Dream Anthology Pt.2

I've received an odd email. It looks like a child has written it however the undertones are threatening. You've taken from me so I'll take from you. Then a poorly inserted picture of a knife. "Weird," I think then I mark it as spam and move on.

There's a knock at the door but I'm not getting it. I never open the door unless I'm expecting someone. Then a few hours later, a knock again. This time the knocks get progressively louder. I have no choice but to get up. I peek out the curtains and no one is there. Seems too soon for someone to knock and run. The banging was only a second before a drew the curtains and yet there's nothing.

This is all starting to feel a bit sinister. The next day I'm at work as a school teacher. I confide in the school counselor, showing her the ominous yet childish email I received. Agreeing with me that it looks like a child did it, it would only make sense one of my students was pranking me.

This makes sense, but who? There's no child in particular that I think knows where I live or would be threatening me in any way. I'm good at my job and I'm confident in my skills.

Back at home I sit at the table. I'm facing the front door and the curtain is slightly drawn in case anyone should come to the door. Time goes by, the sky darkens. Without a knock, out of the corner of my eye I see a figure standing at the window by the door. I pretend not to notice. They are unmoving, eyes glued to me, waiting for me to look.

They are so still it seems they are not even breathing. I turn as if I'm distracted by a phone call and slyly take a picture. With a blink they're gone. I reference the picture. They're not a child, but an adult. Almost familiar but still quite uncanny. Maybe it's a parent of a child, but I can't remember whose. Tall and blonde with pale skin and dark eyes.

I send the picture to the school counselor. She does not recognize them either. I send it to the police with a copy of the email, earlier marked as spam. I doubt they can do anything but I like to cover my bases. At work I'm trying to figure out which child shares a resemblance with the woman from last night. I felt like I knew everyone's parents. I could picture them in my mind but none were that woman.

There were a few children I thought maybe shared a stringy blonde look but none of those kids are any I've had "beef" with. They're not troublesome or have been reprimanded in any way. What motive would their family have. As I think I've been looking at all the wrong things, my mind scatters and I shift dreams.