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The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/Eclipsed_Ink on 2024-09-26 21:14:21+00:00.

I was pacing around my bedroom that night, restless and unable to sleep. Every creak in the old house made me glance over my shoulder, and every shadow seemed to stretch a little longer than usual. Maybe it was just nerves. Maybe it was just another one of those nights where your imagination runs wild and everything feels wrong.

I couldn’t shake the unease gnawing at me, so I kept moving—until a scream tore through the silence.It was sharp and desperate, a sound that made my skin prickle and my blood run cold. I froze, straining to hear, my heart hammering against my chest. Was it my imagination? A figment of my anxiety playing tricks on me? Then I heard it again—a raw, agonizing scream followed by the unmistakable sounds of someone struggling. Something inside me tightened. My feet felt like they were stuck in quicksand, but somehow, I made my way to the window, every step heavy with dread.

What I saw made my stomach lurch. There, in the dim glow of a streetlamp, my neighbor was thrashing on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. A man stood over him, his face hidden in shadow, but I could see the glint of steel in his hand as he drove it down again and again. My neighbor’s voice broke with each stab, his shouts growing weaker, fading into pitiful whimpers. And the man—he was smiling, lips curled back in a grotesque grin. He was enjoying it. Every. Single. Second.I wanted to scream, to shout, to do something. But I couldn’t. I was rooted to the spot, paralyzed by fear, watching in helpless horror as my neighbor’s life was taken from him in a brutal, bloody act of violence. I tried to look away, but it was like my eyes were glued to the scene, trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.When it was over, the silence was worse.

My neighbor lay lifeless, a crumpled heap on the ground, his blood staining the pavement like spilled ink. The killer straightened up, wiped his blade clean on the body’s clothes, and turned. My heart stopped as his gaze drifted up, locking onto my window.Our eyes met.For a second, it felt like time itself froze. A shiver of pure, primal terror shot through me as the killer’s lips stretched into a slow, deliberate smile. He lifted his weapon, pointing it directly at me like a promise. My breath caught. You’re next.That was all I needed to snap out of my trance. I stumbled backward, nearly tripping over myself as I fumbled for my phone.

My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped it. I dialed 911, pressed call, and… nothing. No network. I glanced at the screen in disbelief, and my heart sank. What the hell?Then, just as I was trying again, the lights flickered once—twice—and died, plunging the house into pitch darkness. My breath hitched, the darkness suddenly feeling thick and suffocating. I knew it wasn’t just a power outage. I was being isolated, cut off from help.Panicked, I ran to the kitchen and yanked open the drawers, my fingers scrambling for anything I could use to defend myself. I found a knife—small, but sharp. My only lifeline.

Clutching it tightly, I made another desperate attempt to call the police. Still no network. I swallowed hard, the cold blade trembling in my grip. My mind was racing. What should I do?I ran outside, shouting for help. My voice echoed down the empty street, a pathetic cry swallowed by the oppressive silence. “Somebody, please! Help!” There was no answer, no lights flicking on in the neighboring houses. No one came out. No one heard me—or maybe, no one wanted to hear me.And then I saw him, standing at the edge of my yard, his silhouette sharp and menacing against the darkness.

My breath hitched. He took a step forward, and I stumbled back, raising my knife. “I—I don’t want any trouble,” I stammered, trying to sound braver than I felt. “I’ve got a knife too.” But the words were weak, my voice a pitiful whisper in the face of his calm, confident menace.The killer’s grin widened, and he lunged. Fear shot through me, and I turned and ran, sprinting around the side of my house. He followed, footsteps heavy and relentless.

I was running on pure adrenaline, legs burning as I darted through the backyard, the darkness swallowing me whole.I turned a corner, heart hammering in my throat—and realized I was trapped. The fence loomed high behind me. The killer closed in, his sword gleaming in the faint moonlight. My back was against the wall—literally. I was cornered.And then I spotted it: a rock. It wasn’t much, but it was something. I hurled my knife at him, a desperate move to buy time, and when he dodged, I scooped up the rock and threw it with all my strength. It hit him square in the chest, knocking him back a step.I didn’t think. I tackled him, sending us both crashing to the ground. For a second, I thought I had a chance. Then he kicked out, catching me by the ankle as I tried to scramble away. He yanked me down, his blade flashing dangerously close. I kicked blindly, catching him in the face, and somehow, I was on my feet again.But he was on his feet too, and there was no time to think—only to act.

