The Monster

Scott knew he was running late. He didn’t get off work on time, and instead an hour later than normal. The boss he had wasn’t reasonable, and asking to leave on time so that Scott could get ready for his four-year anniversary date with his girlfriend was out of the question. He would be looking for another job if he did.

He knew Emily would be upset with him, but she wouldn’t show it. She would wait patiently in her nice fitted green dress with the high heels that were just one inch too high, sitting on the couch and playing with her thumbs. They have been together years, and she still had high anxiety Scott did not love her anymore. Of course, that was not true.

She never showed anger, never spoke up about it. It hurt Scott at times, that his beloved couldn’t open up and share herself with him, but he knew he was loved. Even more so if he would just show up on time.

She would wait by the door and peek out the window ever three minutes til his used 2003 Chevy car pulled up in her apartment parking lot.

Please wait for me.

They were going to a new restaurant in town. It just opened, but Scott was popular with everyone in the small town, so he pulled a few strings to get in.

As a 6′4 tall muscular man that played football every year in high school, and also led his small school to win state not once, but twice, he knew a few people here and there. The owner was happy and was in awe when he told him he was going to propose to his girlfriend.

It was time, as everyone had told him. They were the perfect couple in town. He was the star player, and she was the cheer captain. Their senior year they won prom queen and king. They went to the same college together.

She was going to be a teacher and he was going to be a nurse. They were going to buy a house and have 2.5 kids and live a normal life together and he was happy with that.

He grabbed the flowers off the table, the ones he had a coupon for. They were lavender, Emily’s favorite. He made sure three times the ring was in his pocket. After he struggled with his tie, he locked the door and walked downstairs. He was on the second level.

On the side of the building, there was a drunk man sitting down, with two or three bottles around him. He had a cane across his legs and a blanket covering his head.

In his tiny town Bible Belt town, it truly was a strange sight to see a drunk homeless man. Homeless men were common here and there, but they usually kept to themselves and disappeared in a few days.

However, this man had been hanging around for the past week. He was singing a Beatles song, not loud enough for China to hear, but enough for Scott’s ears. It sure was his luck, having to walk by him to get to his car.

“Flowers, uh?” the man said. Scott sighed, knowing this was going to happen. “Wife? Girlfriend? Did you piss her off?”

“Girlfriend, and no. I’m asking her to be my wife tonight,” Scott answered.

The old man nodded, “Oh yes. Do you think she will say yes, lad?”

“I sure hope so,” Scott said, telling his legs to go.

“I had a wife once, very pretty, died long ago, along with the kid.” His accent was strange, very off. He knew he was not from here.

“Sorry to hear that,” Scott told him.

“Time heals the pain, but it doesn’t cure it,” the old man stated. “Though, there are some very normal, simple things one can do to ease the pain. Painting, traveling, watching the sunrise.”

“Yes, sir-”

“You’re a very tall man,” he said. “How tall are you?”

Scott sighed, looking over to his car. Maybe he should call the police. They could find him a homeless shelter and he would be safe for the night. “I’m sorry sir, I really do have to go.”

The man was slowly rising up, acting as if he was in pain, putting an arm on his lower back. “A very tall, strong man you are. I believe, I truly think you will do.”

Scott turned his attention back to the man, who was holding out something. The old man handed it to him. Scott could see it was a stuffed raven. He looked it over, wondering if it was April fool’s day or Halloween. It was July 19th, nothing in the spirits of pranks.

“What is this,” Scott asked the old man. When he looked up, the homeless man was gone, nowhere in sight. Instead, a younger man in his mid-thirties, in nice slacks and dress shirt was standing in front of him. His pushed his glasses up and ran a hand through his black wavy hair. His blue eyes looked up to him, and a smile curved into the handsome man’s face.

“You touched my Raven,” the man said.

He saw the man’s bright blue eyes turn to solid oil black color. And then, there was nothing but what felt like a bottomless pit. He was falling down, almost as if he was pushed down by a great force, pushing him to the bottom of the ocean, a place he couldn’t reach.