Excerpt of Not Dead Enough by Tyffany D. Neiheiser

My phone flashed a warning that my battery was low, which was weird, since I’d plugged it in when I did my homework. Maybe the cord had been loose. I rolled over on my bed, grabbed the charger, and plugged it back in.

Tap, tap, tap.

I paused, waiting to see if the sound would come again.

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound was coming from the window, like a finger on the glass.

I peered out the window. The night was dark except for the streetlamp on the corner. The tree in front of my window partially blocked the view to the sidewalk. The branches swayed. But I didn’t see branches touching the window.

Knock, knock.

I froze, then forced myself to take a breath. The soft knock had come from the door. One of my parents was awake, that was all.

I strode over to the door and opened it, but there was no one in the hallway.

My heart picked up speed. I leaned out my door again, looking left and right. Moonlight streamed through the hallway window, lighting the dark just enough to see I was alone.

Knock, knock.

I almost screamed as I whirled around. There. Someone was there. I saw them out of the corner of my eye.

Jerry.

I froze.

No no no. It couldn’t be.

I turned slowly toward him, but he was gone, like he’d never been there. It was just my dresser mirror, throwing my reflection back at me, my eyes too wide and skin bleached of color.

But I’d seen him. Except, of course, I hadn’t. I couldn’t have. He was dead.

I wiped my clammy hands on my pajamas. My insides trembled with adrenaline.

I tried to make myself think logically. It was probably tree branches hitting the house and just sounded like someone knocking on my door.

I waited for the knocking to come again so I could pinpoint where it came from, but the house was silent now.

I put on headphones and turned the music up.