Stranger

05 | Newark Road

Waiting at the bus stop, Ryan looked peeved. 

"It's okay Ryan, we'll get this sorted. We don't need the help of that officer. We'll be okay." I smiled at him and rested my hand on his lower back.

"I just care about you and I don't like not being able to do anything to help." He attempted a smile and then kissed my forehead. A gust of wind blew over us as the 39 bus pulled up uncomfortably close to us. The bus driver glared over in our direction, his hair was greasy and his belly was practically sitting on top of the steering wheel. We sat down in a two seater and the nerves started to flood in. I grabbed Ryan's hand for reassurance when the bus started to drive away and he squeezed my hand back. The realisation of what we were doing finally dawned on me. I didn't know if he was scared or not, it was always hard to tell with Ryan.

We sat in silence, observing the world outside the finger-print smeared windows. Houses that had seen better days lined the suburban streets and the pavements were covered in yellow and brown leaves.  Soon, the number of houses became scarce and only fields and trees could be seen, gliding pass the windows. The bus came to an abrupt halt and the driver shouted, "Newark Road!" And as expected, the rusty bus stop sign displayed Newark road. 

We were there. Ryan and I looked at each other, it was our time to unravel the truth.

Stepping off the bus, it was hard not to notice how quiet Newark road was. It was a very short road that connected to a narrow country lane. The next neighbourhood road was about five miles away. Nothing but fields surrounded the two, large houses. It was beautifully rural, I couldn't help but appreciate it. 

By now, it was 6pm, the sun was beginning to cease, covering everything with a soft, orange glow. The windows of the two houses almost looked golden. The quiet tranquillity was soon disrupted by the bus leaving its stop, puffing out exhaust fumes as it went.

"I guess we should start knocking." He took a deep breathe and pointed at the first house on the road, closest to us. Like its environment, the wooden house was equally beautiful with white decking and an attic window. The garden was populated with flowers and the grass was neatly cut. Not one leaf lay on the lawn or the pathway to the door. I pushed the doorbell but nothing sounded. I presumed I hadn't pressed it properly or that it didn't work so I pressed it a second time. Again, we couldn't hear anything so Ryan knocked hard on the door.

"Alright, alright!" We heard from behind the door, followed by the sound of several locks clicking one after the other before the door opened. Ryan and I simultaneously moved our gaze downward; a five foot tall elderly woman had poked her head around the door.

"Oh hello." She smiled, clearly happy to have company, even it meant having two strangers at her door. "What can I help you with?"

I returned the smile. "Hi, we're looking for a middle aged man who may have been seen around here today, wearing a red hoodie." She stared at the floor, trying to recall from her memory. 

"Well I live on my own dear. I keep to myself, you know? You said he's middle aged?" I nodded. She tipped her head in the direction of the second house on the street. 

"The only middle aged man I know nowadays is Harry over there. He's a lovely fellow. I feel sorry for him though, he's all alone there." She sulked, focusing on the house.

"Have you seen him today?" I gulped. A black and white cat appeared from behind the woman's legs and gave me a menacing stare.

"No dear, I've been feeling rather poorly so I haven't had time to tend to my garden. That's when I usually see him and give him a wave." She grinned as she reminisced. I doubt she had much of a social life living here. 

"Okay, well thank-you for your time." I said, politely.

"No problem dear." She presented me with a delightful grin.

"I love your garden by the way and I hope you get better soon. Have a good day!" We waved as we walked down the immaculate pathway.

"Oh thank you! I hope you find who you're looking for." She called after us. Her words brought me immediate doubts.

"Should we even be looking for this guy?" I asked Ryan, after we reached the end of her driveway.

"Whether we should or shouldn't, there's no point going back now when we're practically at his doorstep." He chuckled but I could sense hesitation in his voice.

The second house - 'Harry's house' - was not as appealing to the eye as the first. Weeds grew out of the cracks in the pathway, the grass was long and the whole exterior of the house was evidently unkempt. It was an eyesore for this quaint street. The steps of the worn decking creaked and so did the wooden planks. If anyone was in, they sure as hell would've heard us coming. There was no doorbell so Ryan knocked hard on the front door. We waited. Ryan knocked again, but harder and called out, "Hello? Anyone in?" Just as he finished his sentence, we heard the ruffling of dry grass around the side of the house. Ryan instinctively followed the sound and jogged around the corner of the house. I lost sight of him before I heard him shout out.

"Hey, stop you bastard! Don't run away from me!"

I tensed up, eyes wide. Had we found the stranger? I hoped we had, otherwise that would mean that Ryan just called an innocent person a bastard. I ran around the house and witnessed Ryan grapple the stranger to the ground and begin to shout in the man's face, his fist clenched and raring to go.

"Please, please don't hurt me!" I heard the stranger plead. "Please, I can explain everything, just don't hurt me!" His face was contorted with fear. I ran up closer. Ryan was ready to cause some serious injury, but I prevented him. "Ryan, maybe we should let him explain?"

"Are you kidding me?! This guy has caused you nothing but stress and fear and you're going to give him a chance to make up some bullshit excuse?" Ryan was seeing red. The man looked at me like I was his last hope.

"Please, just come inside and I'll explain everything." His palms faced Ryan, symbolising surrender. Ryan grabbed the man's collar and lifted him closer to his face. "How do we know you're not going to kill us or do some weird stalker shit?"

"You just tackled me to the floor, do you really think I'd have the power to kill both of you?" The stranger retaliated. "I'm not getting any younger." He let out a faint chuckle, afraid it would antagonise Ryan further, yet hoping it would somehow lighten the mood. Ryan suddenly stood up and let the man get up after him. I could see that Ryan was trying so hard to refrain from hitting the man but he refrained for me. It was unusually sweet. 

The man looked over at me, waiting for my approval. 

"Okay. We'll let you explain yourself."