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He shifted position to try and see better, then realized his view outside was hampered by the yellow glow of the lantern behind him. Keeping the drapes parted slightly, he turned away and switched off the lantern. When he looked back out the window, he found himself staring into a pale face directly on the other side of the glass. It was a woman with a haggard, wrinkled face surrounded by long, dirty hair. She opened her mouth and eyes wide as she stared at him through the glass. Oliver screamed and jerked away, his sudden movement tipping the chair as he fell onto the damp and dirty carpet.
Dave sat bolt upright on the bed. “What?”
“Someone’s out there,” Oliver shouted as he struggled to untangle himself from the legs of the chair.
“Oliver?” Dave peered at him over the edge of the mattress. “Where?”
Oliver pointed. “Outside the window!”
Dave got up and tripped over the fallen chair in the dark. “Fuck! What the hell?”
“I fell over,” Oliver said.
“Where’s the lantern?”
“I shut it off to be able to see out the window.”
“Okay, but where is it?” Dave said.
“I don’t know.” Oliver finally managed to wrench his leg free from the chair, and he kicked it away.
“Ow!” Dave cried out, apparently hit by the chair.
“Sorry,” Oliver said, crawling around and feeling for the lantern. The carpet was wet beneath his hands and knees and a musty odor filled his nostrils as he searched for the light. His fingers touched hard plastic, and he gave a triumphant cry. “Found it!”
When he switched on the lantern, he saw Dave kneeling by the window, blinking in the sudden light. “Great. Now, what did you see?”
“A face. Right outside the window.”
“Was it a man or a woman?” Dave asked.
“Pretty sure it was a woman. An old woman. It happened so fast, I didn’t get a good look. I saw something move farther out in the trees and turned away to switch off the lantern so I could see better. When I turned back, the face was, like, right there.” He held a hand up in front of his face. “Right on the other side of the window.”
“Old woman? You’re sure?”
Oliver tipped up a shoulder “Pretty sure. She had pale and wrinkled skin and long, dirty hair. She opened her eyes and mouth really wide as if she was going to shout at me. Like this.” Oliver widened his eyes and opened his mouth.
“Sure you didn’t see your own face?”
He frowned. “Yes, I’m sure. That’s why I switched off the lantern.”
“Okay. Turn it off again, but keep it close.”
Oliver switched it off and gripped the handle tight. Dave slowly parted the drapes and cool, white moonlight spilled into the room. Walking on his knees and ignoring the dampness of the carpet soaking into his jeans, Oliver approached the window and peered over Dave’s shoulder.
“See anything?” Oliver whispered.
“No one and nothing.”
Oliver sat back on his heels. “Someone was out there.”
Dave looked through the window in silence a moment, then let the curtain fall back into place and stood up. He grabbed the lantern and switched it on before stepping past Oliver and heading for the door. Oliver jumped to his feet and grabbed his arm.
“What are you doing?”
“Going outside to make sure who or whatever is out there didn’t mess with my car.”
“That can’t wait until morning?”
