-I'm home.

Passing through the door, Chris enters his house. It was a two-store building with a small backyard, the normal to this city.

As he closes the door, a calm voice speaks from the inside.

-Sweetie, could you please help mommy with something?

-Yeah, just let me drop off my things first.

Going up the stairs, Chris heads to his room.

[][][][][]

Dropping his bag on the floor, he collapses on the bed. Facing the ceiling, he sighs.

-...What a weird day this was...

From his friends not remembering the game to being the class joke today, it was not a very good time for Chris.

On top of that, he doesn't even know where went the game disk, not even the game box. Truly, there was no fortune for Chris this last two days.

(Maybe it was stolen, but just to steal one thing like that is absurd. Also, mom doesn't know where it's. Maybe I'm just being crazy and this is all a dream.)

-Talking about it...

He looks at his computer.

Sitting on the chair, Chris opens his browser and search for the game, but just like last time on the phone, it showed the same results. He makes a wry smile.

-Of course, it would show that. What were you expecting, idiot?

Talking to himself, he closes the browser. Before leaving the chair, Chris saw the [You are mine] shortcut in his workplace. Altho it's just the shortcut, it made him happy.

(Yeah, maybe the world had forgotten about you for some reason, but as long I know, you really existed.)

Without realizing, he was moving the cursor over the icon to play it, when-

-Chris, you didn't forget about mommy, did you?

Froze in place, Chris didn't remember to go help his mom, altho he will not say it to her that.

-N-no, mom! Was just finished checking something here! Going right there!

In hurry, Chris exits his room.

[][][][][]

Going in the kitchen, Chris finds his mother cutting vegetables for dinner tonight. Looking around, he also found the three pets of the house: Dannis, a st. bernard dog; Stella, a bombay cat; and Mia, a canary bird.

All of them were resting near Chris' mother, relaxing while waiting for their dinner to come. The mother turned to face her son with a gentle smile on her face.

-How was the school, sweetie?

He shrugs shoulders at her.

-As usual, I guess. What are you cooking?

-Beef with vegetables for today. We steadied too much time inside the house, tonight dinner will need to have a loooot of food to compensate for that. Right?

She turns with a smile to the three pets, that agree with her using their distinctive sounds. Looking at them like that, Chris couldn't help petting their heads.

-But then, I just noticed we didn't have any beef left! And I could swear there was still one in the fridge.

Alarmed, the three pets woke up with fear and escaped the kitchen with hurry. Choked, Chris though they ran because the petting wasn't good.

-I wonder what happened to it? Oh well, nothing comes from crying over spilled milk. That is why Chris...

-You want me to go to that mini market and grab one of their beef, right?

Chris' mother was happy with his response.

-Yes, exactly so, how smart of you! Would you mind doing that for me, sweetie?

-Not at all, mom. I'm glad to help.

-That's great!

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

As Chris was walking out the kitchen, his mother called him again.

-Oh wait, Chris, since you are going to the market, would you mind picking a few more things for me?

-Yes?

[][][][][]

(What the heck is this list?!)

Chris was already two blocks away from his home. Before exiting his house, his mother gave him the money necessary for the groceries and a list of what to buy.

Since he was in a bad mood and wasn't thinking straight, he went out without looking at the list first. Only now he realized his mistake.

(Eggs, milk, dog food, cat food, bird food, snacks, soda, water, bread, cereal, beef, carrots, tomatoes, apples, and so on! This isn't "a few things", mom! This is what you need to have a car for!)

The list continued to have more and more items to get and it didn't even spare on the amount of each one of them. The more Chris looked, the more he realized he done goof.

Chris sighs, wishing he had read the list beforehand.

-Guess there goes my afternoon, huh...

[][][][][]

-Thanks for the help, mister! I will return the cart tomorrow.

Maybe not everything today was bad luck for Chris. When he reached the shop clerk with all the groceries, the staff pitied the boy and allowed him to go home with the shopping cart home.

It would sound weird for the staff to let someone go home with the cart, but since Chris and his mother often purchase in this store, they have some credit of being good costumers with them.

