The Eye Chapter 2

Previous chapter:
https://steemit.com/horror/@frizzy/the-eye-maybe-a-first-chapter-maybe-not-either-way-some-halloween-fun
((Watch for an edited and probably expanded version of the previous chapter!))

The Eye Chapter 2

I awoke in the early morning with sunlight streaming through the window by the bed. The memory of the alleged paranormal activity crashed in upon this realization, making my skin clammy and my body tense. I shook my head. ‘Couldn’t have been real. I’m just cracking up. Yeah. Gotta be it.’ I told myself, rising shakily to my feet.

I traveled down the hall to the bathroom to relieve myself, and then brushed my teeth. Halfway through brushing my teeth I glanced into the mirror and dropped my toothbrush. I had been in the process of washing my front teeth, so my mouth didn’t even hold it for me. It clattered into the sink, splashing toothpaste on the mirror and counter.
On my face was what appeared to be three drops of dried blood, just to the side of my blue left eye. I stared at them for a second, and then snapped my eyes shut. Slowly, carefully, I put my hand to my stubbled jaw. Then I probed upward, slowly moving up to the drips. My face felt clean. Or, well, clear of blood at least. I opened my eyes.

I studied my face with my hand upon it. My eyes were surrounded in dark circles, and my skin looked… old. My curly dark hair was getting long again, which pleased me, but I noticed that it needed attention. I sighed and dropped my hand. The drops were still there. I screamed. No one was there to hear, but I thought I heard laughter as the last echoed faded. I closed my eyes again, prayed that I was just going crazy, and moved over to the shower. I opened my eyes and reached down, grasping the control knob. A quick turn brought the spray to life, and I disrobed. I laid my hand on my chest, feeling the subtle lines of my tattoo prickled up. A few minutes later the water was hot enough, so I stepped into it, pulling the curtain closed.

For a long time I just stood there, hoping the water would wash all of these crazy occurrences from my mind. Or, mayhap wash my mind clear of this crazy that seems to have grabbed hold of me. After a while I sighed and began to legitimately bathe. I squeezed shampoo into my hand, lathered, and rubbed it into my hair. The hair on the back of my neck pricked up. I shivered, despite the heat of the water. I rinsed, and then did the same with the conditioner. I stepped out of the water and lathered a washcloth with body wash. As I put the washcloth to my face, I felt… watched. This is not a comfortable feeling for a naked man that lives alone. There was only one thing to do in this compromised position. I continued to scrub my body. I heard… something. Feet, I think. Little feet. My eyes were already closed, but I held them tighter. My skin covered with suds, I stepped back into the stream of water.

It was freezing! I yelped and jumped out of the water. I then wiped the soap from my face and peered at the faucet control. It was still set to the red section of the display. I put my hand back into the water, tentatively. The water was warm, and warming. I stepped back in, and tried to rinse as swiftly as possible. My face was soon cleared of soap, and then I positioned myself to rinse my hair and back at the same time. Suddenly, the water was scalding. I leapt forward again. I spun and looked back… and the faucet control was sitting on the floor of the shower, becoming more obscured by steam by the second.

‘How?’ I questioned, a tremor-like chill running down my spine. The steam continued to fill the shower, and every nerve within my body seemed to shriek at me to run. I was paralyzed with fear, however, and unable to move. I heard a long, slow scraping, and the stream of water reduced in pressure, and then guttered out until it was merely drips. Steam wafted before me, and I saw a hulking shape looming within it. Red eyes gradually glowed in the misty steam as they opened, and hot breath churned the steam as a thick, branch-like arm reached towards me. The figure was humanoid, but with additional odd angles, like spikes or large scales. I fell back against the wall of the shower, with nowhere to run as the gargantuan figure grabbed me by the throat with calloused hands tipped with vicious, black claws.