Stories From the Dark

4.

Note: Honestly would be interesting to hear what people think this entities (?) are. Oh, and this was definitely inspired after a picture but I can't find that anymore.

I'm telling you this story which happened a few months ago because I have nobody else to tell.

"Oh, it's raining pretty badly isn't it?" I say deep in thoughts while looking outside. It was Tuesday night, 8 o'clock to be more specific. My school activities were finally over for the day and I was going to take a walk home. Everybody else had already left while I stayed in order to finish up some work.

"Hey, you there!" a loud voice suddenly calls. I turn around, "Oh, Mr Cho you startled me! I was just about to head home."

He walks up to me, "Sorry I didn't realize it was you," he answers apologetically, "I was just about to close down the school and then I saw you. Thought that you were an intruder or something."

"Well no need to feel sorry, I would have probably thought the same if I was in your position," I smile, "I just finished up a few things but I'll be going now." I start to walk towards the door.
"Oh, you always work so hard! You shouldn't overwork yourself like that or I'll get worried about you considering how much we run into each other," he replies.

"I just love to study and be involved in lots of different activities. I promise not to overwork myself Mr, no need to be worried about me." I explain smiling.
"Well if you say so! But how are you going to get home when it's pouring rain like that? If you really need to, I can drive you home." he suggests.
"No need Mr, I called my dad. He is waiting for me in the parking lot. But thank you for the offer."

"That's great to hear. See you tomorrow then!"
"Bye Mr Cho!" and I step outside while opening my umbrella.
I walk out the school gates. Look back to see if Mr Cho is anywhere to be seen. Concluding that he is not, I turn left. The school's parking lot is on the right.

It's pouring rain, it's cold and it's dark and I find myself thinking that I should have just left that extra work for tomorrow but then I remember why I didn't and that thought vanishes because anything, even this, is much better.

So I walk home hoping that at least it won't turn into a thunderstorm. I turn left and stop on my tracks.

Usually I would turn right because it's the longer route, also a much friendlier block and it means I can walk past my old house while the left one is way less friendly looking but a much more direct way home.

But even I am not that stupid and with weather like this I decide to turn left.
To my knowledge the left block was mostly built in the late 70s and early 80s as the economy was booming and there was a new factory nearby that needed new workers.
So many people wanted to move closer to the factory which created a demand for new homes, construction companies were obviously happy to help.

But then the economy crashed, the factory started to fire people and to top it all off some kind of accident happened in the factory sending a few workers to the hospital. Investigation showed that they had broken workplace safety regulations.

Now with a damaged reputation and angry people demanding justice the factory eventually had to close down and as the time went on and on this block became more of a ghost town. To be honest I have no idea if and how many people even live here. For example seniors usually have a harder time moving away even if it is smarter than staying. So some of them might still live here?

The reason why I normally avoided coming here was because it scared me a little but far more than scaring me it made me feel a strange level of sadness as my own block seems to be moving in the same direction.

As I walk through this road surrounded by sad old and broken looking buildings that look more like cement blocks rather than inviting homes and dream about a warm bath, warm bed and food my movement stops as my flashlight lands on something strange on the road.