Short Stories

Huh

I'ma be honest. I have no idea what the assignment was on this one. All I know is that it's one of the better written ones for how short it is IMO.

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When the bell tolled the end of the morning hours, I walked out to the water. I looked down into the depths. This was a mystery. It was a quarry. We knew that for sure, nothing else. No owners. No records whatsoever. We do know one thing. It was over twenty miles deep. Nothing about it made sense. But it called me. I longed to know what was down there.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a man said, coming up behind me.

"Yes, both in and out of knowledge," I responded.

"Indeed it is."

There was a pause, then I suddenly started feeling light-headed.

"What's your wish, if you could have one thing?" he asked.

"To find out where the lake goes," I answered immediately, then started swaying.

"Are you okay?" he questioned calmly, staying where he was.

"No, I feel like I'm about to float off," I responded, now swaying violently.

"Here, put this on, I have a similar problem occasionally," he offered a weighted vest as he moved up beside me. I hurriedly donned it.

"Thanks, stranger, it feels much better."

"No problem. 'Least I could do. Now, how would you like to have your wish fulfilled?"

"What?!? How?" I asked excitedly, turning around. I gaped up the figure in horror. He was a pure black shadow, darker than the void.

"Bye, bye," he said as he pushed me. I barely had time to take a breath before it was snatched back by the impact. I scrambled at the straps, trying to get the weight off, but it wasn't moving. As my lungs screamed for air, the edge of my vision got blacker and blacker. The last thing I saw was that eerie man, calmly peering down at me.

—-

Back at the shore, the shadow turned around, walking straight into a wall. Some things are better left unknown.