Cautionary Tale - MHA

Two - Fate Favors the Unfortunate

The midnight hour struck its chime in the city of Musutafu. The black skies stretched across as far as the eye could see, the harsh breeze bristled through the trees and rattled the glass panes of vacant buildings in the area. It howled as it slipped through cracks between the empty homes. It was a night worthy of a stroll to ponder about life and its meaning. A beautiful night to those of innocent nature and intent. To others, those that proclaim themselves as bright lights in society, trying to convince the world that they actually serve a purpose despite the dishonorable deeds they discreetly commit from the shadows. Those people taint beautiful nights like these, for once the night falls, they arise from their tombs and leave their muck along the streets so the innocent that are pointed blame in the early sky of dawn, can wipe clean. Those are considered to be scum by it.

A panting, gaping mouth, slobbered like a rabid dog, dripping wildly down his chin. Beads of sweat trickled down the contorted face of a middle-aged man who had never run this much in his entire lifetime. Running from what appeared to be his own shadow. Though, unfortunately, for the man, this was not the case. Like an alligator submerged in murky waters, waiting and stalking patiently as its prey creeps closer and closer, oblivious to its own inevitable demise, something else lurked in the shadows where those dishonorable deeds were committed.

And it was after him.

He rushed down an uneven pavement. Unaware of what was beneath his feet as he was too focused on what was behind him, or what he believed it to be. The man's eyes shot awake, he tripped, collapsing on his knees and tearing open his flesh from grazing the debris. He shrieked in gut-wrenching pain, holding his knee close to his chest, flipping dead skin to cover the open wound. He sucked his teeth with watering eyes. Choking back tears.

"Hah...hahaaha.."

That laugh again. That laugh in the distance. In the dark setting behind him, staring into nothing but an engulfing abyss. A sinister being staring right back at him. He couldn't see it but he knew it was there. The thing he was dreading to come face to face with; the thing he was so desperately trying to get away from. He squished his face as he gasped in fright, taking breath from his lungs. He scrambled to his feet, almost crawling; limping then colliding his shoulder with a brick wall, he dragged himself, using the wall as support for his body as he continued his escape.

Frustration built in him. Just a few hours before this wild goose chase, he was enjoying drinks as he was surrounded by his subordinates from work. Or rather, surrounded by people who couldn't care less about him, just as long as he continued to pay them they'd sit and laugh at his humorless jokes until he was too drunk to slur another word. But, of course, the rich man was too deluded to realize that much.

What has he ever done that was so bad? Why was he being hunted? Why could no one hear him? How did this night turn to shit in just a few hours? All these questions circled in his mind, clouding every other thought, that he didn't have time to process that the wall was coming to an end.

No longer supported by the wall, he hunched over, in order to maintain his balance. To the right of him, an alleyway. A dead end. He started to hyperventilate.

'Damn it. Damn it.' He cursed in his head. His chest rose and fell rapidly. He looked behind him and his heart stopped.

In the abyss, he could finally see it. That mask. That white mask. Grinning at him. He wasn't losing his mind. This thing was real.

He yelled out in frustration, confusion, and anger at the being in darkness. But it didn't flinch.

The older man groaned. Feeling hopeless, he had no choice, nowhere to go but to the alleyway. And so he did. Stumbling over loose rocks yet he continued. Then again, he peered over his shoulder, looking behind him. His heart felt like it was ripping itself from his chest.