walking at night

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I like to walk at night. I like to be alone. I like silence. I like the quiet streets. I like to look at buildings and imagine what the people within did. I wondered how many fell in love, how many lost someone, how many got promoted or who got fired. I like to walk alone at night. No one around to see me, no one around to hear me.

On these walks, I sometimes imagine which of the people in those buildings would miss me. Which one fell in love with me, which one hated me. Too scared to see what would happen if they approached me. In this life, we are granted one thing. We are granted a single and hopeful life. After one we have no other.

This night was different than my other silent walks. The streets were alive. People sang and danced out in the streets. The restaurants and cafes had an abundance of laughter and lively conversation. Too loud. I muttered. I was approached by a young man, he smiled and waved at me. I waved back. He said Hi. I replied Hello. I continued to walk, he walked along with me. I turned to him I want to be alone, please. The young man looked at me and nodded. I walked off.

I had come to a corner where a baker and his young wife lived. I often bought bread from him. I knew about their marriage. I knew that the baker was cheating on his wife and that his wife knew about his love affair. The baker saw me through the window and called for me to enter. He smiled and showed his freshly baked goods, They're fresh, miss! I smiled and began to leave. Wait! He called after me. I need to talk to you. I stopped and looked back at him. Thank you. Did you tell my wife? He asked. I shrugged, Sir, I have no idea of what you are talking about. His eyebrow furrowed and he stared at me. Did you tell my wife, about, uh he couldn't say what he did. About what, sir?  He was talking about his love affair. About my he leaned closer to me,  affair? I shook my head. Of course, he knew that I  already knew about the affair. I left that bakery.

I had turned right on the corner and arrived at a small book store run by a divorced middle-aged woman who, for some reason, hated that I ever entered her shop. Usually, she's asleep and her shop is run by her eldest son. Today was different. She stood behind the counter. She had a smile on her face. She picked up an old book and began to read it. When I opened the door, the sound of the bell tore the woman's attention from the book towards me. The smile she had on her face remained. Hello. I muttered and walked around the shelves, looking at each book. Hey. Someone said to me, I looked around the find the source. It was her son. I smiled and waved and continued to look at the books. I'm Chris. He stuck his hand out for me to shake, I smiled once again and shook his hand. Hello Chris. He waited a moment, he was waiting for me to continue speaking. Do you have a name? He asked. I shrugged. Maybe I do and maybe I don't. He smiled this time. Oh? Well, how about I give you a name?  I nodded. Hmm. He thought for a moment, his eyes wandering around the shelves.  How about Lexi? I liked that name, it was much better than my real name. I like it. He smiled, So, Lexi, what brings you to this bookstore every night? I shrugged. I don't know. I just like the quiet. I like not being around people. It's more peaceful. He pursed his lips and looked at me. You like to be alone? So, you like to walk at night? I nodded. Whenever I walked at night would come by the occasional drunk or a man coming home from his mistress. I heard the young people that cried at night, thinking that no one could hear them. Yes, I like to walk at night. He frowned at the thought. He didn't like the thought of me being alone. You shouldn't walk alone, what if something bad happens? I sighed and shook my head. Considering what would later happen maybe I should have stayed with him when he offered to walk with me the rest of the night until I got tired. Yes, but what if something good happens? He didn't like that, How about I walk with you the rest of the night? Keep you safe? I know martial arts! I laughed as he proceeded to kick and punch the air that was threatening him. No, but thank you, Chris. I can walk myself home. He sighed and let me walk out

Along this walk, I talked to so many more people than I usually talk to. I met one more person along my last walk. He was nice to me before he grabbed me by the hair and dragged me into a nearby alleyway. He took a bloodied knife and began to stab me repeatedly, he began to cut off pieces of me. He kept them as trophies. They never caught the man who murdered me.

I was only nineteen-years-old. I had just learned that day that I was accepted into my dream college. I was going to be a surgeon but that was all taken from me at a moment's notice. I should have stayed home that night or let Chris walk with me. I liked Chris, we went to the same school but we never talked.

I died because I liked walking alone at night.  

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⏰ Last updated: Jun 26, 2019 ⏰

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