Heart

The unashamedly trinket adorned home had an ancient lived in smell of old things. Not stale nor dusty however, the opposite in fact; it was spotless and tidy. There were no sounds emanating from anywhere inside; he had taken the time to make sure of that and listen for at least a minute once he had broken in. He also knew that no one had come or gone once the old woman had been taken away.

The source of his knowledge had come only a few days past, after overhearing her neighbours talking near an ambulance – there was always an opportunity if he just kept his eyes and ears open – they had said that she had phoned for help complaining of a tightness in her chest and shortness of breath.

This had given him absolute freedom to search through her home for anything of value. It had been easy to force the back door open, he had pushed with his shoulder only a few times before hearing a cracking of the dry worn timber.

He walked casually into a room that looked as if it were being used as an office. Papers were piled neatly on the desk but were oddly covered in a heavy dust. A picture of the old woman and a man – possibly her deceased husband – also sat on the desk.

One desk drawer was slightly ajar. He peered inside and was amazed to see loose change and notes stuffed inside. It was so full that the drawer jammed when he tried to open it, but he persisted until it shot open and then he began filling his pockets. Then a noise! He looked up and saw that a closet door had creaked opened on unoiled hinges. It was dark in there. He crept forward to investigate and possibly discover if it was a cat or rodent that was hiding within.

A white face poked out from the dark shadows and growled. The face was human and of an old man.

The thief stumbled backwards into the work desk too stunned to do anything but stare dumbly. The old man leapt from the closet with frothy saliva spitting out as he spoke with unintelligible words. His eyes were frightfully haunted and his stare was equally horrifying.

Cold hands clasped about the thief’s throat, then pressure until a crack sounded, followed by another, then finally a sickening crunch. The old white-faced man released his grip and let the body fall to the ground with a thump, then walked slowly back to the closet with his head drooped as if tired. Once inside the closet he closed the door so that he was again in darkness.