In the dark your mind plays tricks on you, I know this. I know this from countless walks on dark winter nights, through dark alleyways, still fields and dead roads. The silence intruded on by your own footsteps. Your mind creating monsters in the dark.
This was not my mind playing tricks on me.
I always walk the same route home from a friend’s house, the bridge over the dual carriageway to the small sloping path that leads to a dirt alleyway, the long alleyway leads to two connected barren fields. These fields then lead to a paved alleyway. From there it’s just a few streets to my house. I’ve walked this way thousands of times, in the rain when the mud turns to slop, in the harsh heat of the sun, by myself and with others. It’s ingrained so deeply it might as well be a part of me.
This happened last night, and I really don’t know what to make of it.
I’d spent the day at a friend’s house. I was meant to leave at 8:30, to make curfew at 9, but I didn’t. I lost track of time and I didn’t leave the house until around a quarter to ten. Needless to say, my parents were pissed. I had a bunch of missed calls and angry texts, this led me to spend the first 5-10 minutes of the journey staring at my phone, apologizing. I had already walked over the bridge and into the dirt alleyway when I put my phone into my pocket.
Going from the sharp light of my phone to the dull dark of the night rendered me basically blind until my eyes adjusted. Even when they did though, my vision was poor. I could see the basic silhouettes of the bushes on either side of me and how they curved to the right up ahead. The walk was slow as it had rained that day and I had to step carefully to ensure I didn’t slip.
I had just grown used to the rhythmic thuds of my footfalls and the silence of the sleeping world when a short, sharp snap interrupted the silence behind me. My heart jolted a little but I didn’t stop.
“A branch.” I said out loud to myself, as though speaking it would make it true. I walked a little faster than before. Staring ahead until I entered the first field.
My eyes stayed locked forward, on the gate that leads to the second field. There was a bush to the left of me, about 3 meters away, it spanned the entire length of the field. The rest of the field was surrounded by thick trees, in the dark their silhouettes nothing more than a colossal black mass. The field was empty, just like the fields always were. No animals, no trees. Empty.
I walked. And I didn’t look behind me. Not even when I heard a rustling. “Leaves.” I said, even though I knew the sound was far too close to be the vegetation surrounding the field. I kept walking. My fear prevented me from doing anything but stare straight ahead and walk. If I moved my gaze I might’ve seen it. If I ran it might’ve given chase. So I stayed at a constant pace. And the rustling stayed too.
Half way through the field, it stopped. This almost startled me more than when it began. So much so that I stopped walking.
Slowly, I craned my neck. Peering over my shoulder I was met with nothing. Just the empty field behind me. I stood still for a moment, then I once again began walking. I patted my pocket, feeling my phone. I took it out.
Feeling reassured in the limited light of the screen, I felt silly. Children are scared of the dark. Not me. I switched my phone off. Putting it back as I opened the gate to walk into the final field.
I stared into the dark of the field.
And the dark stared back.
I froze. There was something in the field. “A tree.” I said. But I knew this ‘tree’ wasn’t here when I walked this way mere hours ago. It was tall. Maybe 9ft. It stood just off the center of the field. I had to walk past it to get to the gate. I couldn’t tell much more than that. My eyes hadn’t adjusted to the dark. I forced myself to begin walking. “A tree.” I whispered. Step. Step. Step. I walked closer. “A tree.” I said Step. Step. Step Closer I drew. I didn’t look at it directly. I was half way through the field. “A tree.” I stated. Step. Step….
It moved. A fast shift towards me.
I ran. I ran and I ran. I ran and the slick mud made it difficult but I didn’t stop. I ran as fast as I could but I knew it wouldn’t be enough. I ran to the end of the field. But not out the gate. I stopped. I grabbed my phone from my pocket and I turned around. I could see the dark blur storming towards me. I turned the flashlight on.
It wasn’t very bright but it was enough. The field stood empty once more.
I sprinted the rest of the way home. I haven’t been anywhere near the field since, and I don’t plan on ever going there in the future.
I haven’t slept for a few nights. I told my parents but they think I made up some elaborate lie because I missed a curfew. I’m grounded and no matter how much I swear it’s the truth they don’t believe me.
Last night I looked out of my window. Like always I could see the distant lights of far away roads and cars but when I looked closer I swear I could see a tree in my nextdoor neighbours garden. I had never seen it before. It was too large to be new.
I stared at it for a long time, but I don’t have a light powerful enough to illuminate that far. In the dark it was just an undefined mass. I fell asleep at my window. Staring into the darkness.
It’s daytime now but I don’t see the tree.
I have no idea what’s happening or what that thing in the field was.