Ana never liked the basement, but ever since her mother died she never even went down the old, wooden stairs, until now. She was home alone on a rainy day with her father at work and her brother, Seth, at football camp. She was the kind of person who wasn't afraid of the dark, but of what was in it. And she wasn't afraid of the sound, but the story behind it. She was sitting in her room reading when she heard the sound of something falling down in her basement. Then she heard a growel, like a person, but like an animal at the same time. She cautiously walked down the hall to the basement door. It was locked because she hated the fact that bats were there. unhooked the lock and opened the door. It squeaked as it slowly opened. She heard the breath of something, faintly. She flipped the light on and the stairs were illuminated, they looked the same. White paint chips still stuck to the grayish wood and the occasional nail sticking out. She grabbed onto the rail and slowly put her foot on the first step. It made that creaking sound you hear in the old horror movies, the kind that make the hairs on your neck stand up. She stood there, the breathing was still there, but she couldn't see any form to it. It seemed like it was getting closer. It was like it was at the foot of the stairs. Then a creak, then another, and another...Ana jolted up and locked the door, something bangged on it, scratched it. She was shaking, she was almost crying. She reached over and grabbed the phone. But when she put the receiver to her ear it didn't make the dial tone. The phones were dead. The banging subsided for a second, then the door flew open. Nothing was there, but she heard the breathing was there, and it was quick and short. Like they, it, was out of breath. Ana ran to the front door but right before she got there she heard a click, and the door was locked. She turned around and the breath was on her, like somebody was standing just inches from her face. She ran to the left but a hand grabbed her hand. It felt old and wrinkled. Coarse. She couldn't move. A voice whispered into her ear, it said something so softly she couldn't make it out. It repeated itself, like it knew what Ana was thinking.
"Your'e next."
Ana opened her mouth to scream but no voice came out. She knew what it was about. Last year, her mother was found dead in the basement. She was choked to death according to the coroner. And all of the blood in her body was gone. But no cuts or bruises...,Ana felt a tug, not too strong, but enough to yank her body over to the direction of the basement. She tried to fight back but it was impossible. She was in no control of her own body, and she was being pulled to her own death, almost willingly. She was at the top of the stairs within seconds, then she felt herself being pushed, and she flew down the stairs. She hit the concrete floor hard. She tried to stand up but it was already there, it pinned her down. She stared at the empty space infront of her where the face,if ithad a face, would be. She felt hands around her neck, but there was still handa around her arms..it had more than two hands? The grip became tighter, she began to cough, but no sound. She closed her eyes. But then she thought she wasn't going to die. She opened her eyes only to realize it was too late. She saw her mother, faintly, but she knew her mother. She saw her Mammaw, who died when she was ten. And saw what looked like a tunnel of light, but she felt so different. They say when you are on your way to death you feel happy and peaceful. But Ana felt worried, and scared. She tried to move to the tunnel, but she couldn't. Then she heard the voice of her mother.
"We were not supposed to die, so we can't go in. We're stuck here."