The Black Thing That Followed Mum

I arrived home to my parents’ house one day.

I unlocked the security door and stepped inside.

Mum was walking out of the laundry.

“Hey, Hun,” she said casually, turning the corner toward the loungeroom.

But something strange was behind her.

It wasn’t human.

I don’t know what it was.

It was big, larger than her and black.

It looked sticky somehow. Heavy.

Like it was reaching in all directions at once.

And it was following her.

“Mum,” I said.

“Yeah?” she replied, still walking.

“There’s something following you.”

She didn’t say anything after that.

I didn’t either.

The thing disappeared not long after.

She got on with her day.

And so did I.