maybe now you'll remember me

Tylerson (part 1)

It was a normal Sunday evening, the blazing sun hovered above the bustling town with people shouting 'Come and buy these beautiful dresses, it has every color you ever wished for!' or 'We have all the food you ever wished for, all the amazing, unique taste. Come buy, come buy!' It might seem like an ordinary market, but if you think that, you have underestimated this market. 

During midnight, there will be monkeys dancing around, swinging through the trees, trying to find berries in all shades of red. Camels will cross the wide path leading to the mystical land in the far East. There are also tigers walking behind with their young cubs, those young cubs always play around and often get lost, while their parents panic trying to find them. Although, lots of things are happening, they all know every night they're heading towards the East agilely towards the mystical land. Why? You may ask. It was not known by anyone but me. I know very well why they go there. I also know the exact time they go there. How? Because I was a part of them. 

At 7pm, the villagers will pack all their products and start to head home. No-one will stay behind because there was a tale saying people who stay in the village late at night will be eaten by this monster. We don't quite know it's name, but we can call it Tylerson. There is a variety of tales about Tylerson, but this is the one I believe in hence why I'll be elaborating on it.

Tylerson was a normal boy who was from a wealthy family. His dad was the emperor and his mom was the empress. They were one happy family, but after an event everything changed. There were rebels winding in the streets screaming 'This country is not to be controlled by you.' Over and over again. The emperor was fed up, hence he started to execute people who were protesting. After a while, the protesters stopped protesting, but the emperor wasn't convinced that they won't do it again. Thus, he made his army control different cities in the country, all the villagers were terrified but furious. They decided to formulate a plan to kill the empress.

No-one really knew how they did it, but at last their plan succeeded, then everyone blamed it on Tylerson, the innocent prince. The emperor loved his wife, he immediately declared the execution of Tylerson; however, all the villagers persuaded him not to. Afterwards, he hated Tylerson with a great passion, hence he abandoned him in an ancient cave where no-one is brave enough to go. Tylerson then lived there alone decade after decade and never came out again.

Villagers made up some rumors and said after the emperor was dead of old age, Tylerson came out every night for food in the market, hence why everyone pack their things as quickly as possible, and try to be home before Tylerson tries to kill them for framing him for something he clearly did not do.

As a kid, I always thought Tylerson will come and find me in my sleep because that's what my parents said. They said if I don't behave well or sleep early, Tylerson will come and haunt me and lock me in one of his cave prisons. I obviously believed it, and till this day I still believe them because there was no evidence they were lying. 

One day, in the busy market, I decided to walk away from my parents because I saw this firefly flying around. It was so fascinating, I haven't seen something that flied in so long, so I decided to chase after it. It was getting dark, as I looked back and see several unfamiliar faces. I then realized I lost my parents. I started sitting in the corner crying; however till midnight my parents were still no where to be found. Everyone was gone. It was a bustling market that turned speedily into a barren town. 

I heard a loud thud after thud. It was getting louder as I looked up. I saw a caravan of camels walking towards a destination which I didn't seem to see. Following behind them were tigers and cubs. Monkeys were swinging above their heads. I was mesmerized by the sight of them walking as a group of friends. I gazed at the view of sprinkled stars on the dark night sky. Everyone were heading somewhere except me, poor me, sitting here all along with nobody. A cub came up to me, it started roaring gently. The mother tiger ran up and stared at me intensely. It was like I was its prey waiting for her to strike. I was hyperventilating and lying on the floor like a piece of paper. It picked up its cub with its teeth and ran back to the ambush of tigers. 

My heart slowed down until I was surrounded by an ambush of tigers circling me. The camels stopped so did the monkeys. One of the tigers picked me up with its teeth, one camel lowered its body and they made me sit on its back. Before I know it, we were all a group heading somewhere.