Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, again, like someone banging on the door. Sometimes they lighten; they become little taps of sound, then they morph and become heavy, like carrying a hundred people with them.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, I try to ignore them and just go to sleep. This time I won't let anger or anguish hit me. I fold my pillow to encircle my head; I try to plug my ears so I won't hear them anymore, but the sound is stealthy and creeps through the holes to my eardrums.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, now they sound heavier. God what did I do to deserve this punishment! But that's enough! This time I'm going to find the source of the sound! I put on my socks and grabbed my cell phone to turn on the flashlight. I was a little scared as I'm afraid of the dark, but I swallowed saliva and sighed, closed my eyes for a moment and opened the door abruptly.
I pointed the phone flashlight down the hall; there was nothing there. I left my room and walked a few steps; nothing. The silence of the night had returned and the traces of that infernal sound had vanished.
I gave another sigh and locked myself in my room again.
The next day, I went to the kitchen and my grandmother was already up cooking. I stared at her while her back was turned; I wanted to know if she knew anything.
"Grandma, didn't you hear anything last night?" I asked her. She shook her head and served me a plate with hot oatmeal and another with scrambled eggs and toast.
"Again?" She replied. "Honey, that must be your imagination, I told you. Nothing ever happens in this house."
I was not satisfied with her words, so I proceeded to eat my breakfast quietly.
I have been living with my grandmother for some time now. I am the only member of her family she has left, as my mother died recently and that had her devastated. Thinking about this, I decided to move in with her, as it was impossible to convince her to leave this big house. My company has been fortuitous and has eased her pain a bit; even though she still suffers from the consequences of grief.
That day, I decided to take a break and accompany my grandmother all day, because lately I have noticed her with a down attitude.
The night came again and with it the time to sleep. I sheltered my grandmother in her room; she always goes to sleep earlier. After tucking her in, I went to my room, maneuvered my phone until my eyes got tired and put it aside.
I didn't want to fall asleep so soon, I wanted to wait for the sound to manifest itself again, but my eyes and my brain were so tired, that I inevitably landed in the sleep boat.
I don't know how many minutes passed, but again that sound woke me up.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, As light as usual at first; it sounded as if I were hitting the floor with rubber shoes. I groaned in anger, for I hate waking up when I am having a deep sleep. I was too lazy to get out of bed, as my body was sedated by the effects of drowsiness.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, and again, and again. Harder they pounded, thundering in my ears, now the rubber shoes had become heavy wooden clogs. My eyes bugged out and I jumped up from my bed; this time the source of the sound was not going to escape me.
*Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, louder! I could almost feel it near me! I was on the verge of rage and that gave me the courage to continue. I opened the door and peeked out into the hallway, I could feel something white wobbling and getting lost at the end.
This time I just sighed and began to approach with giant steps. I kept shining my cell phone, I took a shoe and held it as a weapon in case something bad happened. The pounding had stopped, I realized that around the corner of the hallway was the source of my anguish.
I prayed a little and exhaled deeply. I raised my hand, holding my shoe tightly, and with a leap I turned down the hallway. I was petrified at what my eyes saw: it was my grandmother and I almost hurt her.
Her eyes were closed and her mouth half open; she seemed to be under the effects of sleepwalking. She was wearing dark heels; the same ones she wore at my mother's funeral, which would explain the sound of the banging.
I calmed myself, took her gently by one arm, and led her back to her bed. I watched her closely, feeling a little sorry for her. I closed the door hoping that the mourning would soon be over.
THE END
