A few years ago, I landed my first job as a remote developer in Belgium. It was my dream job, so I felt accomplished. But after a few months, I realized that, being around all that technology 7/7 24/24 was affecting my sleep a bit. So I decided to move out to the Ardennes, in the wood, where it’s quieter. I chose a nice little home far from the big city, and my closest neighbor is about two hundred meters from my house so every day, when I finish my work, I can do activities like walking the numerous trails that go through the woods and hills and just to, you know, disconnect a bit.
I’m not really what you’ll consider as fit or inclined to do physical things, and thus, when my mom heard about my new hobby, she was a bit concerned because … moms. She knows that I’m a bit lazy and that I certainly didn’t buy at least some equipment to prevent the most basic situations, and she was right. But trust me, I will never go near places without light anymore. What I will tell still affects me to this day, and I wish I never knew what lurked in the dark.
On this particular day, I finished late, like 9pm. I had to do extra work because one of my coworkers messed up our app, and we had to fix everything. I wasn’t even that tired, but I sensed that my brain needed to disconnect, so even if it was night outside, I decided to take my jacket and shoes and out I went. The trails were illuminated, so when I noticed that I forgot my phone, I wasn’t even stressed. Why should I ? I was lazy, remember ? So I wasn’t planning on going back home to take it and go back on the trail. It was windy, and the sky was covered by a thick layer of clouds, but that kind of weather actually works like a comfort zone, so I was happy to be there, walking and emptying my head. At some point, a small rain began, but I wasn’t ready to finish my small trip. Suddenly I heard the thunder somewhere. The light of the trails flickered and I had a bad feeling. Should have taken my phone, damn me. Then a second thunder and the lights went out. Completely. I think I never “saw” an environment that dark. There was absolutely nothing, and I felt that primal fear of not being able to see my surroundings taking over the emptiness that had settled in my brain before. I tried to walk a bit, but that’s when I felt like I went through a veil and the rain suddenly stopped. There was nothing anymore. No rain, no wind, and even the ground seemed to have drastically changed. The temperature dropped to be freezing cold.
At first, I thought that maybe I stumbled against a root and fell, maybe I was dreaming while being unconscious. Honestly it was more a hope than a thought, because my mind was racing. What was happening here ? Why is there absolutely no lights ? Where am I ? While asking myself a hundred questions a second, I crouched down to feel the ground, and that’s the first time when my blood ran cold. I thought I would feel wet dirt, at least, but no. It was like, solid lava. I could feel some small rocks and I took one in my hand, feeling that it was indeed some piece of lava. That’s where the panic started to build up. I wanted to run, yell or whatever was in my capacity to flee the location I was, but in the meantime I had the impression that it would be a terrible mistake. After a few minutes, I decided to try to make my way home by taking the way that should have been the way back. I walked a bit, slowly, hands in front of me, just in case I would catch a tree or a wall. But there was nothing and after what felt like half an hour, I would have been at my house. Again, nothing.
I sat up and tried to hold back my tears but I felt them rolling on my cheeks anyway. The cheer fear was occupying my head and I couldn’t think about anything anymore. After a while I stood, and I tried, with the lack of information I had, to aim for my neighbor’s house. Even if I missed it, I would stumble onto someone at some point, so there I was, walking again. After like an hour, I tripped over a big rock
and fell on the ground, hitting my knee. That’s the first time I heard a noise another than my own footsteps. Upon examining my knee with my fingers, I groaned over a small pain and felt like a bit of blood staining my jeans. I was so mad at myself for forgetting my phone and not taking it, but my thoughts were suddenly interrupted by something that made my heart stop. A noise. I was completely still, so it couldn’t be me. The noise was like nails scratching on the solid ground. I had a cold sweat and I began to shake uncontrollably. Was it friendly or not ? Did it know I was there ? It was behind me for sure, for quite a long distance if I trust my ears. Then another sound, more on the left. Oh god why ? Why me ? What did I do to deserve this ? I froze, trying to determine if the noise was getting closer or not, but it seems like the noise stopped completely. Should I move ? Should I wait a bit longer ? Am I being followed ? So much questions were popping in my head, and no answer could have contained a bit of comfort. And no answer would have prepared me to what would happen if I decided to walk again. But right now I need to breath, I’m sorry but I’ll tell you the rest a bit later. Thinking about it makes me shiver just thinking about it.