"Good luck what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, but before I could get an answer, Hector had already vanished.
I whipped my head around, scanning the café. Nothing. No sign of him. Maybe he went outside? But when I peeked out the window, he wasn't outside either. I went near the counter.
"Miss!" I called, gesturing towards the barista who was nearby.
"Yes, sir?" she asked, walking over with a smile.
"Did you see an old man leave? He was sitting with me a minute ago," I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
The waitress blinked, then looked at me with confusion. "But, sir… you were sitting alone."
I stared at her, totally thrown off. "What? No, he was just here." What the hell was going on? Am I drunk? Or did I just see a fucking ghost? My face went pale, and my mind raced.
"Sir... are you feeling alright?" she asked, looking at me with a hint of concern in her eyes.
"I'm fine," I said, forcing a small smile though my head was spinning. "Thanks."
She still looked concerned as she backed away. "Please take care," she said before going back to her duties.
I stood there for a second, trying to wrap my brain around everything that had just happened. Maybe I was going crazy. But one thing is the truth, that it was not a vision because the letter that Hector gave me was still with me.
I grabbed Neo's pastry, finished my coffee in one go, and headed out. I had many questions I didn't know the answer to.
*
As I walked home, my mind kept circling back to that strange old man, Hector Morgan. 'Where did he go? What the hell did he mean by that?' The questions were eating at me.
"Agh, whatever," I muttered to myself. "I just need to get home and get some sleep, I am not feeling well anymore."
I pulled out my phone and looked at the time '7:47 P.M.' Great. It was getting late, and I still had a bit of a walk. I picked up the pace, hoping to make it home before 8.
I put my hands in my pocket and pulled out a white envelope. Hector or that ghost guy had given me a letter which was meant for my uncle. 'Should I open it?' I stopped in my tracks, the curiosity gnawing at me. You know what? Screw it, I'm reading it.
I ripped open the envelope and tossed it aside. Unfolding the paper, I started scanning the words.
{So, you didn't listen to me and opened the letter. Curious one, aren't ya?}
"What the actual fuck?" I blurted out loud. People on the street shot me weird looks, and I flushed, quickly lowering my head. It was not an exaggerated reaction.
{Well, I was lying, this letter was for you, Aiden, or not.}
I let out a frustrated groan. "This damn old fool," I muttered under my breath, my eyebrows twitching as I kept reading.
{Well, I have many things I wanted to say but the thing is I can't. The seal placed on you is too strong and only you are the one who can weaken it over time. So this time, let us win.
Peace, Arkansas}
"Wait, what?" I scratched my head, totally confused. 'Seal? Arkansas? What the hell is this?' My mind was a mess, racing with questions. I reread the message again, but nothing made sense.
That's when I noticed something off, on the back of the letter, it was starting to glow faintly. I froze, my heart skipping a beat. The glow grew stronger, and I flipped the letter over. There was some weird symbol on the back. It was a circle with a faint white light and multiple patterns drawn inside it.
-Booooooom!
Before I could process what the hell was going on, an explosion occurred in the distance. My heart jumped into my throat, and without thinking, I shoved the letter back into my pocket and sprinted toward the sound.
"Kyaaaaaaaaah!"
"Run!"
"Help! Someone!"
Screams filled the air, panic taking over. I rounded the corner. A massive wave of people was rushing past me, their faces pale with terror, eyes wide, running like they were being chased by something hell-bent on ending them. I didn't need to guess what had them screaming their lungs out.
-Thud.
The ground beneath me shook as a heavy, ominous sound rumbled through the street. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked ahead. A huge, red portal loomed in front of me, and standing right beside it was something that was not human.
It was easily over two meters tall, its body grey and pale, horns curling from its head. Its claws gleamed, sharp like daggers, and in one hand, it was holding a body. No, a severed body, with the head nowhere to be seen.
My grip on Neo's chocolate pastry went slack, and it fell to the ground without me noticing. My mind screamed at me to run at the sight, my stomach churning with disgust. I wanted to vomit but I couldn't my whole body stood still frozen.
Then the creature looked at me, its crimson eyes locked onto mine. Slowly, it grinned, its sharp fangs covered with blood and other mucus.
It casually dropped the body at its feet with a sickening thud and stood there for a moment, its towering figure looming over the streets like a nightmare. Then, with slow, heavy steps, it turned toward me.
Every step it took sent a shockwave through the ground, making my chest tighten with dread. I was unable to move, fear gripping my heart, I wanted to run, I knew if I did not run now... I will die.
"Khikhikhikhi..." It laughed.
The sound of it crawled down my spine, sending icy shivers through my whole body. The voice, deep and guttural, wasn't just terrifying—it felt like something pulled straight from a nightmare.
"Metuis, Insecta?" it hissed in a language I couldn't even begin to recognize. The words were jagged and harsh.
What the hell is it saying?
My mind was racing, scrambling to make sense of it, but all I could do was feel the sweat pouring down my skin and my heart hammering in my chest. My legs, however, refused to move. No matter how hard I screamed at them to run, they stayed planted, frozen to the spot.
'Move, dammit!'
And then, before I could even think of a way to escape…
-Thap.
He grabbed my neck in a sickeningly tight grip and lifted me up. I gasped, feeling my breath get cut off. Its claws dug in, I could feel it carving my nape. My vision started to blur, tears leaving my eyes.
'Is this how I am gonna die?' I was scared, I tried pushing the creature but he didn't budge. His face had the same grin, it was as if he was deriving pleasure in making me suffer.
Its free hand rose, claws gleaming with menace as they hovered over my chest. It was almost nonchalant, he was clearly playing around with me.
My chest felt tight, and with a horrifying sense of inevitability, I knew my end was near. I had wanted to do so much, I had suffered many times in my life. Still, I moved forward, pursuing the happiness I always wanted and for a few years, I was happy.
I still had some regrets and things I wanted to achieve, I wanted to see Neo, Uncle, and Aunt again. Their faces now flashing before me. 'Are they alright?'
In an instant, the claws came down. The pain that followed was sharp, searing agony as it pierced my chest. My lungs screamed for air, but it was like everything was being crushed under the weight of the strike.
A strangled gasp tore from my throat, my vision flickering as everything went black, and just like that silence ensued.