Strange Encounters Cont...

Daisy shaded the water on her drawing. Her mother was once again working the late shift, but Daisy had become used to this. It was part of the job. Yet, despite her age, being home alone during the night was not something Daisy encouraged often.

She scanned the safari atmosphere she had created just a week before. Zebras, elephants, and tigers emerged from every direction. Daisy brushed her hand lightly across the bumpy service of her bedroom wall. The mixture of brown and red streaks that created the lion's mane became a beautiful ocean blue. Daisy's mother had always encouraged her to express her creativity. This usually meant a weekly change in scenery for her room. She stood back and closed her eyes creating an image in her mind of the new world she desired. Got it.

Daisy traded her laptop music for that of her portable music player. She placed the earphones in her ears and went to work. Tigers and zebras became dolphins and whales. Dusty browns transformed into calm, wavy blues.

She was just placing the finishing touches on her wall of art, when Daisy heard a couple of cupboards slam from the kitchen. She pulled the earphones from her head. Strange. She always heard her mother's car pull into the driveway and that sounded more like rummaging. Daisy grabbed two pencils from the desk, closed her eyes, and felt a sharp cold metal form in the palm of each hand. She slowly edged down the staircase as quietly as she could until she reached the bottom of the staircase. Daisy turned to face the kitchen.

"Drop the knife," Daisy heard a low, rough voice behind her. She slowly turned to face him. The lamps that lined the city streets provided just enough light to outline a shadow of an unusually short man. Through the darkness, however, nothing else could be revealed.

"Just take what you came for and leave," the metal within Daisy's hands began to shake.

"I came for you," the man smirked. Daisy froze. Her eyes darted to the dark figure slowly approaching the intruder from behind. The intruder seemed to notice the change in Daisy's stare. The smirk across his face grew larger as he vanished at the exact moment the dark figure attempted to retaliate with a wooden board.

"Whoever you are..."Daisy called to the empty darkness. The figure had disappeared into the shadows of the room making him impossible for Daisy to see.

"Shhh," the new stranger cut her off and reappeared at her side.

"Just..." Daisy started again.

"Quiet!" his voice was more stern as he closed his eyes, "I'm new at this. I have to concentrate."

For some reason she did not understand, Daisy did as she was told. Everything became uncomfortably still. It felt as though time itself had stopped.

"Alright, we're safe now," the stranger breathed a sigh of relief.

"Who are you?" Daisy demanded still clutching both knives tightly. This time her hands did not shake.