That is how it is named most of the time. You know, the world that you contemplate when you look through the window or as soon as you step out of your house. A world that my late grandfather never dared to explore, locking himself up in the house every day during his final years. A world he always painted with gray and dark colors with his personal, little touch of subtlety:
“If you could see what’s out there, you wouldn’t go out just like me.” He used to say.
Never could I imagine that one day, those words would ring so true, to the point of even dictate my life as I write this. My grandfather used to spend his days indoors and just look at the world through the window. However, unlike him, I do not even dare to get a glimpse.
Suzie is the name. I am twenty-eight years old. Like many other young people, I should be out there building a life but instead, I am stuck between the walls of this house, fortunately helped by my brother to survive. The event that shattered my mind along with my life happened six years ago in 2016.
Hastening through the narrow alleys of the village I still live in, I made my way to the nearest bus stop that late evening, after another long day of work at the salon. As usual, in the safe place free of violent crimes that our village was, only the blowing wind, the barking of dogs behind houses walls, and the crickets chirping accompanied me.
After my eyes enjoyed the beautiful dance of outdoor lights all along the narrow alleys, I reached the paved road and took the direction of the bus shelter. The village is blessed with a dazzling sky at night under which I could not wait to sit at home and sip on some red wine before going to bed.
Soon enough, my routine was disrupted by an unusual sight when I reached the bus shelter at exactly 9:46 pm. Even at this time, I used to wait for the last bus with a decent number of people whom just like me, were coming from their various places of work or occupation. However, I did not see a single soul at the bus stop that night, not even a stray dog or cat.
Each step of mine sounded like it could be heard at a mile distance, despite the crickets chirping now louder than before. Well, at least I am not late, I thought when I was under the bus shelter, before sitting at the center of the long bench. The bus shelter was one of those that are called media type, covered with static posters for advertising. Therefore, I could not see anything or anyone approaching from left, right or behind, if the thing or the person remains in the bus shelter trajectory.
As I previously said, the village at that time was still safe, therefore, I kept calm and opted to patiently wait for the bus. I put my bag on the bench and on my left side, then took out my phone for some entertainment. The moment I drew the pattern and unlocked the device, it sounded so loud and made me realize something I could not notice earlier.
When did all that just stop? I could not tell, but indeed, there was no longer any sound of anything in the surroundings. The crickets, the movement of the surrounding grass or even the wind itself blowing, I could no longer hear anything, except for my phone sounds, my movements, and my heartbeat. I looked around, wondering what could be happening when my nightmare started out of nowhere.
Fairly rapid footsteps. That is what it resembled when I first heard that sound. It was coming from my right and of course the advertisement hindered the view, preventing me from seeing the person approaching. Finally, another person to keep me company while waiting for the bus, I thought, since it was always the case. I remained calm, deciding to focus on my phone, knowing that the person would soon come into view.
Time elapsed, seconds passed, and they turned into minutes. A lot of long minutes without any appearance. I shifted my focus on the footsteps and noticed that they were not getting closer at all. The person seemed to be walking in place. Is that a prank or something? I thought. I summoned the courage to identify whoever that may be then stood up to look. As soon as I peeked and could see beyond the bus shelter, the sound stopped.
Except for the seemingly endless paved road and grass fields, there was nothing to spot, or should I say, nobody. I quietly sat back baffled by the occurrence. My eyes staring into emptiness as I asked myself thousands of questions about those footsteps.
Calm and reason over fear and panic, just like my mom taught me. I surely just imagined it, or it could be anything not even worth the thought. I managed to shake it off and decided to go back to the phone entertainment. When the phone screen lit up, the footsteps resumed, much closer, much louder.
I turned towards where the sound arose from again, and I briefly gasped when I spotted the feet of a person below the poster on the shelter. Somebody was standing behind the right side of the shelter and was foot tapping. That had to be what I had mistaken for footsteps earlier. A pair of jeans and a pair of security shoes, probably an electrician listening to some good jazz while waiting for the bus just like me, I analyzed, sighing in relief.
Back to my phone, I told myself, deciding to just ignore him and browse through apps on my phone, just like he probably ignored me too. Once again, time elapsed, a lot of time, and I just started to feel uneasy about everything.
Firstly, I could no longer hear my phone, my heartbeat or even my breath. The only audible sound remaining was the foot tapping. Around nine minutes later, it was not stopping. Maybe that good song was that long but even if it was the case, who could just be foot tapping for that long without a break? It was sure none of my business and I really regret why I did not just keep to myself.
