I have a neighbor who owns a small store that sells all kinds of basic everyday necessities. I decided to drop by today for some bottle of water after jogging and found that it’s still closed despite the opening time being about an hour or so earlier. But then I also noticed the gate to the store was ajar. So I thought they’re probably just getting ready to open up, so I walked in waiting out a bit.
After awhile, when no one still showed up I started feeling awkward standing around inside the half-closed premises, so I decided to get out and head back home, but when I was just about to turn, I saw a piece of paper lying on the floor below one of the windows. Well, I just got a little curious, so I went and picked it up to see. Also it might be important, and it wouldn’t be good if it just gets blown away by the wind or something. Anyway, when I lift it up I saw it’s full of scribbles. The way the writing’s done made it a little hard to read. The letters were too tiny and looked like they were crammed in a hurry, but I managed. I think I should do something quick, but it’s the strangest thing, I’m not sure what to make of it. I still called the local authorities to make a report after I got back home. But for the record, here’s what I found written on it.
~*~
The most unusual experience for me started on one of those least unusual times in a Thursday night.
Just like any other regular night, I was getting ready to settle and close the family store I manage. I went out and closed the gates, lowered the store window. Then I went back inside to tuck what needed to be tucked and then lock things up. I did everything just as I always do, so for one last time, as usual, I peeked out the living room’s front window to check that everything’s been taken care of outside, before I finally settle down for the night.
And then there he was. The man. Standing across the other side of the lane directly in front of the gate. Just standing there in the dark, staring right at the window gap where my eyes were framed to peer outside. It’s been four days since then but I can still feel the inexpressible chill of seeing him with his eyes drilled on me for the first time. He was just so out of place, just standing there in the dark, staring. I’d like to fancy that the reason I didn’t think of calling someone just in case of anything, was because I thought he was probably just some regular guy who might’ve lost his way around here and trying to find his way back perhaps. But of course I know that wasn’t true. In fact, I think I already felt how very wrong the situation was right from the start, right from the moment I saw his figure standing very still in that dark road staring back at me in the window… I think I already felt it and I was desperately trying, at the back of my mind, to convince myself it wasn’t true… that he really was just some regular guy who lost his way. And I think that’s the reason I simply closed the window, after several moments of trying to see if there’s any sign he’d make to communicate anything to me, like to ask for direction maybe.
But he remained standing and staring, like a statue of flesh in the dark, and I finally closed the window.
I knew I should have called someone that night. And I knew I definitely should have called for help the next night after that, when he was there again the same time. Thinking of it now, I really KNEW I should have… so why DIDN’T I??? I don’t know! I don’t know why I didn’t immediately reach for my phone when I saw him move and make a step closer to my house that next night. I don’t know why I still didn’t call again next time when I saw him suddenly bolt up running right to the gate and grin at me with that huge grin and those ever staring eyes. I don’t know! Why didn’t I?! It’s so frustrating to try and think about it when it doesn’t make sense to me now.
Did I try to make myself believe nothing wrong was going on? Was that how afraid I truly felt? So afraid that I was unable to make myself face the dangerous truth that I knew deep down and call for help? So afraid I’d rather not see it, just deny it? Because calling for help would have meant acknowledging the truth of what lies here before me… what I knew at the back of my mind right from the moment I saw! Did I just make myself believe that “lost guy” bullshit for three nights in a row? This is absurd! I don’t know… I can’t think!… But I knew I should have! If only I did… maybe I wouldn’t be in this situation right now. I have to be really quiet as I write this. I don’t know, whatever’s going to happen I need to write this. I am inside my closet right now and I see a shadow of a figure closing in from the space under the door… it is now standing directly in front of m