Ten

“She hates scary movies,” he recalls.  Not nice.  Very funny.  As he compares these two variables and multiplies both by his state of boredom—he decides this is a good idea.  “She never should have told me she was home by herself.”

Phone—check.  Voice changer machine—check.  Freaky white mask and nondescript black clothing—check.

Ring.  Ring.  Ring.

“Hello?” she says politely.

Silence.

“Hello?” she asks again.

Sounds of deep breathing.

“Hello?” This time, not as self-assured.

“I see you,” declares the harsh and deep tones on the other line.

“Excuse me!?” There is the attitude he knows well.  “Hello?  Who is this?”

“You’ve seen the movies, right?” The deep tone echoes.

“Just stop.   I know it’s you.  We just got off the phone,” she says covering her anxiety with a coy tone.

“Who am I?”

Silence.

Click.  She hung up first.  He’s got her.  Down the hill he goes.  Mask in hand. 

He watches her maneuver her way through the house locking doors and scanning the yard.  “This could be a scary movie,” he thought, “they have a lot of windows.”  She disappears into the house.  

Mask on.  Place marked.  He aims for the brick wall right outside of their 1^st floor, family room window.  She’s bound to watch TV.  He sits.  He waits.  She enters the family room and immediately notices his perch.  She crosses her arms indignantly.

Not what he was going for.  He lunges.  She screams.  She was only acting bravely before.  She is petrified.  She keeps telling herself that it is him.  Tries to calm her irrational fear and anger and frustration that he would find humor in all of this.

“It is him, right?” she pleads with herself.  Straight to the bathroom upstairs with the window to the roof.  If it’s a murderer in this pleasant community, she has an escape route.  If it’s him, she’ll scream strings of profanities at him as he victoriously traverses his hill. 

Nothing.  Stillness.  Shit.

She scales the side of the roof which looks out into her backyard.  There he sits—waiting for her.  Mask to his side, eyes beaming with satisfaction, “It took you long enough.”

“I fucking hate you.”

“Nice escape route.  Dare you to jump.”