Scribbles and Drabbles

Untitled Horror Drabble

Written: 2019

For the most part, Ren's day was like anyone else's. Drag himself out of bed at 7:20, run for the bus to go to work, silently watch his crush on the bus, almost miss bus stop, suffer through eight hours of work, go home, have dinner, go to bed, ignore the drumming and demonic chanting in the street at 3am. Pretty normal, for the most part. It wasn't a safe neighbourhood in lived in but it was cheap, all he could afford really.

When he woke up after a full night's sleep, something felt off. He hadn't heard the chanting last night. Which could mean a few different things but something in the pit of his stomach twisted and squeezed unhappily. Swallowing, he got ready, getting out of bed with some time to spare for once.

Black water came out of the taps for just a moment. There was a flicker of movement in the mirror. The cheap shrine talisman on his bag from his sister was completely black and not from dirt. Ren checked the seals his grandmother had insisted on. The one above his door was torn in two. Something had tried getting in last night.

Breathing slow, Ren crept back to his bedroom and dug through his things. Eventually, he found it. A protective charm from his grandmother made from far more powerful stuff that the things priests sold to tourists. He put it on.

Getting ready for work like normal, he checked his supplies. He had salt, iron wire and chalk. He placed a spare seal up where the old one had been torn and set up the iron wire around his door frame before heading out. He wasn't the only one putting up protective charms. Almost every door had something. A cross, a wreath, a prayer in a script he did not know. Everyone could feel it. Something had shifted last night and it was best to stay safe for the next few days.

He got onto the bus, ignoring the red word painted on the stop. If you looked at them too closely they would suck you in. You'd become part of the chanting. He sat down in his normal space, eyes flickering over to where his crush usually was sitting.

Nothing. It was empty.

Heart sinking, Ren settled in for the day. Not changing much of his routine. He picked up some more supplies from the local church. Holy water would have his grandmother howling at him in anger but it worked even if he wasn't Christian. They weren't even in the part of the city that had to deal with this but the Priest was blessing water by the barrels and before people were dishing it out.

Heading back home, Ren nodded at the landlord as he repaired to Apartment Block's door.

"Was it a bad night?" Jeff asked as he reattached the door.

"I slept through," Ren admitted.

"Most people did," Jeff revealed. "There we go," he smiled, shutting the door. It locked automatically like it was meant to. He nodded proud of himself and started packing away his tools. "Keep your door locked tonight. Don't let anyone in who can't cross salt," he warned softly.

"Always, sir," Ren nodded. "Stay safe," he murmured as he started climbing the stairs. People didn't usually acknowledge what was going on. It only made Ren wish he'd paid out to live somewhere safer. Jeff lived on the fringes. He was safer than his tenents but not completely.

There was a slight jiggle as he reached his floor. He looked over at the sound to find bells hanging in the windows. The corridor smelt of incense and he could hear the low drone of one of his elderly neighbours praying.

That night there were no drums. Ren slept in the bathroom, just in case. The only room in the apartment with no windows. The next night was the same. And the next. Until the fear that had built up cooled and a few people even dared to wonder if they had been worried for nothing. Except Ren's crush never reappeared on the bus. He did appear on wanted posters, however. Plastered next to so many missing posters on the sidewalk.