I spun around, desperate to find an escape route. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. My chest was heaving, sweat and fear mingling in my eyes. The killer stepped forward, almost casually, as if savoring the moment. He swung his blade with terrifying precision, and I barely managed to dodge, feeling the air slice past my face. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst.In a desperate move, I lunged at him, trying to push him back, but he was strong—far stronger than I’d imagined.

He swatted me aside like I was nothing, and I hit the ground hard. Pain shot up my back, my vision blurring for a moment. But I couldn’t give up now. I had to survive. I had to fight.I scrambled to my feet just as he raised his sword for another strike. I braced myself, ready to dodge, but then—a flash of headlights. A car turned the corner, its beams cutting through the darkness like a lifeline. Without thinking, I dashed out into the street, waving my arms frantically. “Help! Please, help!” I shouted, voice breaking.

The car screeched to a halt, barely missing me. I could see the driver’s wide-eyed expression of shock as he rolled down the window. “What the hell is going on?” he demanded, but I barely heard him.“Someone’s trying to kill me!” I blurted out, pointing wildly toward the shadows where the killer lurked. “You have to help me, please—”Before I could finish, the killer stepped out of the darkness, calm as ever, the sword hanging loosely at his side. He was watching us, almost amused. The driver’s eyes widened in horror. He fumbled with his door handle, stepping out of the car. “Get in! We’ve gotta—”But it was too late. The killer moved like lightning, lunging at the driver with brutal efficiency. I didn’t think—I just reacted. I shoved the driver aside, and the blade that was meant for him sliced through the air inches from my face.

I stumbled back, barely catching myself.“Get in the car!” I shouted at the driver, but he didn’t move. He was frozen, staring at the killer with a mix of terror and disbelief. And then, somehow, he snapped out of it. He charged at the killer, a move that was as brave as it was foolish. The killer sidestepped easily, sending the driver sprawling to the ground.I didn’t wait to see what would happen next. I scrambled into the driver’s car, slamming the door behind me. My hands were shaking so badly I could barely grip the steering wheel.

The keys were still in the ignition. I twisted them, the engine roaring to life. My eyes flicked to the side mirror, and I saw the killer looming over the driver, raising his sword for the final blow.“No!” I shouted, jerking the car into reverse. Tires screeched as I floored the gas pedal. The car shot backward, and I felt the sickening thud as I hit something—someone. The killer’s face twisted in pain as he was thrown to the ground.For a heartbeat, everything was still. Then, before he could get up, I shifted into drive and gunned it, the car lurching forward.

The killer tried to move, but the front tires caught him square in the chest, crushing him beneath the car’s weight.I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. I drove until I was sure he wasn’t getting back up. The car bounced and jolted as I ran over his body again and again, my vision blurred by tears and adrenaline. Finally, I skidded to a stop, hands still clenched around the steering wheel. The silence was deafening.Slowly, I turned off the engine. The driver was sitting up now, staring at me with wide, terrified eyes. I stepped out of the car, legs trembling beneath me, and looked down at what was left of the killer. He lay twisted and broken on the pavement, his sword lying inches from his outstretched hand.“I—I killed him,” I whispered, the words feeling hollow and unreal.

My mind was spinning, struggling to process what had just happened.The driver stumbled to his feet, his gaze shifting between me and the mangled body. “You saved me,” he said hoarsely, voice thick with shock. “You… saved us both.”I shook my head slowly, still staring down at the killer’s lifeless form. It didn’t feel like a victory. It didn’t feel real. I’d just been trying to survive. But now, as I stood there in the aftermath, a chill crept up my spine.

Because in the darkness, behind the fear, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t over. It’s now been a couple of weeks since then, I kind of hate everyone in my neighborhood.