“Are you real?” A man rasped from the darkness.
I looked around, confused. “Me?” I shrugged, unnerved by the strange ask.
The B line swooshed to a stop, and I leapt aboard. Luckily, the guy didn’t follow.
The train car was empty, something I’d become accustomed to while working grave shift. I sat beside the door, relaxing as best I could on the hard plastic bench.
The metro began to slow and the speaker crackled to life. Static lasted longer than usual, prompting me to open one eye.
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
Across from me, I saw the man. Grinning ear to ear, his chapped lips split and bloodied, he rode from outside the subway.
I shot forward in my seat, rubbing my eyes. He was still there.
“Are you real?” The speaker called, over the roaring static. No, not static. That was the interference of rushing wind!
The train slowed to a halt. In that instant, I shot one more look to find the maniac gone. I picked up my backpack and bolted.
Not a single soul walked the streets, not a man, a cat, nor a mouse.
I passed the gate into the parking lot, but the tollbooth was dark.
“Sleeping on the job?” I choked, desperate for a normal interaction.
After a minute of creeping silence, static chirped twice. Pahh! Patsatsa!
“Are you-“ The same man began, but I sprinted before he could finish.
The halls were pitch dark. I frantically crashed through the darkness, tripping on a discarded box of empty beers.
clang clack CLACK! still the hall remained dark, lifeless.
“Are you reaaaal?” The man’s gravely voice echoed from both ends of the hall, reverberating through my head.
I crawled the last two doors until I arrived at my own. I gulped as soon as I saw it… unlocked and ajar.
I slammed the door shut behind me, disregarding the potential noise complaint.
Right then, my television buzzed to life. In a blink, I locked the door behind me and rushed to the den. No matter what I pressed, nor even when I pulled the plug, the tv wouldn’t go off.
“We have reports of a missing person…” the tv called, then proceeded to name my name.
Biting my nails, I watched as my name and my face popped up. My name. My face.
“…has been missing for just about two weeks now. If you have seen them, please contact the authorities right away!”
I have been going to work, shopping, hitting the gym. No way in hell have I been missing for two damn weeks.
I called every single number I knew. Some even picked up.
“I’m okay!” I shouted, only to hear unamused responses.
“Hello? Is anyone there?” They would always say, then would hang up.
Phone, SMS and all of my other means of communication are gone. This is my last hope. Please, someone, I need to know the answer. That man keeps repeating his question.
“Are you real?”