The strange acquaintance
I wanted to get away from everything... Everything that made life feel worthless. When I was still just a kid the imagination run wild. Imaginary friends was fun to have around. Making one not feel... alone...
As I grew they started to fade. Making one frightened of what the world would be without them. Real friends come and go throughout anyone’s life. Some carried on like nothing is missing, but others couldn’t face their fears of being left behind in this big wide world.
On my way home from work. It was a nice summer’s evening. The sun started to bury itself in the ground at the horizon. Painting the clouds red and then the stars appeared one by one, greeting the night sky. It almost made me feel calm, but the restlessness inside of me wouldn’t shake off. A car in front of me were on the horn making a lot of noise that brought me back to reality. Immediately I got to a holt, trying to see why he is getting all about. A kid ran in front of him chasing after a ball. The driver yelled at the kid and went on his way. The boy seemed lonely. His mother rushed over to him when she noticed what has happened. For a moment I looked at the kid before I myself went on my way. I a shadow of a tree I saw a shadow inside of a shadow holding some kind of weapon. It was aiming at the woman and her son, they don’t seem to noticed that they are being watched...
I put my foot down on the breaks, making the wheels eat the tar road. Jumping out of the car I shouted at them: “Get down!” When I looked back at the tree, the shadow inside of it was gone. The woman walked up to me still shaking. “What’s wrong? Why did you shout at us?”
“I... I saw someone... aiming something at you...” I said out of breath and pointed in the direction of where I saw the shadow.
“There’s no one there...” the woman replied back. “You must’ve been imagined it. A lot of people drive pass here and always claim that they have seen him.”
“Seen who?” I didn’t know she was talking about.
“Oh it’s nothing to worry about. A few years ago a serial killer got killed right there where that tree has grown. oh, what did they call him again? Oh yes... the Nightmare. We better get going before he kills the light tonight.”
I knew all too well about him. He made your nightmares all come to life. Some said that he had dark magic inside of him. When he got killed by his last victim, who fought back for his life, they said he casted his spirit into his victim’s body until he could find his next prey. The victim claimed that it was not true. After a year of this incident he started to show signs of memory loss and signs of fear for the darkness whenever the lights went out.
“You should get going. It’s not safe here after dark.” The woman’s last words were when she took her son by his hand and walked away. The boy turned around to look at me and waved. I waved back then looked down on the ground. He forgot his ball. I picked it up. “Hey, you forgot your ball.”
Quickly he turns around to come and get it. “I saw him too.” The boy whispers before he run back to his mother. Quickly I walked to my car and got in. I still had a long way ahead of me. I was on my way to check in at a B&B for a few days. My house was being renovated. My mind couldn’t seem to let go of this killer and the boy who claimed to have seen him as well. Finally I arrived at the gates of the B&B. At the reception they gave me my room key.
“Can we help carry your things to your room?” The receptionist asked.
“No thanks, I only have these two bags with me.”
“Very well then Miss. What time would you like us to bring you breakfast in the morning?”
“You really do that?” I asked like an idiot that doesn’t know better.
“Yes we do. How about nine o’clock?”
“Well, okay and thank you.” I picked up my bags and readjust the other one that I have hanging over my shoulder. My room was at the other side of the building. All the rooms were already filled when I spoke to them. I was lucky to get one. They told me that they were having some sort of big function in town and almost everyone there will be at this event. It had something to do about a festival they wanted to have or had. It didn’t really bother me, I took off from work during the time that I’m busy renovating. After a long hot shower i got my laptop out of its bag and open it. On the internet I browsed to the Nightmare killer. It seemed that he had some deep dark mysterious life. He came from a good family and had a great job, but it wasn’t enough for him. They didn’t reveal his name, probably for his family’s sake.
That night I slept restless like I have been every other night. A scream woke me at three in the morning. Quickly and quietly I made my way through the darkness to the window. I peeked through to listen where the noise is coming from. A woman in a Halloween costume run past the window. Another scream followed right after. This time a guy in a cowboy costume came past from the other direction. Horses shoes followed. I slowly put my hand on the doorknob and carefully open the door. In front of my door stood a basket. A hand hidden in a black glove, swung by and picked it up. I looked up and stared at the most awful facemask that almost made the hair on my neck raise. I closed my door and went back to bed. The next morning someone knocked on my door. I stared at the ceiling as I turned on my back before getting up. On the other side of the door stood a waiter with a food cart.
