The same question ran on repeat like an old TV commercial through my head as I stood in

the middle of the street in horror. “Just what have I gotten myself into”. As I was trying to

understand what had just happened to me, an intermission played. It was like my legs

moved on their own. I started bolting away as fast as I could while the old lanterns on the

side of the path would light up the cold winter night just as beautifully as the stars twinkle

in the sky. One sharp turn after another through the empty streets I used to call home. After

what felt like an eternity I had reached the most crowded place I had known of. On any

other day, I would be shopping here in the old-school mall street that was always full of life

enjoying the most beautiful view on the rest of the town the mountain had to offer. But

today wasn’t like any other day. I was sprinting past the shops without a clear destination in

mind. My favourite jewellery store which usually is bright and shiny seemed so dull to me

in this moment. As I was running past it I caught a glimpse of myself in the giant, clean

shop windows I liked to stand in front of for hours. As if it couldn’t get any worse, I got

confronted with my worst nightmare, I was being followed. I could tell in the split second I

saw my chasers that they had no good intentions. In shock, I started to run faster and faster

trying to gracefully dodge the people in the crowded street like a circus acrobat. Suddenly,

the old stone pavement underneath me gave away. It was to no avail, the performance was

over. Head first I started to crash down the steep hill on which moments before I had been

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

running on. As I reached the bottom, I couldn’t feel a thing. Then a sharp pain unlike

anything I’ve ever felt swished through my surprisingly still alive body. But there was no

time to mourn about my injuries. Collecting the last bit of energy I had left, I rolled into a

dark and dusty alley until my back hit a cold wall. “A dead end”, I forced out of myself as I

was panting uncontrollably. It was hopeless. I was hopeless. I took a nerve wrecking glance

to the entrance which I had just passed through, but there was nothing but darkness. For a

second everything seemed alright. Trying to control my breathing, I hid in the corner.

Suddenly, something fuzzy seemed to have touched my hand. The deadly silence and

cramped space amplified not only the impulsive scream that had just left my body, but also

footsteps that were getting louder by the second. I shut my eyes as tightly as I could in fear,

trying not to make any further noise. There they were. Getting closer and closer to my

hiding spot until I could feel their unpleasant, soul oppressing presence. Before anything

would continue the big wooden townclock that was towering over everyone like a crow

defending it’s prey stroke. Once. I opened my eyes ready to take on what was laying ahead

of me. Twice. Sensing a very quick and sudden movement accompanied by an air cutting

noise. Finally, a third time. It was midnight. As the clock's notification had past, the silence that had followed was almost deafening. Not even a blink of the eye later and my world started to fade into a warm and oddly welcoming nothingness.