Going out the store, Chris pushes the cart in the streets.

-Really, it did take my afternoon, didn't it?

Looking at the sky, the sun was almost set. The night was approaching. Altho his city is very peacefully, it's not wise to spend that much time alone when the sun is down, or so his mom told him.

Even then, there was no need to run. The store was just 6 blocks away from his house. He could take it easy and reach there with time to spare.

The only problem was the snow that is left from the storm. Since it still didn't melt completely yet, the streets some time still have thick snow over them, slowing Chris more than he thought.

Each time it happened, he needed to kick the snow away and have to be careful to not slip in the puddles from the already melting snow.

Still, looking around, it was a very good view. The trees still have some snow and, together with the orange color from its leafs, made the streets look like it came from inside a painting.

Chris became so fascinated that he lost the track of time. Thanks to the streetlights turning on, he noticed it already went dark and presumed to walk back home.

Strangely, the lights also made the trees more beautiful with the contrast of the dark sky. It looked something divine with the light's rays passing through the leafs.

Chris felt like this view was only for him. A small gift of compensation for his bad day from fate. Not for the students returning from their clubs, nor the workers coming back home or the people who have something to do at night.

(...Huh?)

Stopping his feets, Chris became confused.

(Speaking of which...)

He looks around, trying to find someone in the streets, but there isn't anyone.

(Where is...everybody?)

Empty. This wasn't a popular street in his city, but it did have a good amount of movement on it, be it by cars or people. At this hour, you could find some students and workers coming back home, but right now, the only one in the street was Chris.

(What is going on here?)

Something wasn't right, he could fell it. He continued to push the cart, faster than before. The iron wheels producing the only sound he could listen.

(Three blocks away from home.)

Thinking of the distance until his home was his only way to turn away the uneasiness of his mind. Paranoic? After today's morning, Chris wouldn't care to be called that.

He stops the cart. This snow ahead. Looking around, he checks to see anything suspicious. Without the car moving, the silence from the streets was uncomfortable.

Quickly, he begins to wipe the snow to the side with his feet. And then, a sound was heard.

Alarmed, Chris searches his surroundings again. All of his focus was in to find something weird. There was nothing, just the empty street.

Faster, he finishes wiping the snow and gets the cart moving again.

(Two blocks.)

Each step towards home put his mind at ease and at the same time makes him anxious. He looks ahead the street. There isn't any more snow to block his path.

Sweating cold from fear, at least Chris was glad he could pass this block without problems. He pushes forward without hesitating-

When the sound comes back.

He stops. He wished to continue pushing, but he just couldn't do it. The sound came from the side road ahead.

He waited. Maybe it was just a coincidence or even his mind playing tricks on him. This was his hope.

But the sound happened again, louder than before. And it didn't stop. It was coming near.

His heartbeat was as loud as the sound. Dry sweat was falling from his forehead. Every part of his body was telling him to leave, but he was frozen in place.

It wasn't until he could hear the sound very close that Chris finally managed to move. Quickly reacting, he was about to turn the car to the other side-

When the sound came from his front. Who is it? It was too scary to know the answer but there wasn't any way to avoid it now.

Slowly, Chris turns his head forward, hoping for the best.

On his eye level, there wasn't anyone. Looking down, a stray dog was trying to take out the remaining of food inside of a metal can.

The dog ignored Chris and continued walking, leaving his sight when he enters the dark of an alley. When there wasn't possible to hear the sound anymore, he couldn't help but laugh at the situation.

-What is this, Chris! Scared of a little dog!

He jokes about himself about the situation.

-What were you expecting? An assassin! A killer! "Oh man, I sure hope there nothing happens to me!". - He laughs.

Looking at his sides, it was the same street he walked many times. Only this time it's only him on it.

Calming himself, he mutters.

-...Yeah man, there is nothing to be afraid of.

Nothing at his front or at his back nor at his sides. It's only him. He puts his hand in the cart's handle and resumes to push forward.

As if confirming something, he turns his head around with a smile and said-

-Right?

And was greeted with a pair of empty eyes and a sadistic smile that could freeze any man's soul.