Reflections
Kelly Sanders wanted a relaxing evening without parents. A sixteen-year-old shouldn't need to go so out of her way to get some privacy, but at this point, she would take what she got. With her parents gone to a friend's house, it was the perfect time to curl up on the couch with some popcorn and a blanket and watch one of her favorite movies.
The movie was over a bit before her parents had promised to get back, so she flipped through the channels to find something she was normally forbidden to watch. The clock ticked to midnight, and she frowned. They should have been back an hour ago. But she didn't want to call them -- making them think she couldn't take care of herself was a bad idea.
Suddenly, her eye caught a glint of light from behind the TV, a piece of a reflection. Just outside the sliding glass door was a crazy-eyed man, grinning maliciously at her, holding a long-narrow blade in his left hand.
Terrified, Kelly pulled the blanket over her head, fumbling for the cordless. She dialed 911; as luck would have it, there was a patrol car less than a block from her house. With moments, the officers were at her front door; one of them surveyed the backyard.
"Miss Sanders, I believe you were mistaken," she said after a while. "There aren't any footprints in the snow."
"Your imagination may have been playing tricks on you," the other said gently. He gestured towards the TV, which was playing a horror movie she'd happened to stop on. "Stuff like this doesn't help matters, either."
Kelly managed a smile, more at her own immaturity than the officer's remark. She thanked them and showed them out the door.
As the first officer crossed the room, she let out a gasp. "Manelli, look!"
The male officer's jaw dropped, his eyes widening. Kelly peered over the couch at what had gotten their attention. Three gasps came in unison as they all studied the wet footprints and discarded knife on the carpet behind the couch.
"He was inside the whole time," the female officer said breathlessly.
Kelly squeezed her eyes shut and wondered where her parents had disappeared to.
