It all started on a wednesday. The first disappearance. I saw the poster on some walls on my small walk to work. I didn’t think much of it. A lot of people ran away from the small town I live after some time. No one wants to stay on a hellhole. Well, no one but me and some old people. I’m kind of a handyman there, I do a lot of house work, fixing stuff, and working at my main job, on a restaurant. The town was really small, and kind of empty, but the restaurant was always full. It is our main attraction, and people absolutely adore our food. Specially the cured meats. Well, i went on with my day after seeing the poster, not thinking much of it. Soon, i was on my workplace, putting on my and a kitchen cap. The day was over really quickly and I decided to walk back home, going the long way. While walking, i started to hear quick, faint taps behind me. Like little steps. Like someone was watching me. Like someone was following me. I looked back.
Nothing. Weird…
I walked faster and faster and faster untill I was basically running to get home. I open the door and enter, sliding down the wall and sitting on the floor. I’m sure there was something. I’m sure someone was watching. I’m sure they…
My phone rings. “Hi dear!”, a happy voice says over the cellphone. Mom. “Long time no talk. How are things going?” I breathe in, and breathe out. That was weird. Mom shouldn’t be calling me, not after all that happened, all that made me move out of my previous town. “Uhm… hey mom. Why are you talking to me?” “What do you mean, my love? Why shouldn’t I speak with my own son?” “You are not supposed to. How are you calling me?” … Silence, and then a “beep beep beep”. The call was over. I didnt knew what to do after that. So I got up from the floor, went to the bathroom and took a bath. Then I went to the bedroom, got on my bed and took my medication. And finally, sleep. The week went on with nothing weird. And soon, it was saturday. My favorite day of the week I went out, walked past the tree-filled streets, paying attention to every bird, every little flower I passed. The rest of the day was a blur. I can’t recall all of it besides going home, taking a bath to wash away the dirt and watching some sitcoms on my bed, with a bowl of popcorn, and then falling asleep with the Tv still on.
On the next day, the second poster came. “Geez, those people really are running away from here, aren’t they?” I thought to myself, as my heart skipped a beat. I hate when this happens. In the distance, I see a familiar face. A face of someone I’ve seen almost every day since I moved to this goddamn, small, remote town. It was Chris. My neightbor. “Hey buddy! How are things going?”, He asks, with a face of forced happiness and sympathy. “Oh, it’s okay. What about you?” “It’s fine. Listen, i heard some weird noises coming feom your house yesterday… is everything alright?” I smile. “Yeah, everything is fine. I was watching some horror movies, the tv volume was probably too loud, you must have heard that” “Are you sure? You can always count on me, dude” My smile twitches “Yeah, dude, don’t worry about it. I gotta get going. See you later.” I basically ran away from Chris, while he stared at me. I felt him staring at me. I knew he stood there, looking at my back while i walked away. What a strange dude.
Then, as in a whiff, it was monday. I got up and did my morning rituals as always, then went out of the house, and the first thing i see is Chris’ face. On a poster. On the wall. Not a start of fear passed through me. On my way home, though, I heard it again. The little steps. Those small, hellish noises, following me wherever i went. And i heard those steps all week. All month.
It all started on a wednesday. And it all ended on a wednesday. It had to. I got up, did my morning rituals. And then i went down, and went down again. Onto the basement. The first thing I saw was mom. Her sweet face purple, her hair falling, the maggots eating her cheeks. Then I saw Chris, his severed head rotting, some teeth missing. I saw all those faces, the faces I’ve been seeing since that fatal wednesday. It will all end here. I’m going to end it here.