Knock

1
KnockKnockKnock(United States/Canada- Urban
Folklore)

• From More Short Shivery
• Retold by Robert D. San Souci

2

• Youre wearing that to a costume party?
• exclaimed Nicole. Thats not a costume.
• Im going as a jogger, said Mark.
• You jog every day. Thats only your old gray
• running suit!
• So its authentic, Mark said. Anyhow, I
• didnt have time to come up with a real
• costume.
• You could have rented one, Nicole pointed
• out.
• Im not wasting my hard-earned college
• money on a giant bunny outfit, he said.

3

• Besides, youre dressed up enough for
• both of us.
• Im Queen Guinevere, she explained. You know,
  she married King Arthur.
• Yeah, I saw the movie on TV, Mark said. Um
  Nic. Just to put you on yellow alert,
• my cars been giving me a little trouble.
• Nicole sighed. Will it get us there?
• Ninety-eight percent certainty.
• And back? she wondered, then added
• quickly, Dont give me the odds Just get
• us there. Well work out the rest later.

4

• You got it! Mark said, offering her his
• arm. Queen Guinevere, your Toyota
• awaits.
• Lancelot youre not, she said, laughing. But
  you do look pretty good-even in a
• grungy jogging suit.
• However, Nicoles high spirits soon
• evaporated. Marks car managed nearly to
• stall out at every stop sign or intersection.
• Are you sure well get to the country
• club? she asked anxiously.

5

• Yeah, Im sure, Mark snapped as the
• engine sputtered and the car shuddered.
• Nicole held her breath, but the problem
• seemed to correct itself. It wasnt just the
• car that made her jittery a heavy fog had
  settled
• over the lonely, twisting country road.
• Relax, put on some music, Mark suggested,
• adding quickly, um, on the radio. The cassette
• player is broken.
• Nicole almost said something about what bad
• shape everything was in, but decided not to risk
• an argument. As the hills grew higher, the music
• stations faded into static. All she could get was
  a
• news station.

6

• Great, she said, making a face. Then
• she paused, listening intently as the
  
  
  
  
  radio announced
• warning everyone in the Norris Valley
• area that convicted killer Owen Helms-the
• so-called Hangman- has escaped from the
• criminal asylum at Pinecrest
• Thats just at the other end of the valley!
• cried Nicole. She was going to insist that Mark
• turn the car around when two things
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• happened. The radio program dissolved into
• crackling static, and the car bucked twice and
  died.
• 
  

7

• Mark used what momentum was left to steer the
  Toyota to the side of the road.
• They came to a stop under a tree. Condense
• fog dripped from an overhanging branch,
• thunk, thunk, thunk.
• Mark turned the ignition key several times, but
  all
• the engine would do was gurgle and chuff. Soon
  even
• these noises grew weaker. The car refused to
  start.
  Finally Nicole said, Give it a rest
  youre just
• draining the battery.
• Mark slammed his fist against the steering
• wheel. Then he climbed out, lifted the hood, and
• fiddled with the engine.
• 
  

8

• Try it now! hed call every few minutes. But
  
• when Nicole turned the key, all she got were
• clicks. In between, she tried to get some more
• news on the escaped killer. But the radio just
  gave
• off creepy sounds like whispers, so she snapped
• it off.
• Im going to have to go get help. Lucky I wore
• my jog togs and Nikes after all. I think were
  just a
• few miles from the country club. Ill call a tow
• truck from there, then have someone bring me
• back here. I shouldnt be gone more than an half
• hour or so.
• 
  

9

• No way am I staying out here by myself,
• said Nicole. Not with the Happy Hangman
• on the loose.
• Be reasonable, Nic! How are you gonna
• jog in that costume of yours? And Im not
• about to stroll through this freezing fog.
• No, Mark, please!
• If youre really worried, crouch down on
• the floor in back under the old blanket. If
• anyone comes along, theyll think the car is
• empty. But no one will bother your, I promise.
  
  

10

• You also promised to get us to the
• party, she said. But she was more scared
• than angry. Oh, all right- but I swear Im not
• coming out from under that blanket until Im
• sure its you.
• Im gonna leave you the keys for
• safekeeping. When I get back, Ill knock
• three times, like this. He went
• knockknockknockon the roof of the
• car, just above the door on the drivers side.
• Dont come out until you hear the signal.
  
  

11

• I wont, she said, believe me.
• He kissed her good-bye, watched while she
• locked and tested both doors, then waved as he
• jogged away into the fog. The minute he was out
• of sight, she climbed into the backseat, bunched
• up in the narrow space, and arranged the musty
• old blanket over herself.
• How long she remained there Nicole wasnt
• sure. When her legs began to cramp, she brought
• her watch up to her face without disturbing the
• blanket and read the illuminated dial. Less than
• half an hour had passed, but it felt more like
• years.
  
  

12

• Suddenly she heard a knock on the roof of the
  car.
• Mark, she whispered. She was about to throw
  off the blanket, when she remembered hed
  promised to knock three times. She had a sudden,
  sickening feeling that someone else was
  outside-maybe trying to find way into the locked
  car.
• Please, please, knock again. she whispered.
  Make it be Mark!
• Knock.

13

• Once more-please just once more.
• Knock.
• She almost laughed out loud with relief
• Knock.
• Her blood turned to ice water.
• Knockknockknock
• She froze, hardly daring to breathe, as the
• knocks continued on and on, spaced just
• about the same. Each one was like a fist in
• her stomach.

14

• At first she was sure that the Hangman
• was trying to get in. Then she imagined that
• he was so wacko that he was just beating
• on the car like a child pounding endlessly
• on a toy drum. Finally she wondered if he
• knew she was inside, and was tormenting
• her until he smashed a window.
• Knockknockknock
• Please, someone, come help me! she
• prayed.

15

• Knockknock
• Then she heard the sound of heavy boots
• crunching on the gravel. Voices. And a radio,
  with
• a dispatchers voice giving instructions that she
  
• couldnt make out.
• Knock.
• Then, mercifully, it stopped. Mark must have
• come. Or a tow truck. Nicole sat up and looked
  out
• the window- and screamed!
• Two men were staring in at her. After a
• terrifying, confused moment, she realized they
• were police. Behind them she saw the spinning
• blue and red lights on top of their police car.

16

• Its okay, young lady, the first officer
• said. You can come out now.
• Her shaking hand found the lock release.
• She climbed out unsteadily.
• Wheres Mark? she asked, looking around.
  Didnt he come with you?
• Come to the patrol car, said the second
• officer. Dont look back- just keep your eyes on
  
• the patrol car.
• Why cant I look? Nicole asked. She turned
• suddenly and saw Marks body, still in the gray
• jogging outfit, hanging from the tree limb above
• the car.

17

• Hey! yelled the officer. You dont want to
  see this, miss! As he reached out to grab her
  the body started swinging. Nicole watched in
  horror as one Nike-clad foot began to beat
  against the roof of the car
• Knockknockknock