battery pack

flashlight

flick.

the sound of what Pete imagined the flashlight sounded like as the figure in his backyard aroused the lights beam that would scour floors of the small forest in his backyard.

every night, at precisely 2:46 sharp, a tube of light would cut through the trees and bound forward toward whatever lie in its path. the holder of this light, was unknown.

the phenomenon had began to occur the twenty third of may, today being the tenth of june. Pete, being Pete of course, could not stand they mystery of who was behind the flashlight, but could never wake up just in time to catch the person or thing.

some nights Pete would just watch. he would watch from his rooftop, he would watch how the light hit the objects and when. it was quite artistic really, as cliché as it sounded, it was truly artistic. some nights it's round corners, some nights its path would be straight and unmoving, and some nights it'd just walk in big circles, like it was searching for something. the light was searching for something.

but tonight was the night Pete didn't sit and watch. Pete was desperate this time, and would stop at nothing to solve the enticing mystery of his very own.

-

2:46 am, june eleventh

beep, beep, beep.

the brand new blue alarm clock Pete had bought earlier was the gateway to his journey.

'I'd might as well get a hat and a magnifying glass," Pete joked silently to himself, "I'm becoming the next Sherlock Holmes."

-

2:50 am, june eleventh

Pete was outside. his own flashlight in hand, a battery pack in the warm pocket of his battered jacket. he imagined how it might look, two flashlights roaming the forest floor at nearly three in the morning. artistic, as he would call it. purely artistic.

-

swish.

3:15 am, june eleventh

Pete was getting tired of looking for his mystery. it didn't stop him from looking, however. it only encouraged him. the flashlight was swung to his right. he was met with nothing. he swung the flashlight to his left, and saw something move. a shadow. breath caught in his lungs and his heart pounded on them. his eyes dilated even further as he slowly maneuvered it to the left a bit more. he saw his mystery and his mystery saw him. his pupils retracted as the beam of a flashlight shone directly in his retina. they dilated painfully once more as the figures light snapped out suddenly. he inched closer.

-

"hello?" Pete inquired in a soft yell, "can I come closer?"

nothing but silence answered him as his mystery stood like a deer in headlights. he broke into a jog and slowed as he neared.

it was dark out still, not much light had peaked over the horizon and spilled onto the hills. nearly face to face with the figure, he spoke in a gentle whisper, "hey, do you need some new batteries?"

the figure in front of him said nothing, and through the aura of darkness Pete could make out a face. a male face, with a thin, expressionless face, thin glasses and a thin and pale cream colored shirt. there was nothing very large about him, until he opened his eyes.

Pete wasn't prepared for when he opened them either. The boy had snapped open his eyes, gasped for air like he'd never tasted oxygen in his life, and fell to the ground. Pete caught him in his arms, the boy being light as a feather.