I was awoken by a series of knocks early in the morning. Just a quick:

Knock, Knock, Knock.

I pushed myself up from my bed, wiping sleep from my eyes. Trying to figure out if I'd heard what I heard. I was on the verge of discarding the idea, my left arm supporting my weight as I sat in bed, it began to bend back towards the mattress, as sleep took over.

Knock, Knock, Knock

I sat up straight. There was a knock. But it sounded strange, it didn't sound like it was on my front door.

Knock, Knock, Knock

I pushed myself out of my bed, rubbing sleep from my eyes as I blindly navigated through my bedroom to the door. I yanked the door open in mild frustration, trying to figure out the time.

I was surrounded by darkness, my apartment was surrounded by silence. It was very early in the morning, but I couldn't assess how early. I heard the knock again, three more times, just as I entered the living room.

Silence.

I had motion sensor lights outside my front door. And yes, at night you could see the light seep beneath the door. There was no light. I cautiously peered through the peephole to see darkness. I squinted, trying to make out if there was a darker shape, but saw nothing.

Perhaps someone delivered something for me? At a ludicrous hour of the day? Should I even open the door? I cautiously turned the locks free from the door, I slowly turned the knob, and pulled the door open. Immediately wishing I'd had some sort of weapon in my spare hand.

I stepped outside and the motion sensor light flicked on.

Nothing. No person, no item.

Not a thing.

I peered down my stairwell to the ground floor. I saw no shadows of someone departing from their prank, heard no giggles or muffled laughter.

Silence.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

That was from my kitchen window. How was that even possible? I was on the second story of my apartment complex. I pulled the door shut and returned the deadbolt lock. I flicked my living room lights on and made my way to my kitchen on shaky legs. I reached out to various pieces of furniture to support my walk. My brain scrambled for what I should use as a weapon. My feet went from the living room carpet to the kitchen tiles, and just as I felt the surge of cool from the tiles I heard the knock again. This time from my bedroom window.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

It was loud, it almost seemed as though the window would fall from its frame. I expected to hear the shattering of glass. I turned around and ran for my bedroom.

Through the closed blinds, I could see her shape. Standing? No. Floating outside my bedroom window. Through my blinds, I could see her hair as it wisped in the wind. I walked to my window with no fear, without hesitation. Why? It was as though I'd lost control of my body.

I pulled the blinds open and I saw her. Her dead and pale skin wrapped tightly around her skull. The darkness of her eye sockets was the darkest abyss I'd ever witnessed. Streaks of crimson ran down her cheeks from when her eyes were removed, blood covered her lips and ran down her chin from when her tongue was cut out. I could see her decaying teeth, yellow and rotting, yet still reflective in the moonlight. Her mouth arched in a smile that was far too wide for her face.

And then, without warning. She crashed through my window.