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The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/HighestBounty on 2023-07-02 21:45:43+00:00.
A rattle at the door snapped me awake. My head jolted upright, my vision blurry. The headache that followed yet another night of heavy drinking had already begun to kick in. I leaned forward on the armchair and rubbed my hands over my face, the bristles of an unkept beard irritated my palms like a wire brush. Closing my eyes, I fumbled for the TV remote on the small table at the side of me. A glass clattered onto the wooden surface and rolled with a muted thud onto the carpet, spilling the sickly smelling contents. I gripped the remote and sluggishly aimed it in the direction of the TV, hit the standby button and plunged the room into darkness.
The door rattled again, three knocks.
Pulling myself up from the chair, I stumbled as I stretched, sending an empty glass bottle of spirits rolling across the room. Steadying myself on the back of the armchair, I rubbed the back of my neck with one hand, the muscles ached.
The door rattled again, another three knocks.
"I'm coming! Give me chance!" I shouted, shuffling through the dark room to the doorway that lead to the hall. I ran my hand over the wall, searching for the hallway light switch, then flicked it on, wincing from the bright light.
Three more knocks.
"Bloody hell, I'm coming!" I exclaimed.
Using the banister of the staircase to steady myself, I reached out for the door handle. Too soon. Falling forward, my shoulder took the force as it smashed into the wooden door. I cried out, slumped to the ground and sat with my back against the door.
It rattled three more times, the vibrations ran up my spine. It was as if nails had been hammered into my forehead. I winced and held my head once more.
"Stop! I'm here!" I turned my head to the side and screamed at the door.
Rolling round so I was on all fours, I reached up for the handle and took it in one hand. As I tried to pull myself up with it, it turned and the door flew open. An ice cold breeze hit me like a wall. My teeth clenched and my bones froze. Then, it stopped, as quickly as it had started. Shivering, I stared outside at the porch. The Moonlight glistened silver off the wet pavement. Shadows of the crooked wooden fence stretched up the steps into the doorway. But nothing else. No one stood there. Pulling myself up onto my feet I peered outside, nothing.
"Hello?" I murmured, bewildered.
Nobody answered. Probably some kids playing tricks. I cursed out into the street and slammed the door. The key had fallen from the lock onto the mat, bending down, I picked it up and, after a few attempts, locked the door.
I stood facing the door, trying to work out what had just happened.
Three knocks again, just like before, this time, from behind me, up on the second floor, inside the house.