Читать книгу Jennifer. Residence of Grief - Viktor Khorunzhy - Страница 3

She didn’t know how much time had passed before she started feeling overcome by slumber after all. Without taking her clothes off, Jenny came over to her bed and cuddled in it, hoping to fall asleep. She almost succeeded; however soft sound of steps made her alert. Who could that be at such time? Could one of the neighbors that had decided to stay for the night possibly want to roam the house for some reason?

Nothing was happening for some time. Jennifer dipped into drowsiness, but then steps sounded again. Only this time she thought it was a large dog running down the corridor. Her drowsiness was gone in a split second. Jenny sat in her bed and strained her ears. It didn’t take her to wait long: strange noise sounded again, though this time it seemed there had been two of the animals. Bewildered and frightened, she stood up quietly and approached the door, hesitant to open it.

Suddenly and pitchy in night silence, a blow boomed on the door, making her start back. It was followed by short roaring, as if some unknown beast got infuriated after having run against a barrier. With heart racing in her chest, Jennifer froze in the middle of the room, while monsters began raving on the other side of the door: they were roaring and throwing themselves against the wooden panel obviously not designed to hold such an onslaught. Claws were scratching the floor as if there was no tomorrow; howling and clack of teeth added to the sound.

Jenny was scared stiff. Numerous thoughts raced through her mind in a second, including bewilderment: why in the world didn’t her neighbors that had stayed for the night come rushing up to her until now? For it was simply impossible not to hear what had been going on behind her door. It seemed the terrible noise could even wake people from neighboring houses. But still no one had raced to rescue her…

A blow on the window behind Jennifer made her bounce off to the wall and back against it. What could it be? But the window, just the same as the door, was closed and night misty haze was hiding the invisible threat.

Trying to subdue her jitters, Jenny made two slow steps towards the window – and then froze, unable to make a single move. A huge black raven was sitting on the windowsill. The bird didn’t move and therefore seemed unreal, as if drawn on the damp glass by night itself.

Jenny moved her hand, involuntarily striving to wipe off the ominous silhouette. However, as soon as she moved, the raven flapped its huge wings and beaked the glass again. And suddenly, eyes of this unreal bird blazed up like dying embers in the blackness of the night: the raven stared at the girl with an unspeakable fury.

That was the last straw: obeying to overflowing fear, Jennifer screamed…