The Uncertain Future

It had been over a year since that last night, the night I would never forget.

I woke up and looked at my alarm clock. 5:38 am.

I layed back down and closed my eyes. My heart started to race as all the memories came flooding back to me, but I fought them off.

I sat up slowly, making sure not to wake up my wife. She was still fast asleep, and I just wanted to hold her for a little while longer before she woke and I had to leave. I leaned in and kissed her forehead, then wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close to me. she moved slightly and cuddled into me, so I tightened my grip a little bit.

"Mmm..." she said softly as she opened her eyes, finally realizing that someone was holding her close. "Hey..." she muttered sleepily as she smiled at me and kissed me on the lips. "You're up early." She sat up in bed with me and reached over to turn on our lamp.

"Yeah... couldn't sleep," I told her as we both looked out of our bedroom window at the moonlit sky outside. It was three days past full moon, which meant it would be very bright tonight. We sat there in silence for a few minutes just enjoying each others company. "I love you so much," I finally whispered as I leaned down to kiss her lips again.

She smiled again as she reached across and took my hand in hers. "Me too," she whispered back as we both stared into each others eyes for a few moments longer before getting up out of bed and heading downstairs towards the kitchen for breakfast.

We ate some cereal together then headed off to work. Her at the bank, me at the shop where I worked installing security cameras for various businesses around town... I had loved being a cop when I was younger, but after what happened with Maria's sister Jessica and those monstrous individuals who killed her... well... my career in law enforcement ended quickly enough once they found out who she was related to, who her husband was...

We arrived separately at our jobs, so we waved goodbye knowing we'd see each other later on after dinner at Maria's sister's place, so we could start planning our holiday together somewhere nice this year... hopefully London or Paris... somewhere romantic!

After work, we met at Jessica's house as usual, this time bringing Italian takeout with us in case Jessica didn't have time to cook anything herself tonight... She wasn't doing too well these days, what with losing her husband about two years ago now from cancer, but thankfully Maria had kept an eye on her ever since Jessica's daughter went away to college last year... Maria was like an older sister or something to Jessica these days...

Jessica welcomed us both inside cheerfully then led us through into the living room where some boxes were already stacked neatly against one wall, ready for unpacking tomorrow morning when Jessica's daughter would return home from college for a visit during Christmas break! The three of us got busy unpacking until Maria noticed how tired Jessica looked...

"Jessica..." Maria said gently as she touched Jessica's shoulder softly, "why don't you sit down? You need some rest!"

Jessica nodded before stretching out on the sofa and closing her eyes, falling asleep almost instantly! It seemed like just minutes later when she woke up in the same position, only now Maria and I were staring back at her from across the room looking at us strangely! She jumped up immediately in embarrassment! "Oh no... did I fall asleep?!" Before either of us could say anything further though, there was a knock on the door followed by the sound of keys jingling from outside on the porch! It was Jessica's daughter!! We all hurriedly cleaned up around the living room while trying to stay quiet so that Jessi's daughter wouldn't notice we were here yet. It seemed like hours before we heard footsteps approaching behind us in the hallway followed by heavy panting as whoever it was struggled with carrying all their bags into their bedroom! After another few minutes, there was more key jangling outside followed by conversation between Jessi's daughter and someone else, probably their mum who lived next door. We stood silently together waiting until we heard everything go quiet again before walking outside together quietly, waving goodbye to Jessi quietly before leaving.

On our way home Maria stopped suddenly in surprise! "Oh no... look!" She pointed ahead towards something lying half-hidden under some bushes next to a lamppost near our house. As we got closer, we realized it was one of those long black robes that those creatures wore when they killed Jessica's sister! They must have left it behind somehow when they took off after killing poor old Joe last year. We quickly picked it up carefully between us then hurried home before any of them spotted us on their way back home from wherever they were hiding out these days after being driven out of