The alley was dark, cold and unforgiving….just like my life. The downpour threatened an incoming storm as I stood there, wondering how to get home as early as possible before my dad's patience ran out. As I stood indulging my thoughts, my eyes caught the flash of a shadow on the walls. I instantly became alarmed. I was sure I was the only person here. No one else. If it had happened once I would have dismissed it as an estranged animal. But a minute later I saw the same flash of a shadow. I held unto the handle of my bike, 911 already punched into my phone ready to be dialed. Lightining flashed across the sky and was accompanied by the ferocious roar of a thunder. Then there came silence. Eerie silence. I was on my toes for a good two minutes before finally the hidden figure unveiled itself. He wore a black hoodie, his face shielded from light by a nosemask. He had his hands in his pocket and approached rather steadily, slowly…..calmly.
I stood there completely frozen, forgetting I had 911 ready to be dialed. What did it matter though? I had lost signal at this point. For someone who had no umbrella during this heavy rainfall he sure looked dry. For some reason or the other I'm not sure I was really scared. He didn't look like he wanted to harm me(I've had my fair share of people who did to know). No. He seemed almost mystical, or rather mysterious. I mustered up the courage and spoke up.
"Are you lost?". No reply. Only the sound of him getting closer and closer. Remember rule number one? I nearly broke that. I was in a creepy alley with a creepy person creepily making his way towards me. You pick your choice. He stopped about five meters away from me. Head down, hands still in his pocket. I took in a deep breath ready for the worst of possibilities when he suddenly spoke up.
"You Elliot?", he asked. His voice was chilly. Nothing I had ever hear before.
How did this stranger whom I was sure I had never met before know my name? Where did he come from? What does he want from me? Me? Fists clenched, I nodded, tame and quiet. He looked like he shouldn't be messed with, and hence I treated him as such. He also nodded and with a gesture of his head told me to follow him. He turned around and started walking in the direction he came from. I held my bike by the handle and followed him. Why did I follow this person? Why not? Maybe I was curious, maybe I was tired. Maybe, I needed a break from all the madness, even if that meant putting myself into even more madness. And like I said, there was something about him, I couldn't quite put my hands on it but there was, that made you almost trust him. Almost.