Random Encounters: Home

Take a Car-Load Off

 Nate shambles through the dark alley. He grits his teeth as he drags his broken self through the abyss. The pain isn't centralized, it's everywhere and even when he tries to focus on one section of his body, another part screams out. A person sits on top of a dumpster, watching his pass by.

"Do you still like heights?" they ask, cackling.

Nate stops limping. He looks up at them, makes a rude gesture, and then continues walking. The person pops out of existence and appears next to him.

"Come on," they whine, "Talk to me."

Nate grunts, ignoring the person. They beam themselves on the other side of him, a little ways ahead of him.

"I didn't do this to you, you did this to you," they point out.

Nate continues walking, passing the person. Hoping that maybe, just maybe, they'll leave him alone. But they don't. They continue to follow him throughout the entire alley until he's out on a brightly lit sidewalk. The sky is changing colors, from dark blues and purples, to bright pinks, oranges, and red. Nate takes a breath of relief as the cool wind blows against his face. The person stands next to him, arms crossed over their chest.

Nate takes a deep breath and nods. They watch him with their vibrant blue eyes.

"This feels good," he mutters.

The person looks at the sunrise, a small smile forming on their face.

"Yeah, it does," they murmur a response.

Nate closes his eyes, taking deep breaths, finally calm, finally having found tranquility. When he reopens his eyes, he feels different, he looks around. He's standing in the road, he looks at the person on the sidewalk. Their features melting together. He sighs, starting to walk to the other side. He begins to lift his right leg when he hears a honking noise.

Nat'es heart begins to race as he looks up slowly. Bright yellow headlights are the last thing he sees before-

Splat.