It was a dark and gloomy night. Grey clouds were covering the dark blue night sky and I had just gotten out of work. The last bus had left twenty minutes ago, damn that lady. She just couldn’t choose what she wanted a minute early. All though now that I think about it, that wouldn’t have made a difference now would that, after all my fate was sealed to late-night walks to home the day I graduated from high school.

 

I was considering my options; I could walk, which probably is the most and only reasonable option I have or I could just crush behind the register, that would save a lot of time wouldn’t I- 

 

My thoughts were blocked by the sudden sound of rustling I heard from behind. “What! Who’s there?” I shouted instinctively. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and after managing to get my heartbeat down, I carefully checked around to make sure there was nothing behind me.  

 

I strolled down the pitch-black main street, quickening my pace every once in a while to soothe my freaked-out soul after hearing that mysterious rustle, still trying to keep it cool on the outside. My house was not far from work, as long as you didn’t get off twenty minutes late and miss the last bus, but it can get pretty far away when you have to walk the entire route. And the uneasy feeling I had wasn’t helping either. That ominous voice had left a dreadful feeling inside me and it wasn’t going away. And to be honest, that was what had gotten me even more anxious, normally I wouldn’t have thought this much about it bu-

 

The sound of rustling once again startled me, now I was seriously scared. I could feel someone looking at me but couldn’t see anything. Not even a stray was on this street… Not even a stray was on this, the main street. Where was everyone, this place would always be crowded with people even during a hurricane. Why hadn’t I noticed this sooner?

 

The quickest way to get out of this situation would be to get home as quickly as I could. Maybe it was because of the long shift. I must have been too tired and my senses had gone numb. These thoughts were not helping, believing delusions wasn’t helping with the thought of someone, the darkness, following me. 

 

I was practically running when I heard a much louder crashing sound. I froze and looked back to what happened and if possible who did it. There was no one other than the just fallen trash can lid twirling around, trying to balance itself on its lid. This couldn’t have fallen off on its own… “Who is there? Get out you freak!” I was stuttering, I knew it but I couldn’t do anything to stop it. I looked around to make sure I saw correctly that there was no one in there other than me.

 

Maybe it was my visual reassurance, I’m not sure, but I suddenly had this immense feeling of courage blooming in my chest and it told me to check the bin. I wasn’t sure if it was the smartest idea but it was the only idea other than sprinting home and letting the mysterious stalker know where I live. 

 

I went over to the trash can and carefully leaned over to get a good glimpse. There was nothing. Not inside or left or right. It was completely empty until an unusual sight caught my eye. There was something moving next to the trash can but it wasn’t anything anyone would expect. It was a shadow, very hard to differentiate in the already dark ground but it was there and it was moving. I slowly backed away from it, not knowing what it would do. After all, how many had experienced being chased by a two-dimensional being at midnight, right? 

 

I decided that slowly getting away was my best option and so I began my plan. Turned around and slowly and very silently walked away from the main street and turned around to the corner to reach my house which was just at the end of the street. It wasn’t going away. It was following me and I was panicking… “Leave me alone!” my throat hurt as I shouted with all I had. I was under a street light and the once tiny shadow hiding under a trash can was now five times my size. This was bad, very very bad. I started sprinting down the street feeling the thrill of the chase (which also felt very one-sided) climb up my spine, which only made me feel even worse. I reached the very dark entrance of my abandoned-looking house, it was the only one I could afford that’s why I normally hated it but right now it looked like the safest place on earth and gave me the hope that if I could just reach it, it would all go away.

 

I was panicking as I tried to find my keys located in my front pocket. I finally got a hold of my hands and got the key out but now I was wrestling with the keychains, trying to properly hold my keys and open the door. Done. The panic was relieving and hope was covering my chest, I leaned out to insert the key in the keyhole-

 

I felt a hollow grab me from my neck and I was falling, I saw my body fall to the ground and it was all gone.