Another Mother

in those videos

door, or through the gaps in a railing, or from an impossibly low angle, c

ent, peeping eye, always

to the unseen observer. We were like puppets on a stage, a

ht of it made

e with trembling hands. "Who could it

ly. I really don't know." His eyes darted around the room

s note flashed in my mind:

hill washe

like ash on my tongue. "It has to be her. She

. He looked from the screen down the empty hallway

was incon

being in two places at once, that creepy note, and now t

re terror se

up. "I... I can't look at this anymore. Let's try

ying the distorted reflection in the mirror, the

ery rustle of leaves outside

n kept flashing in my mind, her face a stark, hor

ud came from the k

ten. There it was again-a rhythmic, we

ammered in

Mom was

s she,

inst the hardwood floor. I crept to the bedroo

luminated only by the faint lig

ntinued, steady

d, every step

way of the kitchen

n the soft glow of the

he melody slightly distorted. It

rm was swinging in a bizarre, exaggerated motion

e wasn't the sound; it was the way she moved. Her spine seemed to arch unnatural

and more the stiff, exagger

pered, my voi

rned around. Her face was deathly pale, but he

d from her temple, running down h

e smile that stretched her lips too

er voice low and raspy, not quite li

felt a bon

lle's note, the twisted figure in the vi

, backing away slowly, fumbling al

ing to an impossible angle, her neck seeming

to me, holding the clea

ly at first, then faster, her

limbs stretched, elongating before snapping back into place. Her joints seemed to melt and reassemble,

, childish giggle that sen

sound was swallo

g frantically to get away but unable to catch my

What's

with sleep and panic,

llway, blinking ag

ed sound escaping my thr

past me, int

s were off. The meat cleaver sat

contortions, no unsettling smiles

, what happened? What are you talking about?" He looked aroun

rdinary kitchen, then up

ed? The terror was so real-the impossible, t

ing. The kitchen w

a frantic drumbeat in my chest.