It's currently seven in the evening and it's already really dark outside. I finished today's work and still have to walk home. The morning meeting was exhausting and strenuous, and the rest of my workday wasn't any better. At least it's over for today and once I'm home I can finally relax.
My way home leads me along a sidewalk next to a not so busy road that goes through a forest. So, it's basically only me here. So far. Who knows what the night might bring. The sidewalk is adorned by a few streetlamps which were clearly placed with a "courage to leave gaps" mindset. That only serves to make this whole ordeal seem more like a horror movie than a calm walk home. Anyways, it's pretty quiet around here at this hour. The only things I hear are my own footsteps and the familiar rustle of the trees. Nothing new. As I walk, I look down at my feet and don't pay much attention to my surroundings. My mind drifts away from the present moment. I'm caught up in my own thoughts while I walk kind of robotically along the stoned path. I'm already thinking about what I'll do when I'm home. Maybe whip up a snack? Or perhaps take a shower first? Do I have enough time to watch a movie before I need to go to bed? We'll see.
While I'm debating with myself and my plans for the rest of the night, I suddenly bump into something, causing me to tumble backwards a little.
- Did I walk against one of the streetlamps? No, the object was way softer and nothing hurts. So, no streetlamp. Maybe a person? But who would wander out here at this hour? Yes, I'm such a person but I do that almost every day. Normally not so late in the evening but that's beside the point! -
Well, I lift my head to see who it is, ready to apologize for my neglect and ignorance and that I should've been more aware of my environment. But as my gaze catches sight of the mysterious person, my heart drops and my blood runs cold. My eyes widen in shock and confusion. My mouth falls slightly open as well in pure disbelief. This person who I bumped into looks exactly like me. The facial features, the body measurements and the clothes, it all looks the same. Their hair has the exact same shade of blond as mine and we have the same hairstyle too. Eyes, nose, lips and overall facial proportions are the same as mine. We are the same height. We wear the same jacket, trousers and shoes. It's like I'm looking into a mirror. Am I dreaming? I must be. There is no way that this is fucking real. Should I say something? But I don't dare to say anything. It feels like I lost my voice all of a sudden.
Now, we just stand there, staring at each other. The seconds stretch into minutes. It feels like we've been locking eyes, not moving, for eternity. After a while, I can make out crow noises in the near distance. That's weird. The sounds from the birds get louder with each moment that passes. I kind of have the urge to look up, to inspect what's going on in the sky, but my gaze is entirely focused on the creature in front of me. I feel like if I look away the creature will either attack me or do anything that I don't want it to do. However, before I knew it, the crows gathered above us. I can't force myself to keep eye contact with myself any longer and look up in a panic. My eyebrows shoot up at the sight right above us. A huge pack of crows, also called a murder (of crows), flies over us in a wide circle. I take a step back and quickly look back down to my double, wanting to make sure it's still there and didn't disappear or something.
Fear shoots through my veins and makes my heartbeat escalate. The other me, the creature, stares at me with a big, creepy smile. Tho, it looks like the teeth are way too big for my - I mean its - head. Its eyes turned black, seeming hollow and empty. Its posture became crooked, and it looked like its flesh disappeared, leaving only loose skin on bones behind.
Should I run? If I run, will it follow me?
Will I die today?!
I don't want to die!
There are so many things I still want and have to do!
I focused so much on work that I completely ignored everything else!
Why did I always assume that there will be enough time left to have fun?!
My eyes felt dry because I stared at it for so long, so I took the risk and blinked. But then this thing, the creature, was suddenly closer than before! I take a quick step back because I was startled. It's like my eyes shut on their own, for just a split second, due to the damn fear controlling my body, but it only got closer.
Before I had any chance to turn and run away. It was already close enough.
It was close enough to pounce... And before I could form a last pathetic, simmering thought - Everything turned black.
That's not how I wanted the night to develop -- to be devoured by myself.
