Mind the Noise

The water whirlpooling down the drain was my gaze’s focal point at the moment. I needed this: a steaming shower to work off the early night’s stress. Closing my eyes and exhaling, I hear a small thud coming from beyond the bathroom door. I turn my head in small acknowledgement then shrug. My doors locked and I’m just a little paranoid cause I’m home alone. I know myself and I know very well I can’t let intrusive thoughts cloud my judgment. It must have been the heater finally kicking in.

The night is young, but the creaking of the floorboards along with fading wallpaper shows this apartment building is anything but. The glass shower doors enclose me in a box of fog and my front is mindlessly staring through a stain glass decor window. Tacky.

Closing my eyes once again, I hear another thud, only louder. Now my breath hitches, but I try to remain calm and make my mind find a harmless explanation; Too late. I can feel my breath quicken as my mind subconsciously plays the Psycho theme and my gaze goes back down and imagines the whirlpool water turning scarlet red. Jumping back a little, I slip and fall. Now my imagination turns to reality as I get back up and notice my leg dripping in blood, I hear the thud again and gasp. This time the noise makes a constant thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump, if I listen closely, it almost matches the rapid beat of my heart.

With shaky hands I wipe away the misty glass just enough to peer into my desolate bathroom. Nothing. The emptiness should calm me, but instead it laughs in my face with a sinister grin. There is noise, right? But no source.

The steam within my shower, which used to provide me warmth, now feels like a grey cloud serpent wrapping its hazy coils around my neck. Suffocating me. I can't catch my breath; I can't breathe.

I can't remember if I locked my doors, I feel stupid and exposed cowering behind a glass door like its actually made of steel. I turn around and make the mistake of looking back at the stain glass window. The colored fragments now take shape in my mind. What was once a random bundle of sharded glass now reflects a misshapen claw. The sharp ends look like talons reaching out. Reaching for me.

Hastily getting out of the shower, my mind won’t shut up and every worst-case scenario speed through my mind. Me and the bathroom door are now having a stare off, the thought of the door bursting open won’t leave. With a robe on I huddle to the farthest corner and tuck myself in a fetal position.

A mass of chills snake through my body like an unwanted embrace, leaving me to ground my teeth to try and ease back a shiver. I traded the glass shield for a cold and wet barrier only supported by a clothed robe and my folded limbs.

Small whimpers escape my mouth as the noise just keeps going, my hands go to my ears and I croak, “Go away, go away please!”

At this point I don’t know if I’m talking to the noise or to my head, but I just want everything to be quiet. I shakily get up and limp my way to the door. My trembling hand takes the knob, and I take a needed breath. Quickly, without giving my mind time to process I open the door. I stare into the dark bedroom, and all I find is darkness staring right back.