Basement

"Olly?" Her voice cracks as she calls out for her brother, "Olly, this isn't funny!" She slowly begins to walk towards her brother's bedroom door.

"Olly?"

"I'm in here, Jaz," a male voice echoes through the hallway.

Jasmin stops, "Olly?"

BUZZ BUZZ

Jasmin removes her cell phone from her pocket. Her hands shake vigorously as she glances at the screen.

~

Hey I'm sorry I'm late. I was running late at work. I'll c u soon. <3 -Olly

~

She stares at her phone. Fear creaps through her bones.

"O... Oliver?" She looks up from the screen and stares at the door ahead of her.

"I'm in here, Jazmin." The voice echoes through the bare hallway, "I'm in here. In here. In here." The voice becomes monotonous and dark.

Jazmin panics. She runs down the stairs. She runs to the front door and stumbles with the lock.

A loud thump rips Jazmin's attention away from the door.

A tall dark figure greets her at the top of the stairs. She stares in awe. "How did this.. thing get in here?!" She thinks to herself. She turns around and opens the door.

The thing comes up behind her and slams the door shut, its body against hers. He licks her cheek

Tears roll down her cheeks.

He disappears back up the stairs, eerie laughter following him.

"Jazmin?" Oliver? She forgot about the back door. The thing turns its head.

"Oliver," Jaz whispers.

"Oliver," The thing mimicks.

"Jazmin? Where are you? Why are the lights off?"

"Olly, I'm in—" the thing zips to Jazmin's side, a hand over her mouth.

"Basement, Olly." The thing smiles wickedly, showing large sharp teeth.

"The basement? Why are you down there?" Olly goes to the basement door.

"Power went out. I was trying to turn it back on but I can't find the breaker box."

Oliver sighs and makes his way down the basement steps. The thing removes his hand from Jazmin's mouth.

"Where are you?" Oliver calls from the basement. The thing disappears into the darkness of the basement.

Jazmin runs to the door. It slams shut on her. "Shit." She runs into the kitchen, searching the drawers. She grabs a flashlight and goes to the front door, running as fast as she can.

"Think, think, think, think!" She hits her hands against her head, "axe!" She runs to the shed and grabs the large axe. With the axe, she runs back into the house. When she gets there, the basement door is wide open. Dark laughter circles her. A hurricane of fear rushes over her.

"Oliver!" Without thought, she runs down the steps. The axe and flashlight still in hand. The door slams shut behind her.

At the bottom, the light swings violently.

"Oliver?" Jazmin calls out cautiously.

"Jazmin?" He... seems... fine? "Jazmin? Where are you? What's going on?"

With the flashlight, Jazmin searches the small room for her brother. As she nears a corner of the room, a strange feeling overwhelmes her.

"O... Oly?"

"Over here, Jaz."

Oh God. Jazmin's flashlight meets a dead Oliver. She drops the axe. Tears threaten to flow. She stiffens.

"Where are you?" She turns around quickly, searching the dark corners of the enclosed room for the thing.

"Jazy," A familiar voice rings behind her.

"O... Oliver?" She turns around.

"Jazmin."

"You... You were dead. I saw you."

"I'm alive." His hand reaches out to her. She moves back.

"I'm okay Jaz." He moves closer to her.

"Where is he?"

"Who?"

"The thing. He was in here. He..."

Laughter swims through the stale air.

"He what?" Oliver steps closer to her.

"You, he's you."