"Let Me In"

I was walking home one night when I saw a man.

"Let me in," he said.

I ran from him, and locked all of the doors when I got home. I tried to forget about him, but the next morning when I left for work I saw him again.

"Let me in," he said.

I backed into my car and started driving. I was ringing in a customer's purchase later that day when I spotted him near the back of the store.

"Let me in," he said.

I paled, and told one of my coworkers to get mall security.

"Let me in," he said.

I told him to shut up. His dark eyes stared dully at me out of a skeletal thin face for a few moments.

He lunged.

I scrambled over the counter, feeling his long and grubby fingers trace over my arm. It was at that point my co-worker arrived with a security officer. My sense of victory was quickly overwhelmed by what felt like a cold clamp closing over my skull and my co-worker's terrified expression.

"What happened to your face?" She asked quietly.

"Let me in," I replied.

I heard the man collapse behind me.