“Morning ma’am. What would you like for breakfast?”
“Well everything looks really good... I’ll take a farmhouse breakfast.”
The waiter took a plate and put everything on it.
“What type of Halloween party were you having here last night?”
“Here was no party ma’am. If there was I would’ve been the first to know.” He replied.
“Then what was the noise all about and the people in costumes?”
“Ma’am... there was no party and no one wearing costumes...” He sounded concerned.
I know what I saw, unless I started having those realistic dreams where you can’t tell which is which. “I must’ve imagined it. Forget I even mentioned it.”
He left without saying another word, only gave a slight smile as he went to the next door. I walked back into the room and enjoyed my breakfast. The idea of me imagining things that felt real made me laugh. After I finished up I took my laptop and its bag and left the B&B and went to my house. the renovators and builders were already there waiting patiently for my arrival. Inside my laptop’s bag was the plans for my house. I took it out and gave them their instructions. Most of my furniture and valuables I already took to the storage.
“Excuse me, Miss, there’s a little boy outside who wants to see you.” One of the builders came to tell me in the kitchen where I was sitting with my laptop at the kitchen counter.
“What little boy?” I wonder. I went to the front door to find the boy from yesterday sitting in front of my house on the steps.
“Hello kiddo, where’s your mom? How did you even know where to find me?”
“We’re the same, aren’t we? Why won’t he leave us alone?”
A cold shiver went through my spine. Is this kid for real? I wondered. He didn’t turn around to look at me while he was talking about the shadow.
“It’s just your imagination that’s playing tricks on you. C’mon let’s go find your mom…”
“I’ve already found her…” for the first time he looks at me.
“Who… Me? that’s impossible I’m too young to have any children.”
“You don’t remember do you? It’s not your fault anyway…” he got up and walked past me into the house. I followed him inside still shocked at what he has told me.
“If I had… if I had a child I would’ve known…”
“Not if you were in an accident.”
“Listen kid. How old are you?” I try to sound like an adult.
“Ten…”
“For a ten year old you seem to know a lot about how to use your imagination…”
He turned to face me. A loud crack noise came from up stairs.
“Don’t move… He’s here.” He whispered.
Silence overwhelmed the whole house. My body didn't want to move when my brain ordered it to. It was like something glued me to the spot where I stood. The boy's eyes was staring at something behind me. I wanted to know what it was but I couldn't turn my head. Warm breath blue over my neck. Like a sudden reaction my body was mine again. I swung around to find nothing...
"He's gone... He said that you've dreamt about him a lot these last few months."
"What? Ok, let's take you to you mother. You've had your fun..."
I took his hand and walked out of the house and down the street. I lived only a few blocks away from where I've first met him. "What is your name?" I realized that I've never got his name.
"I'm Elliot." he answered. We finally reached the park. There on a bench sat a woman that looked like his mother. He recognized her, but didn't call out to her. We stopped next to her. She didn't react when I spoke to her. Her body was as cold as ice when I touched her, dead.
"Elliot... I want you to that guard over there and bring him here now." He quickly ran after I have asked him. Trying not to alarm
She wore dark glasses over her eyes. I reached out to take them off. There was no eyes, only two black holes with black blood that started to flow out like a woman who's crying off all of her make-up. I almost puked up the breakfast I had earlier this morning.
The guard hurried over when he saw what was going on. "What happened?" he ask calmly.
"This woman... she's dead. She that boy's mother." My voice was shaking.
"Stay calm ma'am, I'll call it in." He examines the body. He barely touched the woman's body body to feel for a pulse, when her head rolled off from her shoulders and stops at my feet. Her mouth went open when her head met the ground. Both the guard and me jumped at the sight of this face. He immediately contacted the forensics team. The were surprisingly very quick on the crime scene. They took my statement. Elliot starts yelling all of a sudden. One of the agents there was trying to take him away.
