Cold Mist

VI. Kim

At first there was only the patter of the soles of my shoes and the rustle of the leaves as a slight draft moved among the trees. I was walking really slow because of the fog and I could only see as far as my outstretched arms. The fog still had not lifted at that time and it was a moonless night. Even the glow emanating from the lampposts were hazy and quite useless.

Then, a fainter sound, in the sidewalk trying to match my steps, emerged. I stopped but then he must have stopped too for I could no longer detect the sound. Now and then, a gust of cold wind hit me in the face as I looked from side to side trying to place the sound.

I found myself shivering in my jacket, but not from the cold. As far as I was concerned, the only thing I was lacking was a placard that read: 'take me'. I had no choice but to throw caution to the wind and hastened my pace, abruptly stopping quite often in order to ascertain if I was really being followed. I hated to accept this fact so I told myself that it was just my wild imagination, from the hunger, maybe. Or somebody wanted to crack a joke on me. I whistled and repeated my procedure. On the fifth stop, it didn't stop with me but kept on coming instead.

This time, I ran.

I could only make out enough of what was in front of me and from what I could see I was in the part of the park where the hedges have not been trimmed yet. I gathered adrenaline and charged for it. The steps also broke into a run but I was a good deal ahead of him so I made it over the hedges and hid against the shadows.

Through the leaves, I saw a faint outline take solid form. He stopped in the front of my hedge and heaved for breath. I waited as silently as I could as he traced and retraced his steps and prayed that he wouldn't lean over the foliage to my side.

A steady breeze followed in his wake and swept the whole place clear for a brief moment. I regulated my breath just as the moon appeared and shone on his face.

My journal says: 18, March 1989 9:00 p. m.

I can't believe this! Try as I may to convince myself that everything I saw was real but somehow my mind refuse to accept the only fact that may save my life. Why him? Kim couldn't, he wouldn't. But, what was he doing with the discolored jarred – bladed sword?

Was coming from the Cafetorium after doing my project and he'd been following me! With the weapon what do I do? What do I do?

Had he known that I saw his face before he took cover? Okay, okay, I'll just pretend that it never happened and I know nothing. Soon as graduation's over I'll move to another place and be extra cautious.

Oh shucks! I left all my stuff in the hedges! What crap. But it's too late now. No matter I'll retrieve it first thing tomorrow before it freakin' goes with the wind. Someone's coming. He is coming. I came in through the window. must pretend to be asleep...