This story is in the POV of a (fictional) well-known athlete.
My name is Tim Harley, and I just had the worst experience of my life. Ever since I could remember, I played baseball. I was well known for my natural skills, and I rose to fame when I was a teenager. My early-20’s was the prime of my fame. I’m currently in my mid-20’s. Whenever I get done with a game, I admire the fans in the audience cheering me on and I wave to them all, making the crowd go a little crazier. But the strangest thing happened to me a few days ago when I was in a big game. My team as usual ended up winning the game, not to sound cocky, but because of me, so I did my usual wave to the fans, until I locked eyes with a creepy figure that looked to be smiling straight at me. It looked intensely focused on me and this abomination even appeared to be leaning forward just to get a closer view of me! There were many smiling fans in the crowd, but this thing stuck out the most, strictly because of how malicious it’s smile looked. The longer I looked at it, the more anxious I felt.
Uhhhh…
Is all that I could think. It didn’t appear human so I couldn’t help but stare in curiosity, I heard muffled voices of people in the background that sounded confused to why I seemed so shocked by something in the audience.
Is he okay?
He looks pale.
Tim? Tim are you there?
Earth to Tim..
But I couldn’t bring myself back to awareness, I was so struck and confused by what I had been staring right at. I looked at the people around the figure to see if they noticed it too, but everyone’s eyes were too focused on me. I gestured to some of them.
Look beside you! Look beside you!
I said. Some of them did, but none of them reacted to what was sitting right next to them. The other players walked by looking at me in confusion and worry, and this staring contest between me and this figure continued on for a few minutes until I freaked out and fell to the ground screaming. I covered my mouth, slightly humiliated and I saw a few people coming towards me to help me, but I just quickly got up and left. When I got home, the first thing I did was turn on the MLB TV station, and on the news was of course me. On live television. The cameras zoomed in on my pale face as I fell to the ground and passed out. People ran up to me to help me and I was eventually carried into an ambulance.
What the..
I thought to myself. To remind you, this was all happening live, so why on earth did I remember getting up and going back home?
Was this all a dream?
I ran to the bathroom to collect myself and splash myself in the face with water, but, I looked into the mirror and I didn’t see a reflection. I screamed in terror. I ran outside to see if anyone else could see me, I walked up to a jogger and they didn’t respond to me standing right in front of them, in fact, they just ran straight through me.
What is going on?!
I said. The jogger looked as if he didn’t notice me at all. I went back into my house to watch the TV and hopefully get an update on what happened to me. The more minutes that passed, the more and more anxious I got. Until they finally gave an answer to the public..
We are sorry to announce, that our beloved Tim Harley has just passed away.
I felt chills run down my spine.
How is this even possible?
I said in a frightened voice. I had never been more conflicted, confused, and scared in my entire life. That’s when I suddenly remembered an urban legend that always freaked me out as a kid. It was called ‘Crowd Smiler’ and it would appear in big crowds. The first person to notice it would be cursed, and killed right on the spot. It was said that just looking at it’s distorted face would be enough to give someone a heart attack and kill them on the spot. The victims would all take the place of the last crowd smiler, and the only way their souls could be freed from earth is if their lucky enough to catch the eye of someone without drawing attention to themselves. That explains why the jogger didn’t notice me.