emergency alert shut your curtains now that was the first thing I saw on my phone at 2:14 in the morning I'd been lying in bed drifting in and out of a Restless sleep when the blaring tone jolted me upright at first I thought it was a storm warning maybe a tornado or a flash flood we've had our fair share of weird weather around here but no the alert was short surreal and downright unsettling emergency alert shut your curtains now do not look outside until further notice I stared at the message in the dim glow of my phone screen half convinced I was still dreaming who sends an alert like that a Citywide joke a hacking incident but the official header looked very real the same format used for Amber Alerts I live in a small rental house at the edge of town not far from a patch of woods that goes on for Miles my windows face The Tall Pines and I've always liked having the curtains open at night especially during a full moon but the message on my phone demanded the opposite and a tiny part of me decided to obey before I could question how ridiculous it seemed I scrambled out of bed and peered at my window reluctantly I tugged the curtain Shut My Hands trembling slightly another phone alert dinged this time it was a text from my best friend Ray who lives two streets over dude are you seeing this what the hell does it even mean I just got it too are you okay she didn't respond right away I guessed she was probably doing the same thing as me closing curtains or maybe calling her mom who lived in the next state over my parents were asleep in their own place across town so I considered calling them too but something held me back if there was a real emergency see part of me didn't want to cause a panic or wake them up because what if it turned out to be nothing my phone buzzed again the same screeching tone as before emergency alert update maintain complete darkness in your home if possible do not open your doors for anyone this was no hack or hoax the local authorities were doubling down telling us to stay in the dark and keep everyone out at 2:20 in the morning you can't help but feel the Primal part of your brain stir telling you that something is out there something that knows where inside I flicked off my bedroom lamp which I turned on after the first alert and I tried to breathe quietly my small house once comforting now felt like a trap I texted Ry again holy crap are you okay did you close all your curtains yeah I'm freaking out lights off door locked we should call each other good idea within seconds my phone buz I clutched it feeling sweaty despite the chill in the air and answered hearing Ray's voice was a tiny relief she sounded just as rattled as me which oddly made me feel less alone did you hear anything outside she whispered like someone might be eavesdropping are those Sirens helicopters no I whispered back as if the walls had ears it's too quiet it's freaking me out Ry sucked in a shaky breath s listen my cousin works part-time for the County's Emergency Services I tried calling him but it went straight to voicemail I don't like this what if it's some chemical leak or a Manhunt or something else neither of us wanted to finish that thought the idea of something else conjured up every monster from our childhood nightmares we might be adults now but at that moment we were just a pair of terrified kids in pajamas we stayed on the phone barely talking just listening for any clue from the outside world I found myself pressing an ear to the wall straining to detect a passing car or a neighbor's TV nothing even the wind outside seemed to have died time crawled by after maybe 10 minutes I heard a muffled sound like someone walking on my lawn my house is old with thin walls so it's easy to hear when someone's on the property footsteps they circled the side of my house crunching fallen leaves I forced my feet to move towards the living room stepping carefully to avoid any creaking boards the curtains there were also closed but I could see slivers of faint Moonlight sneaking in around the edges the footsteps came closer to the front window it was like whatever it was had a purposeful stroll as though searching for something hello a voice called muffled by the window glass I swallowed a screen the voice was low raspy hey I got stuck outside let me in I don't know how to describe it but something about that voice was off almost as if the person had never really spoken before and was trying to mimic the way that humans speak my tongue felt numb the alerts rang in my head don't open your doors for anyone Ry whispered frantically in my ear what's happening who's that there's someone outside I whispered my entire body trembled as a shape pressed against the living room window they knocked twice and each knock sent vibrations through the glass into my bones please The Voice insisted still too low and strange I need help I didn't move I didn't speak I just prayed they go away the handle on my front door jiggled Ry was nearly hyperventilating on the phone but stayed silent then the rattling sto the footsteps retreated circling around the side of the house again then everything fell quiet I let out a strangled breath they're gone I think what did they say that they