Christina Sievering

Alone at home

Sophie couldnt sleep. The window behind the curtain was wide open, but nobody was walking on the pavement outside. No cars went by on the street. Not the tiniest sound could be heard anywhere. Sophie had never known such a silence. Perhaps she told herself, this was what they called witching hour.

Sophie has never been alone before at home. She was not frightened. She and her parents lived on the cemetery and that day a dead person was buried. That person was an old and shocking looking man. He lived in a castle on a mountain. The man has always lived alone there and when some children wanted to get in the castle the heard worst screams. Sophie thought about the man and became more and more frightened. She believed in return to life people and she knew that all dead people get up in the witching hour. Sophie thought that the old man who she called shocking Paul wanted to revenge on her. This could be because one day Sophie and her friend made fools of Paul in front of his castle. Sophie got up. She tried to phone to her parents. Oh no, our telephone is still broken! The silly telephone man wasnt here to repair it. What should I do? but than she recognized that the telephone cables were cut. She ran into her room. There ! she heard strange sounds from outside. Sophie shut the window. The wind was strong that night. Whistles came from the cellar. Suddenly somebody rang at the house door. Sophie looked around. What could this be? RING, RING, RING......

After a few minutes it stopped. But now somebody knocked at the windows. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK..... OK, keep cool, Sophie, its only the wind. But since when the wind could ring at the house door? she just thought is as the house door slammed shut. After this the parquet floor cracked. Somebody was in the house. Sophie said to herself You must

be brave. She took her grandmothers vase. Sorry grandma, but perhaps it could rescue my life. And so she stood behind her door with the vase in her hand. The steps came nearer and nearer. They stopped in front of her bedroom door. Sophies heartbeat was so loud that she thought the person could hear it. The door opened slowly. A tall person got in. Sophie wanted to hit the person but then she recognized her father. DAD Sophie, what do you do here? Are you crazy? Oh dad, Im so happy. I thought you were shocking Paul or a wi! tch! Darling Paul is dead and you look to many crimes. Didnt you hear our ringing or knocking? We thought you were still outside. Im at home. Why still outside? I hear all of this. But why you didnt open the door with your key? We forgot it here. We hoped that you opened the door. But fortunately the house door was a little bit open and we could get in. You had to forget it to shut as you go on a walk. We saw you walking around the house. We called your name but it seemed you couldnt hear us. But Sophie it isnt good that you run alone outside at night. Dont do it again! Dad, stop! I was all the evening inside! I was in my bed and not outside! Oh, who was it then, who walked around our house? It had to be at a few minutes past midnight.

Sophie didnt say it, but she knew it. She only said Im so happy that youre back. Good night! She walked slowly into her room. She trembled all the way and it didnt stop as she lay in her bed.