I worked an ordinary job; I lived an ordinary life. It wasn’t perfect, but I made the most of it. Little did I know everything was about to change very… very soon. It was a late Friday night, finally able to relax after a long work week. Everyone was in good spirits. The first thing I thought of was the bar. Seeing I haven’t been able to go for a couple of months because of health complications, I figured it would be a pleasurable treat. I arrived at the bar at around 8:30 pm. I know pretty earlier for most, seeing my bar was open until 3:00 am. But I figured a lot of friends and colleagues of mine would be at the bar around this time. Getting into the bar, I examined my surroundings, trying to find anybody I knew. Lucky enough, I saw my good friend Jeff Lockmen.
“Hey buddy, funny I run into you. It has been forever. I said cheerfully.
While pulling out the chair to the booth and sitting down.
“Hey Thomas, It has been a minute hasn’t it?” Jeff said with a giggle.
“What brings you down here, I thought you weren’t able to drink?” Jeff asked curiously.
“My doctor just cleared me. My liver is fine, well, for now.” I said, cracking a joke.”
We both laughed, and I sat up and walked over to the bartender.
“A whisky sour for me.” I asked, slipping the money onto the counter.
“Sure Thing.” The bartender responded, grabbing the glass.
“Thomas, it is great seeing you. How is your liver doing, by the way?” The bartender asked, concerned.
“It is fine for now. It was just a little scare that’s all.” I answered with a chuckle.
“Well, it is good having you back.” The bartender replied with a smile.
I took my drink and knocked it back, feeling the cold ice cubs nudging against my lips. The night was young, so I stuck around for a while. Chatting to friends, and drinking, of course. When everything eventually quieted down, I had released it was 2:30 in the morning.
“Ha, wow. Time flies by.” I remarked, getting up and waving bye to the bartender.
Stepping out, I glanced around, puzzled. I noticed my truck door was slightly open. Did I leave it open, no that can’t be possible. I remember certainly closing it and locking it when I made my way into the bar. Inching closer to the car, I peered through the slightly cracked car door window. I searched around, looking for anything that was missing. Oddly enough, there wasn’t a single thing that was missing out of my car. Even the JBL speaker that I had lying in the back seat. “I must have left it open, I guess.” I considered. Climbing into my truck, I turned the ignition key and made my way home. Halfway there, I had noticed a car closely pursuing behind me. At first I thought we were just going the same way, until I took a few turns to test out my theory and it followed each time, with a slight delay.
I panicked. Trying my best to keep my eyes on the road and also on him. I tried to remain calm, keeping my speed maintained so not to alert him. We were coming up to a stoplight. I prayed and begged that it would stay green. The stoplight flickered red as I rolled up to it. Not waiting, I blew through it, turning left onto the next road. The car that was behind me fortunately stopped at the light. I then sped up, not wasting anymore time. After a few minutes of driving, I scanned my rear-view mirror to find only darkness. I sighed in relief.
A million questions ran through my head:
“Why was he following me?”
“Who was it?”
“Had it been someone from the bar?”
It didn’t matter though, the person was gone. After pulling into my driveway, I looked in my mirror for the last time. Seeing nothing, I stepped out and rushed inside, locking the door.
“What the hell was that?” I asked myself, still in shock.
“Maybe he wasn’t following me. Maybe I am just crazy.” I silently said, chuckling to myself.
The rocks in my drive cracked under the weight of a car pulling in. I froze. Standing there in shock, I looked over to the window on my right to see head lights peering through the curtains. I quickly rushed up stairs and franticly looked through my closet for my 9mm. There was a loud knock at the door as I was grabbing my 9mm. Gripping it tightly, I loaded a mag into it, and cocked it back, quickly making my way down the stairs with pistol in hand, aiming it directly at the door.
“Who is it?” I shouted.
No response.
“You have 5 seconds to answer me before I unload a mag through the door.” I demanded, preparing to shoot.
Still no response.
“3…2…1…” I counted down before being cutoff.
“Wait.” a man said from behind the door.
“I just want to talk.” the man muttered.
I lowered my gun slightly and walked over to the window. Quietly peeling my curtain open, I saw what looked like a normal guy. Short black hair, skinny, wearing a plan white T-shirt and blue jeans. But something seemed off. There was no car parked in the driveway. *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* three more knocks rang out.
“Hello Sir, are you still there?” The man asked, pulling something from his front pocket.
I watched in horror as the man pulls out a syringe fully loaded with god knows what is in it. *Bang *Bang* *Bang* “Sir I know you’re in there. I just want to talk, no need for the gun.” The man said, now turning his head and making eye contact with me.
I jolted back and made a B Line for the back door. I heard a loud crash from the front door and what sounded like several foot steps advancing in. Shouts erupted behind me as I approached my door. I ignored them as I swung the back door open, slamming it shut behind me, and let off several shots. I heard loud moaning coming from the other side. After the shots ran quiet, there was not a single peep. It was almost like there had been no one chasing me at all. Making my way back up to the door, glanced through one of the many bullet holes to see an empty room. I nervously opened the door and did a clean sweep around my home. Nothing. The front door was closed and there was not a single soul inside the house.
“What in the hell is going on?” I shouted in terror.
I ran up to the door and swung it open. The guy from before was no were to be seen. It was eerily silent compared to moments before. Only the soft sound of the wind could be heard.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. I called 911 in a panic. The dispatcher said an officer would be here soon and to not go outside. I wanted patiently for their arrival. When they arrived, I opened the door and waved them in. The two officers exited their vehicle and made their way up to me.
“What’s going on tonight, buddy?” The officer asked.
“My house was just broken into!” I replied.
“Alright calm down, we are here now. Where did the intruders go?.”the officer asked, confused.