needed help but it didn't sound right I replied trying to keep my voice from shaking like they were faking it God Rey what's going on she didn't have an answer and for a while neither did I I gathered my courage long enough to grab a blanket and pillow and I huddled in the corner of my living room phone pressed to my ear Ray did the same in her house we kept the Line open dozing off sporadically afraid that if we truly fell asleep we might wake to something unspeakable standing over us when Dawn finally broke my phone buzzed again with an update from the city another emergency alert but this time in text form update remain indoors keep curtains shut further instructions will be sent by noon no relief no explanation just more warnings through a narrow Gap in my living room curtains I saw a pale overcast Sky outside the street looked normal empty but normal no roving police cars no corion tape I wondered if someone else in town had opened their door during the night Ray and I talked on the phone as we forced down stale cereal for breakfast we debated checking on her mom or my parents but the alert insisted we remain indoors she offered to drive to me but that meant stepping outside and violating the instructions neither of us wanted to risk it it wasn't until around 10:00 a. m. that we heard the first official broadcast the local radio station cut into its usual Morning Show with a shaky voice DJ announcing they had an emergency bulletin to read Ry held her phone to the radio and let me listen over our call Fairwood County residents do not leave your homes under any circumstances the DJ read cover Windows avoid direct Sidelines should you witness anything unusual outside particularly unusual individuals do not engage law enforcement is investigating reports of masked individuals who may be posing a threat further details to follow masked individuals I thought about the person or thing that knocked on my window could that voice have been muffled by a mask I couldn't know for certain noon arrived and so did the promised update just another Kurt message telling us to keep all window covering secured until Nightfall a Citywide curfew is in effect lock your doors the warnings were piling up but the authorities gave no explanation my mind conjured horrifying possibilities maybe the outside air was contaminated maybe a contagion was turning people into I don't know I remembered old stories about Skin Walkers or shape shifters that lurk in the dark but we were seeing broad daylight it didn't match anything I Knew by midafternoon I was jumpy at every little sound Ray and I kept the phone line going almost nonstop though sometimes the call dropped and we had to reconnect my phone battery was dying quickly so I sced up a portable charger then around 300 p.
m. something weird happened the sky outside dimmed abruptly like a thunderstorm was rolling in the forecast hadn't predicted any storms but the clouds above seemed to gather in swirling masses the lights took on a sickly greenish tint a sudden pounding of rain began streaking across the windows in thick sheets I listened to it drumming on the roof feeling more uneasy by the minute Ray said softly is it raining there too yeah out of nowhere I replied it's a downpour lightning cracked startling me so bad I nearly dropped my phone the Thunder rolled rattling the walls through the curtain Gap I could see water drenching the street when I heard footsteps again on my porch splashing in the rain Ry must have heard me go silent because she hissed what's wrong there's someone outside again I whispered crouching low behind the couch they're on the porch a voice boomed Through the Wood I'm from the Sheriff's Department open up I need to speak with you every hair on my body stood on in sure the authorities might come door too but the instructions were explicit do not open your door to anyone and something about the tone like the person was speaking the words but didn't quite understand them didn't feel right I forced myself to respond slide your badge under the door I managed voice trembling silence if you're the sheriff show me some ID I pressed trying to keep my voice steady the handle jiggled again but there was no reply Ry heard everything through the phone and was muttering curses under her breath then the voice resumed quieter as if not meant for me to hear they won't open they're inside who was this stranger talking to were there more of them the footsteps receded down the porch steps lost beneath the Roar of the rain I realized ized I was shaking so badly I might drop my phone so I clutched it tighter glancing at the time 10 3 could I survive another night of this moments later the storm intensified an hour passed then two the storm outside then gradually began to weaken by early evening the alerts told us to brace for Nightfall and to not open curtains under any circumstances the authorities repeated that the individuals were still at large but offered no real clarity as dusk crept in the street lights outside remained off maybe the city had cut the power to them part of me wanted to fling the curtains wide open just to see if the world outside was still real but I did didn't want to risk anything around 9:00 p. m.
