweeney but her voice was lodged in her throat. The foreign noise stopped but it was replaced with something else – something ominous was in the room with her, she could feel it.

With whatever courage was left inside of her, she pulled her hands away from her ears and spun around on the chair. She was faced with an abnormally tall man in a black and white suit with arms that almost reached the floor. That wasn’t all. She looked further up and the man had no facial features at all...yet he was still looking at her, staring into her soul, almost.

Sophie did the only thing that she could think of...

She grabbed a discarded book that rested on the table and began hitting the slender man over and over again before leaping up and administering a roundhouse kick to his chest, making him stumble back into a bookcase. She ran to him and pulled on his necktie until he shook his head repeatedly and tapped her on the hand. She let go and punched him in his slenderballs.

“...Do not EVER sneak up on people like that!”

He collapsed awkwardly onto the floor, hands over his crotch.

“Scared the living nightlights out of me...”