“I… I don’t know. One minute I am being chased through my house and the next just silence.” The officers looked at each other, concerned.
“Exactly, where did they enter at?” The officer to the right asked.
“T-Through the front door, I heard a loud crash, and I heard several people enter.” I answered anxiously.
“Look buddy, we don’t enjoy having our time wasted. If you have an actual emergency, call us back.” chuckled the officer.
“No, wait!” I shouted.
“I am telling you the truth.”
“Wait.”
The cops walked back to their car, they got in and started the ignition. Loud screams burst from the inside of the car. I pulled my gun out and took aim at the car. Stunned in fear, I watched as it turned the cops into liquid, like watching fruit get blended into a blender.
I slowly stepped away from the car, not paying attention to what was behind me. I bumped into something. Before I had the chance to turn around, I felt a needle pierce into the side of my neck. I dropped to the floor and began blacking out, staring at the same guy that was knocking on my door. The world went black. I awoke in a strange room. It was dark and damp, with water dripping from the ceiling and the smell of mildew surrounding the room. I sat up and found that something tightly chained my hands to the wall.
“Hey!” I shouted.
“Help”
“Please let me out.” No responses,
I recalled back from the night before, that man he drugged me. Why me? What is so special with me? I thought, with anger surging through my veins. Then a small click came from above me, and the hatch door swung open. The light was blinding, and the fresh smell of grass and rain flushed in.
“Morning.” The mysterious man murdered.
“Let me out right now, god damnit.” I Shouted.
“Why am I here? What do you want with me?” I asked, still trying to plead with him.
“Two Words.” He said with a frown.
“Head Lights,” the man answered.
“You saw them, didn’t you?” He asked.
“What… What are you talking about?
“You saw the headlights, didn’t you?” He asked again.
“I guess, when I was heading back from the bar, I saw a car that was closely following me until I got to a stoplight and sped off.” I told the man, still confused at what he means.
“So you saw them?” He asked once again.
“Yes… Yes, I saw them now. Let me go, you damn maniac.”
“I am afraid I can’t do that. It is much too dangerous.” The man stated, jumping into the hole and freeing me from my shackles.
I rubbed my sour wrists and looked up at the man.
“My name is Rob.” the man said, holding his hand out, waiting for a handshake.
“Thomas.” I said, shaking his hand.
“Come on, let’s get you out of this damn hole. Breakfast just got finished.”
Rob hopped up and lent a hand, helping me up. He patted me on the back as we made our way up to his house. I scanned around to see we were in the middle of nowhere, just corn field after cornfield, and an old wooden house, something you would see being used in the 1700s.
“You first,” he said, pointing into the house.
I took a step inside and saw several others sitting at the table enjoying their meal. The sound of me walking in got their attention, and they all turned around and stared directly at me. Rob stepped in behind me and shouted.
“He is not a damn circus attraction. Get back to eating. We will check up later.”
They spun around and returned to eating. I made my way into the living room and sat down on the couch.
“So, are you gonna tell me why I am here?” I said, to rob curiously.
“Look kid, I know we were rough on you at first, but it was for a good reason. You remember what happen to the cops, right?” He asked softly.
“Y-y-yeah, there we blended in their own car.” I said, almost throwing up.
“You are lucky you didn’t leave your driveway, because if you would have, you would be in the same situation as them.”
“They died because they walked right into the trap that, the headlights set for you.”
“Did you really think he was going to let you get away so quick?” Rob asked, shaking his head.
“What are the headlights? What are you even talking about? It was just some random dude in a car chasing me? I replied, demanding an answer.
Rob laughed at your response, walked out of the room and grabbing a book and several old newspapers. He returned and handed me them. I read through and saw reports of several missing persons reports, on the same road I had been chased on, dating back all the way to 1932.
“Do you see now kid? This isn’t just a crazy drunk dude chasing people around it.” Rob said, pointing at the newspapers.”
“Once it finds you, there is no going back.”
A small woman walked into the room behind Rob. She had bright red hair, a black AC/DC shirt on and a pair of joggers. She walked past Rob, sitting on the sofa in front of you. Pulling her hair into a ponytail, she smiled and then her face went blank and dark.
“So, you saw it too?” The woman asked plainly.
“Um… Yeah, the stupid headlights or whatever.”
“Welcome to the team.” She said cheerfully.
“What team what are you guys talking about?”
“Mary, he needs time before we tell him.” Rob stated.
Mary sat up from the sofa and shock her head. She made her way out of the room before she said anything else. Rob then took her place on the sofa and motioned towards the book.
“Read it.” Rob ordered.
I slowly opened the book and began reading through it. I talked about crazy entities chasing people through the woods, and all kinds of classifications of different other entities, including the headlights. You shock your head in disbelief as you read through. “The headlights, a rare entity that stops at nothing to kill there pray. No matter where you go or where you hide, it will find you. It was first spotted on Route 34, just south of Rosehill, Illinois. It had been discovered after multiple reports of missing persons turned up in the area in early June 1931. No one knows exactly what or who it is, but it is highly dangerous and should be monitored closely.”
I closed the book and sat it next to me. I glanced over at Rob with pure fear in my eyes.
“You see kid, we saved you.” Rob said truthfully.
“So basically there is a whole other world of entities that I just happen to not know about my entire 42 years on this planet?”
“They hide themselves, waiting for easy targets, which you being drunk and driving home late at night, it saw the perfect opportunity to kill you.” Rob answered irritably
“It is coming, and soon.” Rob said, standing up and grabbing the 12 gauge of the wall.
“We will never be free until we beat them!” Rob shouted in a fit of anger.
The rest of the crew finished their breakfast and made their way to the living room. They all stood inline looking directly down at me. Rob reached out his hand.
“Welcome to Entity Crop. Glad to have you on the team.”