The Dead of Night

How I love late night walks. There’s no people screaming at you to move faster or to fuck off because you stepped too close to them. It’s just me, myself, and I all alone on the sidewalk. I can do whatever I want, I could shout out a name and nobody would yell at me for it. It’s the only time I get any peace and quiet in my day, since at home, all my girlfriend does is complain about how much I work. She might be right, but I’m the only one working so I have to do this.

She also complains about my smoking habits, also rightfully so, and I know I should quit, yet. There’s something about a cigarette that brings me closer to it, guiding it towards my mouth to steal my air like every other time. I blew out a puff of smoke from my nostrils, relishing in the high and mighty feeling that it gives me. Perhaps it is a bit excessive.

My feet continued moving along the pavement without much thought as I unconsciously counted how many stars there were above. Two, three, five, then ten. Those are the ones I see more clearly anyway, I should go stargazing more often.

Then, so suddenly that I could barely even process it, a loud blaring blast screeched in my ear horridly. It’s too late for loud noises such as that. I turned my head to see a car rushing through me, not even batting an eye to see if me, Liam, the pedestrian, was alright. Rude. Thankfully, though, I felt fine and dandy.

I took another drag of my cigarette as I finished crossing the street. That driver was so arrogant, just wandering right past me. These people really need to get their license checked. I wasn’t too upset about it, though, perhaps they had somewhere to be or someone that needed attention. You never truly know with people nowadays.

My eyes drifted upwards as I continued counting the stars, oh, and the moon looked beautiful as ever. I wonder if my girlfriend would like doing late night walks with me, it’s a shame I haven’t asked her yet. She’s also been busy lately, going out to help her friends with some ‘project’ or whatever. I do hope that she’s doing fine, though, I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to her while she’s out, neither would I want her to do something bad. She has a habit of making really... stupid decisions sometimes. But that’s my girlfriend, I love her to death.

I kept walking around the block and apartments and threw away my cigarette–that’s enough smoking for one night. The moment I tossed it, however, I felt a chilling feeling piercing the back of my neck. It was like I was being judged from afar but had no presence near me. I looked back and saw only the darkness of the night. Maybe it’s the cold weather getting to me. Maybe I just really need a long nap to solve everything.

Though, as I continued moving my feet, that staring feeling never went away. In fact, it crept closer with each step I took. I wasn’t that big of a man, but if there was something there, I could fight it off for a bit. I strolled and strolled along the pavement, that stare still there. Was someone following me? I didn’t have much money if all they wanted was cash or jewelry. Getting a single dollar is winning the jackpot for me. Though, maybe it’s all in my imagination.

I simply kept wandering until I reached a stoplight, that uninviting gaze still lingering behind me. It was making me feel like I wanted to tear off my skin. I simply couldn’t handle it anymore. My head turned around swiftly to see darkness once again, but this time it was bigger somehow. It wasn’t the night. I’ve seen dusk so many times it’s gotten used to me being in its existence. This was unlike anything I’ve seen before.

It was some sort of smoky substance filling the air around me, covering my body in darkness that I wasn’t friendly with. It was unwelcoming, but yearned for me to come closer into its grasp.

“What in God’s name is this...?” My voice was shaky. My girlfriend would turn away at the sound of it.

Not even a second after I finished speaking, the darkness spread further and thicker. It clouded my vision so greatly that even my five senses couldn’t do their job. I opened my mouth to shout, but all that came out was prickly air. I couldn’t speak, so was this thing some force of nature?

The darkness materialized into a cloaked figure with a hood and a long bird beak pointing outward. It was tall, way too tall for someone like me. About eight feet? Perhaps even nine? It’s hard to tell. The cloak reached all the way down to the pavement and left a shadowy trail in its wake. If I wasn’t so terrified, this would be a great halloween costume.

“Liam…” Its voice, cold and croaky, struck right through my chest. The tone so deep that it left a lasting impression in my mind. It was awfully- wait, it said my name?

“How... do you know my name?” I responded defensively.

“Death knows all, Death sees all, Death guides the lifeless.” What on Earth could this thing be blabbering about?

“Excuse me? Lifeless? But I’m perfectly fine.”

“Erroneous. Use the eyes.” 

The darkness raised an arm to point behind me and I immediately turned to see. My gaze wandered down, then my eyes expanded. There I was, curled on the ground and covered in my own blood. My body didn’t even look human, it was like looking at an unsightly creature.

“What… is this?”

“It is Liam.” It simply said, as if I wasn’t blasted by fifty waves of shock.

“No! It can’t be me! I’m perfectly fine!”

The figure reached a hand out towards my face, but I felt no touch. His fingers went straight through me. If this thing can’t touch me then... No... it simply can’t be true. I can’t be dead! If I am, who will pay for the bills? Who will buy groceries and support my girlfriend? There’s no way I’m dead!

“Hah... this is all a dream, right?” The chuckle that left my mouth was faker than a witch’s apple.

No response came from the darkness, not even a movement. There was nothing to it, so it must be telling the truth... regretfully.

“So... you were the thing I felt behind me.”

The cloaked figure merely nodded and lowered his hand, showing little to no emotion at all whatsoever. This being, while terrifyingly so, wasn’t here to harm me. At least, not yet. If it doesn’t want to hurt me, then what was it here for?

“Come.”

It began moving without a second word. There wasn’t anything else I could do. Running away would only make matters worse, so I simply followed him. I strolled about two paces behind for what felt like hours, way longer than I would ever stay out late walking. Though, my impatience was cured the moment he stopped in his path.

In front of me was a pond, one so dark and deep I could see the moon’s reflection in it... but not mine. Not even a strand of my hair.

“It is time, Liam.” The figure spoke deeply, turning its head towards me.

“...I’m really dead, huh?” I didn’t want to believe it. My life was meaningless if that’s how I died. “Can’t I have a second chance?”

“Afraid not.”

It was stupid of me to ask that question. Even a child wouldn’t ask that. My girlfriend wouldn’t be shocked, however, I’ve been known– well, was known for asking dim-witted questions.

“Go, Liam. Death completes your journey.” 

My gaze turned from the cloaked to the deep pond, only darkness and silence awaited me there. I hesitated, even in the afterlife, I was still hesitating. Maybe this is why my girlfriend began to hate being around me, maybe this is why I still couldn’t get a proper job. But now, I have no choice. Going down is the only fate that’s written for me.

So, despite all of my doubts and wavering thoughts, I slowly moved my feet through the water and lowered my head. Shadows engulfed my entire body as the remains of my soul succumbed to the abyss. If I had another chance, I would’ve done better, worked harder and tried to be a better man. 

My mother told me that everything happens for a reason, so this must’ve been part of a plan too. Maybe this was meant to be so my girlfriend could be happier, I’m certain that I wasn’t the love of her life anyway. As the abyss closed on me, all I could think about was the last times I saw her happy. That was all I ever wished for.