I couldn't help it but bit my fingers in frustration, today was another hectic day in both school and work. I kept on dragging my feet along the streets as I observed as everyone was reaching out to their comfort zone, a flashback ran across my mind on how I lost focus at work because of the usual thing which occurred to me at school today, being bullied, it's not that I don't have the strength to fight back, my dad's last words before he abandoned us always kept me going.
"The strong will always oppress the weak. But the weak will remain weak if they fight back blindly" I don't really know how to put it in words but this should be around my dad's last statements before he disappeared, since then, I am left with only my mum to take care of. Life hasn't been really fair to me but we can't do anything.
On my way home, as I dragged my feet along the way, I came across a park still filled with individuals relaxing or going out, it still seemed busy but I cared less, all I needed was to clear my head if not I could lose my sanity. I walked across to a long lonely bench and the atmosphere was filled with life, as the breeze blew, I felt all the burden released from me, I sighed as I sat there for hours thinking of my life and how things could change for the better.
"Could things change for me?" I asked myself as I steered at a dog who was wagging its tail for its owner. Obviously no answer came out but for some reason I had hopes of a better future, "my actions could change my fate" so I said until the next thing I heard was my phone ringing, I took it up to look and it was my mum, then I knew that I have spent so much time here and it's time to leave. Lucky me, the park isn't far from my house. Usually, I take my midnight stroll here.
Time passed by and I found myself in front of my house, I took out my keys to unlock the door only to see how my mum fixed her gaze on me with concern and also anger, "Good eve--" "didn't u see the time Allen? It's past 7 and you should have been home since, where were you Allen?" My mum asked as she didn't even let me greet her properly. "Sorry about that mum, I was lost in thought, I had no idea when time passed, it won't repeat itself" I tried to defend myself as I knew that was the truth, but my last statement, I could say that it wasn't from the bottom of my heart.
"Allen, you said this yesterday and the day before, in fact u have been saying this for some weeks now, what is going on Allen? Talk to me, I am your mother". Here she goes again, reminding me of how she is here for me, "mum I'm stressed out, I need to rest. I had a hectic day today" those words flew out of my mouth as I arranged my shoes in the right order and went upstairs to my room. I knew we could talk this over in dinner, let me settle this once and for all.
I freshened up and prepared myself for dinner, it's been a while since I joined my mum in preparing dinner, things have changed a bit but I believe everything will be fine soon. A few minutes passed and the next thing was that I was having dinner with my mum.
An awkward silence filled the room, that was enough to make me understand the gravity of the issue. "Look mum, I am sorry and I mean it. The stress of both work and studies is what has kept me thinking for days, but now I believe I am getting a good hold of myself".
"Ohh my child..." she said as she stopped eating and looked at me with pity, "u shouldn't let this bother u, if this is really the problem, u can quit the job while I take an extra one"
"No mum!! U can't, u shouldn't. I am more than capable, just that things are not the way u think it is" I know that no matter how I try to explain, she won't really understand and letting her know that I was harassed or bullied in school was the last thing on my mind. "Then what is it, honey?". I stared at my food as I didn't know what to say. The room was back to its silence, words were lost and i felt all bad and hurt. "Don't worry my child, u can overcome it" she advised me as we rounded off the meal and I cleared the plates.
Before I knew it, time flew by as it was heading to 12Am. No one needed to tell me what was next, it's time for my usual night stroll, it has been a while since I went out for a night stroll but today, I got the best opportunity to sneak out. Lucky enough, my mum was fast asleep.
After dressing up, I left the house in silence, making not even a single noise. I kept on sneaking and walking quietly until I was a bit distant from my house, I felt so relieved cause If I was caught, the situation would move to the next level. My mum has warned me severally concerning night walks but I failed to listen. I walked across the quiet and lonely streets with my headphones over my head. This is what keeps me going and saves me from depression.
I kept on walking and enjoying every minute I spent and the breeze I received. I was well grounded with the area so it wasn't hard to locate my way back home, gone are the days when I was scared of being robbed, I have my way around that.
What popped up in my mind was to go stay in that park for a while before I headed back home, I walked over to the park and sat on the same bench I sat on earlier that day, I asked myself questions and I was able to answer some. I was on my way home, Things were moving just fine until my instincts began to tell me something was off, my nose picked up an unfamiliar scent and my instincts implored me to check it out, it was coming from the woods directly in front of me, I haven't really passed this route in a while, but this doesn't matter, what matters was what was getting my attention. I summoned courage and amidst the dark parts, I walked with my heads high and over confidence like I knew what was going on. I kept going deeper as the scent was leading me to another part of the area, just when I was about to cut the chase, something caught my eyes. I was shocked to the core.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The ground around me was soaked with blood, and the strange human figure before my eyes was unrecognizable, drowning in his own blood. My mum had warned me repeatedly not to go out for night walks, but for some reason, I kept rebelling against her instructions. I felt an inexplicable draw to the dark. Now, what my eyes beheld was something I had never seen or heard of before.
"…You… have to leave..." The stranger's voice was weak, and his words were cut short by a violent cough as more blood spilled from his mouth.
"U-uh… You need help, sir…" I couldn't even form the next words properly.
"What are... you doing alone... in the woods? What is a human doing here? Don't you... think it's dangerous?" The stranger asked, his voice filled with concern, as if he were my parent. At first, I felt offended, but then I took pity on him.
Seeing blood stream from his mouth made a thousand thoughts race through my mind.
"They… are coming," the stranger said, his fear palpable. But it wasn't the fear of dying—it was the fear of me dying.
"GET... out of here! They will kill you! Everything you know will be defiled if you encounter them. My kind is... merciless to humans."
What was he saying? I was confused. "I don't understand what you mean, sir. What are you saying?" I asked, my curiosity growing, as if my life depended on it.
"I don't have much time," he murmured weakly. "You have a brave heart... What you knew before will be different now. I hope this works..."
The stranger smiled at me, though it was faint and filled with pain.
"Your destiny now is to find her and protect her. Come closer... I want to change your fate, the one you've always desired. Come closer," he said, his words barely coherent as the sound of footsteps grew louder and closer.
His skin began to fade and burning out—this wasn't something that happens to a normal human. Who was this man? He looked at me one last time, then dragged my head closer to his mouth, revealing his teeth. Wait... is that... is that...?!