Secondly, it was getting louder in that deafening silence so much that I felt it getting on my nerves, vibrating in my brain, ears, and heart. I know that the description seems bizarre but that is how it really felt like and till today, I still wonder how and why. Also, who was that man? How did he just seem to pop up from nowhere?
Thirdly and finally, the smell. A smell with an intensity from out of this world polluted the surroundings. I could not tell when it arose, or where it came from, but I hoped that it did not come from him. Up to this day, there is no word I can find to describe that odor as it was certainly worse than smells of wet dog, dead rat, sewage, and spoiled milk, all combined.
Impatience grew inside of me because the bus was then late, and the situation moved from disturbing to downright unbearable. What if the bus was not operational that evening for some reason and we were the only two people unaware of it? I wondered. I then thought that the gentleman behind the bus shelter and I should start a little conversation about it. At least, for a few seconds or minutes, he would stop that annoying foot tapping.
As soon as I stood up, he stopped, maybe freezing because he heard me. Making cautious steps, phone in hand, I advanced toward the uncovering of the person behind the bus shelter. I could not hear my heartbeat but still felt how it grew faster at each step. A wave of heat and goosebumps invaded my body, testifying of my discomfort and fear. Fear of what? I could not tell. My instinct or maybe my subconscious seemed to shout at me: DON’T DO IT! DON’T DO IT! A loud warning that I did not pay attention to.
When there was finally nothing to hinder my sight, my eyes widened. I gasped deeply and my phone slipped through my fingers, and I do not remember hearing the phone screen shattering upon impact with the floor. Saying that I felt all the hair on my head rise would be an understatement. I literally felt my soul leaving my body through my head. Tears quickly filled up my eyes then streamed down my face. My trembling body seemed to move on its own as I subconsciously made little steps backwards, shaking my head in terror and disbelief.
The horror standing in front of me seemed to block all my senses except for my sight and sense of smell. What I thought was an electrician, any gentleman or anything human, was just the lower part of a human being: two legs in a pair of jeans and a pair of boots as you already know. Around the waist, there was a strange, black and white belt covered with bones. Right above the belt, since the upper body was missing, there was a large, rotten wound on which pieces of intestines and crawling maggots were visible. It was for sure the origin of the horrid smell.
Honestly, I do not know what it can be called but, that thing, those legs, just turned toward me, and its feet faced mine. It stood still for a few seconds, while I continued making small steps backwards, then it made one step toward me. That one step unlocked all my other senses as I could now hear and feel everything just like before. I snapped out of whatever prevented me from reacting, screamed, then ran for my life.
I ran back to the narrow alleys, hearing the heavy sounds that monster’s feet made upon each impact on the ground. I took a furtive look behind myself and it was indeed pursuing me. I reached the narrow alleys which beauty contrasted with the horror chasing after me, and I began banging down the gates I could land my hands on.
At some point, when I looked again behind me, I saw that entity make a nearly supersonic run and it caught up with me in less than two seconds. In despair and distracted, I tripped and fell. I turned, now on my back to face my assailant and crawled backwards trying to get away from it. It crouched then propelled itself upward with the speed of a jet and just disappeared in the dazzling sky.
The people who came to my rescue, some of them even armed with machetes and guns, just found me there on the floor, eyes riveted on the sky, very softly and repeatedly saying: it was there. What could I tell them or say to the police that was also called? Some— legs were chasing me? After I finally gathered myself, the only thing I could explain to everyone was that a man tried to kill me at the bus stop. Of course, only my bag and my broken phone were found there.
Days later, when I attempted to tell the real story to my family, the only result I could get was a consultation to the nearest psychologist. However, that entity was there just like I was quietly saying when they found me. I remember seeing some people covering their mouth and nose from the smell it left behind, while others were crushing things on the floor which were certainly the maggots that fell from it.
Since that night, I fully understood what my grandfather meant. Do you have eyes to see? Are you aware that there could be someone, or something, just watching you when you are out there? While you chat or stream on your phone? While you walk? While you drive?
Who or what exactly is the person sitting next to you on the bus? Or standing behind you in the queue at the coffee shop? A spy? A serial killer? Or something supernatural like what I encountered and therefore much worse? What maybe the intentions or goals of such an entity?
What I know now is that some things should better remain hidden. I think about it and realize that maybe my grandfather was seeing stuff like that, or probably just that one entity roaming around the village daily, hence his behavior. I believe that he had special eyes that allowed him to see those things, and I hope I do not have a similar pair. I am scared to go out or even to look outside and find out. For now, let me remain indoors, slowly working on myself to be finally free one day.
I wish that I was oblivious to all those realities just like before.