It had been unusually cold. Not that it had mattered much, there had been enough clothing provided to keep warm and the marching – the endless marching was something you got accustomed to rather quickly – did its part in keeping you warm.
Still, it was unusual.
All this marching meant you had time to reflect on all the little things and nuances in life that otherwise would have been drowned out by all the noise that accompanied any modern lifestyle.
Looking back, not seeing what went on would have been a better option.
After three eerily cold nights and chilly days – despite the sun shining bright from a clear and uncluttered sky – there was no denying that something was wrong.
Besides the strangely cold weather there was a creeping sensation that someone, or something, was following in our tracks.
At the dawn of the fourth day things took a turn for the worse.
It was as if the very friends you had traveled with for so long, people you knew and trusted, was consumed by the shadows as soon as you didn’t look straight at them. It was especially disturbing when you saw them in the corner of your eye.
They would flutter in and out of existence like a candle desperately trying to stay lit despite there being no wax left to fuel the flame, fear and agony all too well visible in their eyes.
Watching their presence shift between the known, conscious world and something otherworldly surreal clawed away at your sanity.
"What happens to them when I turn my back? Where do they go, what do they become?"
You grow used to always having someone watching you, no matter what you do.
Those of us that could not handle the uncertainty, those that willingly disappeared from out of sight, has not come back to share what fate has befallen them. We never expected them to.
I am growing old and tired, but not as old and tired as my friends.
I am uncertain of what is best; to make sure I do not face whatever unholy evil that exist in the gap between seen and unseen by taking matters in my own hands or wait for everyone else to die and see what awaits me.
As for now, I wait.
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1 comment:
Ok, a few "behind the scenes" comments...
As you can figure out this one is heavily influenced by Lovecraft and although I lack his execution of the idea I think it was quite a nice idea.
I've rewritten the ending more than once and I'm still not 100% satisfied with it but it's good enough for my debut story.
I'll try an dghet the next story up a bit quicker -- it does me little good to dwell on them for more than a day or two anyhow.
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