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"Tapping"

There are some things we are all afraid of, whether or not we choose to admit it to ourselves. Perhaps you feel that the ocean is a safe place, yet when you arrive you find yourself fearing what may be swimming below you. What brushed up against your leg? Can they feel you trembling? Can they smell your fear?
There I lay, in bed in an attempt to fall asleep. My television was sitting at a low volume as to not awaken me by surprise as I drift to sleep. I've had the unpleasant experience before. Tonight, I turned to my side, facing away from the harsh light of the television, yet still able to make out almost perfectly what they were saying.
What was on right now was a couple arguing in a sitcom. I didn't care much for what they were saying, but the roar of the laugh track after every line or two was somewhat soothing to me. I was so close to drifting to sleep, when across the room there came a tapping on my window. I sat up and turned toward the window.
It was pitch black outside. It was dark enough outside that the only thing I could see was the reflection of the room behind me. I walked over to the window and opened it after hearing the tapping again. I discovered the culprit, a tree branch. It didn't make much sense to me, I'd been living in this house for several months now and tonight was the only night it had bothered me. I left the room and headed to the garage. I wasn't about to let it bother me tonight, nor any night to follow.
When I got to the garage, I looked around for something sharp, a blade to cut the branch down. I'd thought about a ladder but I knew I had one outside, leaning against the side of the house. I had it out before when I decided to paint the shutters a month ago. 
I continued scanning the various tools that were scattered around my musty smelling garage until I came across a pair of gardening shears. I knew this baby should do the trick. I grabbed them and headed outside.
I knew which window to go to, it'd be the one that has light coming from it because I'd left my television on. I walked over to the side of the house and spotted my ladder. I was about to carry it with me over to the window, but I looked up and noticed the window was still open. How stupid of me to forget to do a simple task like closing a window. I bet the papers inside were thrown about by the wind.
I noticed something else strange. There was no tree branch even close to my window. I shrugged it off. Maybe it was a loose branch that hit my window a few times on its way down.
With the shears still in hand, I made my way back inside. As I walked by the couch and placed the shears down on it. I'll put it up tomorrow. I've already been up too late, I needed to be up early for work. I made my way up the stairs and back to my bedroom. I grabbed the window and pulled slammed it down.
After all the little excitement of tonight, I crawled back into bed and pulled my covers over me, shivering from all the cold air that had blown in. I was surprised the wind didn't wreck my room too much. I began to drift to sleep.
***
I was awakened by a sound I must've heard in my dream, someone coughing. I looked over at the television. It had turned itself off. I glanced at the clock on m nightstand. It was 3:16 a.m.
When I saw the dark shadow of a hand draping itself over the bright red digits of the clock, my heart nearly stopped.

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