A Stranger Who Knows Me

1 - Eyes.

[Warning: This chapter may contain strong language and violence. This is also an experimental book. Please do not take it too seriously or expect continuations or serious devotion.]

It was the middle of my favourite time of year. The time of year where every night was engulfed by the gentle downpour - often after a day of Spring's success. This year was different, though.

How could it not have been?
For the entire year, I had felt as though I was being watched.
I did not want to prove myself right,
But I didn't like it when anybody would tell me it was my imagination.

Although, being proven right must've been inescapable - no matter what I did,
I saw them.

Round, beautiful and clear brown eyes.
The figure was never as clear as the eyes. It was almost as if they were luminescent in a void of pitch black. I was fine with it at some point. I got used to the beauty that would occasionally draw me in. I was used to just shrugging it off as a lack of sleep, too.

I was not used to the figure approaching me rapidly on a rainy night though.

The thunder roared a noise of victory, applauding all the villagers for a day of gain and love again. I remember it.
I loved it. It made my heart pound.
Good and bad, to be honest.

The lightning struck, a marvellous trident shape scorching its marks into the wooden roof of the next day's Lucky Man, burning half of it off. Whoever was inside cheered loudly, along with their neighbour.

I smiled. It was always nice when a Lucky Man was chosen by God.
I wasn't particularly religious, but I always found it beautiful when the festivities the night after Spring's Lightning strike began.
Especially the drinking. It was funny when literal children toppled over due to alcohol intake.

My thoughts were interrupted when the usual eyes shone brightly beside me. Not closely, though. Their usual distance of maybe seven feet. I remember. I stared at them blankly. I wanted to see if they'd hesitate. Maybe vanish.

That night, it was different. They seemed to be inching closer. Slowly, but definitely moving. They'd never done that before. I squinted to check if I was just tired from the day I'd just had.
Nope.

They were definitely moving.

Before I had enough time to rationalise, something jumped at me. I was no longer stood in the rain. I was no longer stood behind my house. I was no longer even stood.

My sight faded from me. Not too uncommon, because I never had enough money to eat enough to sustain my health. I smiled knowingly.
Or, 'believingly'. I guess.

The smile was immediately wiped off my face when a moist talon of some disturbing creature dragged down my face. Each wrinkle pulled down and stretched beyond their normal reach, exaggerating my age by at least a hundred years.
A futile attempt to throw off whatever had sat on me and a few screams for help later, and I could no longer move at all. A strange gooey substance held me down.

I was not disgusted. Only disturbed.
I just wanted to go home. I wanted to make food. I wanted to sleep to the sound of applauding thunder. I wanted to stare at the walls as the lightning lit my room.
Not necessarily in that order.

I heard humming beside me. Not even just on one side, which threw me off.

'Who are you?' I practically growled, as my throat had gone hoarse with the screams.

Nothing.

'Where the actual fuck am I?'

'Profanity shouldn't be so common for such a pure thing.'
Whatever it was that had just taken me, or kidnapped me, spoke English. That was something of a relief- at least I had a chance to get answers then.

'What on Earth do you mean? I'm an adult, I can say what I want-'
I paused.
'Why am I explaining myself to some wet ass that just fucking stole me from my garden? Can I go home? Please?'

A low laugh was heard from both sides. Again, making no sense. The voice had only come from my left.

'Can you not see?'

'No, of course I can't.'

'How come?'

I went silent.

'You will answer me when I speak.'

'Oh, will I?' I laughed. 'If you're a brown pair of eyes, you've never returned the favour.'

'You saw me?'

'Why else would I have stared?'

Why else would I have stared?