Kala ran down the hall. It was no use, this man had been following her for weeks.

And now he said he was coming.

Kala locked all the doors and windows to her house. She was alone. And terrified. Her parents were away for the night. She tried to call them.

"Pick up, pick up! Dammit!" She cried. No answer. She desperately tried again, but the phone was cut off.

"911, 911!" Tears were running down her face as she scrambled to press the numbers. The 14 year old had never been more terrified in her life. Her black hair stuck to her sweaty back and her mascara was dripping down her face.

Why did she ever speak to him? Last month she had thought she found a friend online, a friendly boy. She kept contact with him and, because he sweet-talked her, she told him her full name, even location.

She wanted to kill herself now. She had been so stupid!

"911, please state your emergency,"A woman said into the phone.

Kala gasped, "T-this is Kala M-m-Matthews, a man is coming to g-g-get m-m-me! HELP!"

"Ok, miss pleas-" The voice was cut off.

Kala breathed. Redial, redial!

Nothing.

Kala thought frantically. She could escape through the window. No, he might be out there. Door? No way.

She kept seeing shadows on the gray walls. She ran into her room and locked the door. She wanted desperately to turn on the lights, but no. Stay still.

She crawled under the bed, her body shaking furiously.

This was fear.

She lay there, sobbing into the floor. This was all her fault. Damn you, Kala, damn you...

Suddenly she heard a knock on the window. She felt like screaming but she didn't have the energy. She said a thousand prayers in her head and clasped her hands together so hard the knuckles turned white.

"Kala..." A man's voice called from outside her window.

Kala had a sharp intake of breath.

"Kala...I told you I would come..." She heard sounds of him trying to open the window.

She kept repeating prayers, clasping her hands together and shaking and crying. She thought he could hear her heart beating, it was so loud.

A window broke. Kala almost died. Kill me now...she cried silently, Take me now, Lord, please!!!

"Kala," The man said, "Do you know what your name means?"

He was getting closer to the bed! He was going to kill her!

"Black," he answered for her, "Time..."

His feet were at the base of the bed.

Please no, please no, please no, please no...!

He looked down under the bed. Finally Kala had the energy to scream. She could not see his eyes. They were covered by black hair.

She did not know what she was doing. She ran, ran out from under the bed. He grabbed her by the chest and she screamed again. As loud as she could. She smacked the man, kicked him, while crying and screaming and shaking.

Then she broke loose and ran like hell. Faster than flames to the front door. But she had locked it. And while trying to unlock it frantically, the man was coming closer.

Kala's sweaty hands couldn't grasp the knob.

"Black time..." The man said, "That's what you are."

Kala's hands slipped and she turned and ran. She couldn't get the door unlocked. How could she escape? He was coming to get her!

The man ran after her, faster and faster. Kala ran for her room and scrambled through the window.

She cut her hands and knees and arms and got bits of glass stuck in her palms, but she barely got through.

The man came right out after her yelling, "Black Time, Kala!"

Kala ached and pained all over, but she still ran.

Down the streets. Away from Black. Away from Time

She had cramps, and then she vomited, but she kept on running.

"Black Time!"

Down the dark streets.

"Black Time!"

Kala wanted to scream for help, but she barely had the strength to cry.

Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, amen.

Suddenly, in the street.

Lights.

Truck lights.

And Kala ran.

"Black Time."

Oh, dear me. We have a cliffhanger here. Well, it is up to you. Does Kala get into the truck? Does the stalker catch her? Perhaps she gets killed by the truck? Maybe she faints? Is the truck but a figmant of her imagination?

I really don't know what happens. That's for you to decide.

Gill