The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-11-12

Hours after she had gone to sleep, or 50 1t seemed to Sue, she awakened. Quickly. As though something were going to happen. She didn't move. She could hear Jacks breathing, steady and regu- lar. But through the room she had a sense that something moved. Something mysterious and terrify. ing.
 She tried to open her eyes but she couldn't. They felt heavy. She was afraid of what she would see when they were opened. She wanted to scream but she had a fear that if she did the un- seen monster, whatever 1t was, would suddenly jump.
 If she could just reach out her hand and snap on the lamp at the table that stood by the bed, per- haps the rose warmth of the light would drive away the nameless terror of the night. But she couldn't. Something cold and clam my might grasp her hand. Outside the wind suddenly wall ed through the trees. A bare branch struck the window. She stihed a scream and then wondered why she stifled 1t when she wanted to scream. Afraid perhaps of unseen fingers at her throat.
 Maybe I'm still asleep. Maybe it's a nightmare,' she told herself. If she could just call Jack. Could waken him without fearing that he would make some sort of out cry that would bring the danger to point! But he would ask her what was wrong and the lurking danger would hear.
 F It was coming nearer. She knew it. She slipped one hand across Jacks arm. She had to waken him But she caught her hand in his and still didn't wake up. Just turned
 a little bit.
 She would count ten, and ther open her eyes. Slowly--one, two three, four. But a rustling sound
 interrupted. And now she was sure
 that she could hear breathing Hurried and irregular.
 If only something would hap
 pen! Let the thing jump if 1t must She couldn't stand the suspense.
 She opened her eyes very slowly There was a pool of moonlight In the center of the room. And be- yond 1t something swayed. Some thing long and black and sinister | threw a shadow across the floor | She couldn't see the sky through the French doors that led to the l balcony because there was some thing black just beyond.
 It was coming closer. closer | :. She shut her eyes again. And now she had a sensation that she was drifting away. She could smell something sweet and thick. She fought against it. It was like taking ether and fighting 1t. If she yielded to 1t she would be help less. She pushed the blankets over her nose and held them securely, so the peculiar odor couldn't pen
 Jack would get whatever 1t was. She couldn't help him. She couldn't reach out. Something seemed to hold her hands down.
 Now she wanted whatever was going to happen to happen and be
 over. Anything was better than this suspense.
 The shadow was coming. Closer and closer. So stealthily that she could feel 1t, rather than see 1t. | She had been too scared to won der who it was or what 1t wanted It was at the foot of the bed. Instinctively she knew it. She must move. Go some place. Do some- thing. Suddenly she pulled the bed | clothes over her face. moving to- ward the center of the bed, nght- | ing off a terrible lethargy. And as she did there was the sound of broken glass and the splash of a liquid.
 NEXT--An escape.
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